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Tailgate parties are a must for any football game, as my brother can attest. He has practically gone pro with his tailgating and has other tailgaters taking notes.

The biggest thing in his arsenal is a gas grill. Gas grills burn cleaner and you don't have to mess with disposing of hot charcoal at the end of the day. Just shut it off, cool it down, and pack it up. Another plus is that when tailgating season is over, he just wheels it to the patio and throws the cover on it for the winter. It's heavy enough that it won't blow away, either in a winter wind or in a blustery breeze at the tailgating party.

His chest cooler holds drinks as he needs to keep the gang happy, and it provides extra seating as well. He can also use it as a spare table or to prop his feet on after he's done cooking. He has several camp chairs with a pocket to hold a drink can for those friends who forgot to bring a chair.

Where most tailgates keep the food simple, my brother sets out a variety of foods to whet any appetite. Burgers are a given, as are chicken wings, but he also grills skewered shrimp and lobster tails, when he gets a good deal on them. Instead of plain cheeses to nibble on, he has marinated mozzerella balls for his group. Veges with dip, baked beans with brown sugar and bacon, provolone and prosiutto-filled cherry peppers, and those imported hazelnut filled cookie-straws finish out his buffet.

He's always on the look out for new things to add to keep people coming back and is building a website so he can let people know where the next tailgate party is.

Learn more about this author, Liane Laskoske.
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