Grapevine: Analyzing This Year’s Super Bowl From a Culinary Perspective
Super Bowl Sunday brings together friends and family to indulge in the biggest junk food day of the year.
Once a year we indulge guilt-free in those waist-widening, artery-clogging foods we try to fastidiously avoid all year. And what better way to wash down those calories and fat than with your favorite beverage.
But what to consume on this traditional National Junk Food Day?
According to the National Restaurant Association, 48 million Americans will order takeout food. What will we be eating? For 69 percent of us, we will be noshing on chips, dips and salsa and 63 percent will be inhaling chicken wings. In fact, National Chicken Council projects that 1.25 billion chicken wings will be devoured. They calculate that is enough to put 572 wings on every seat in all 32 NFL stadiums.
A few statistics as a reference point for the game:
On the field: The New England Patriots are appearing in their eighth Super Bowl (tied for most all-time), with three wins. This is the Seattle Seahawks’ third appearance with one win. Two proven teams vying for additional glory.
Off the field: The average price of a ticket to the game is expected to reach a record high of over $3,000. The average viewer will be spending an average of $78 on food, beverages and team merchandise. That adds up to a whopping $14.3 billion. A 30-second commercial costs a record $4.5 million.
With these factoids as a base, here’s my premise for this week’s column: a Super Bowl Challenge for the best food, wine and beer produced in the two rival football regions.
Food: Each region has its iconic foods. Which is superior?
From the culinary heights of haute cuisine in the downtown area to the ultimate Italian comfort food in the North End, Boston diners have numerous fine choices. Iconic dishes like New England clam chowder and Boston baked beans are steeped in the colonial underpinnings of the city and region. And don’t forget the fresh cannoli at Mike’s Pastry.
But don’t count out Seattle. Its proximity to Northwest waters makes it famous for fresh seafood sold at Pike’s Place Fish Market. A sample dish that showcases Seattle’s culinary diversity is cedar-planked salmon with wild huckleberry demi-glace, caramelized Walla Walla sweet onions and Washington apple pie.
If this category determined the Super Bowl winner, New England would win hands down.
Wine: Washington State is one of the premier producers of fine Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends. There are over 700 wineries, a number of which are a short distance from Seattle. Quilceda Creek, Andrew Will and Chateau Ste. Michelle consistently produce quality wines year after year.
Although Massachusetts’ Westport Rivery produces a worthy sparkling wine and Rhode Island’s Sakonnett Vineyards offers Cock of the Walk Red, they can’t compete with the terroir of Washington State.
Seattle dominates New England in this category.
Beer: Craft beers are growing in popularity, a testament to the new generation of talented brew masters. Both teams’ quarterbacks are stars, Russell Wilson having more recently come into prominence and Tom Brady continuing to exert his inimitable perseverance and talent on the playing field. So, too, the beers of each region. Each city overflows with craft breweries – over 150 each, several with national reputations.
For Seattle, look for those available in our area: Pyramid, Red Hook and Elysian. Of course, Boston has its Samuel Adams. This is the most difficult category, but I have to give the nod to Sam Adams for its consistent performance, its skill at offering a wide range of choices and the beautiful women it seems to attract – just like the Pats’ Brady.
Which team will claim bragging rights for the next year? Which region will claim culinary dominance? Whatever your plans are for the Big Day, relax with your favorite junk food, your beverage of choice and enjoy the game.
Nick Antonaccio is a 35-year Pleasantville resident. For over 15 years he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
