Another Year in the Book…
Another Year in the Book…
Every year has been an adventure and I guess since we have started Tailgate Tigers, Vickie and I have used it as a surrogate for all the challenges of our years in managing Jefferson Downs and Fair Grounds. Organizing events is just what we did.
We learned a lot about managing resources, including how to direct the resources of the people you worked with. The difference from then to what we do now is, the people who help us, the ones who make up our team are not paid. They are giving us their most valuable commodity, their time. As we went through the cycle of our main Tailgate Tigers fundraiser ‘Grab & Go” and Hogs event, I was stuck by how the now almost thirty members of our team work together.
The cause is a good one. We try to make the events we do engaging and fun. We work shoulder to shoulder with our friends and family in making these events happen. In a world tearing apart in division, we have brought people from all segments of life together to help families in need.
We have learned from every experience and event and continued to improve our efforts and team. While this year’s competition scores were a bit below our typical standards, we are already working on our approach for next year.
To the members of the Tailgate Tigers team, I say, Thank you for your effort and time. You make our community a better place and enrich all of our team members lives. See you soon…
Every year has been an adventure and I guess since we have started Tailgate Tigers, Vickie and I have used it as a surrogate for all the challenges of our years in managing Jefferson Downs and Fair Grounds. Organizing events is just what we did.
Read MorePut us on your things to do list! Get your calendar out and a pencil handy…
OK folks… it’s time for our annual Tailgate Tigers fundraiser. Hogs For The Cause is just around the corner. Please consider making an order from us for our event two Fridays from now on March 3rd. Anyone who is in an office setting, this is a perfect Friday office lunch. We will deliver large orders.
Read MoreMy wrap up is extremely tardy this year. Perhaps it’s a sign of being three years older and the 48 hour marathon of Hogs was even more arduous with two years of rust to knock off. Or as an alternative, even though there was two years of rust we are now running twice as fast to keep up with the Tailgate Tigers & www.lacraftbutchers.com load of responsibilities.
Read MoreFolks, we are a resilient lot but a return to normal would feel “mo better.” After two years of Covid and Hurricane Ida, I think we need rest and fun. The hurricane repairs are well underway and Covid seems to be easing so lets do what we enjoy most, getting together to eat, drink and pass a good time.
Read MoreMid October Update
With Hurricane Ida in the rear View Louisiana Craft Butchers has made a big step forward in convenience to our customers! We are happy to announce the launch of www.lacraftbutchers.com our e-commerce web site. We hope you enjoy the features of the site. We will blog and share recipes about our food culture. The products we embrace have a connection to Louisiana and New Orleans and part of the mission here will be to tell the story of how we got where we are.
Read MoreTailgate Tigers Spring Event wasn’t at Fair Grounds this year because of you know what. Hogs For The Cause isn’t at UNO this year because of you know what. No problem!
Read MoreMan, are you goin to like dis sha…
Read MoreIt’s mid-summer. The Covid 19 Pandemic has kept us in Covid Confinement since Mardi Gras and caused many of our social events to be cancelled, including 2020 Hogs For The Cause in March. Tailgate Tigers has been pondering what to do with the 800 pounds of Pig Belly in our freezer meant for our Cracklin sales at Hogs this year… So what do you do?
Read MoreLooking for a family grab & go meal? Does your office or business buy lunch? We will deliver to you on Friday July 10th!
Read MoreSo what do you do if you have a group of BBQ geeks who want to have a summer event? Introducing Tailgate Tigers Inaugural Intramural Rib Cook Off. After watching way too much Pitt Masters on TV we divided up into five teams. The teams then overdosed on YouTube video on how to prepare Competition Pork Spare Ribs. The teams also sought advice from anyone who stood still long enough to be harassed about how to cook the perfect rack.
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Read MoreBefore he was scratched due to a throat ailment, Omaha Beach had settled into being the anointed heir apparent to the Winner’s Circle of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Now everything is changed.
Read MoreThe first Saturday in May has been in highlight day in my life for many years. The Kentucky Derby became significant to horseracing when Matt Winn was recalled from his assignment in New Orleans as the manager of the City Park Race Track to Louisville to become the promoter of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. His efforts moved the race from being just another Derby race for 3 year old Thoroughbreds to the greatest two minutes in sports. While the race is a contest between equine athletes, the real stories which bring the race to life are the stories about people associated with the race and racing.
Read MoreIn a time a long way in the rear view mirror, when I was getting out of college, getting married and starting a career in Thoroughbred Racing at Jefferson Downs, I purchased a Grandstand Box at Fair Grounds. We ended up in a box at the 1/16th Pole, next to Gary Palmisano (who became a good friend and our horse trainer). The Box behind us was inhabited by Coach Lou “Rags” Scheuermann and with some regularity his son Joe.
Read MoreHog’s week starts for us on the Monday before setting the heavy things, laying out our site plan and staging for Friday AM when the true setup takes place. Everything has been placed by the 9:30 AM meat check. As soon as the check is done we immediately go into meat prep mode. The 120 lb whole pig is trimmed, seasoned, injected and put back into storage until cook time…
Read MoreWhat is a Calas? A Calas is a sweet or savory rice fritter and is part of New Orleans culinary history. The Calas has African origin and was a popular street vendor food in the New Orleans Colonial era. These fritters were an opportunity for slaves of the plantation era to buy their freedom. On Sundays, Calas Vendors would sell their wares to church goers as they left services. This near forgotten New Orleans cultural and food legacy has been championed by New Orleans food historian and chef Poppy Tooker.
Read More$7 Fresh Popped Cracklins. Right out of the hot grease.
$7 Ribs while they last. Limited amount from out turn in racks.
$7 Pulled Pork. Two types. Traditional Tailgate Tigers award winning Boston Butt. Or, pulled from our Carolina Style Whole Hog cooked over pecan wood fire. Injected and mopped with our special Carolina style vinegar based mop sauce. Offered with tortilla’s or bread.
Read MoreOur Fair Grounds event was the best we could hope for. Team member Neil Pessin did a tremendous job with ticket sales. We were a little behind with our off site sales but all and all we look to be on track to make a good contribution to Hogs this year.
Read MoreWe are very happy to have launched this new website where we can share our stories, pictures and events we will be taking part in.
Check in on us now and then to keep up and be sure to visit us in person at our next event.
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