Food, Glorious Food

When I first heard we had tailgates after lacrosse games I wasn’t really sure what to expect. To my surprise, our tailgates this season were a time filled with a huge variety of delicious foods. However, the tailgates aren’t just about food; they are about spending time with your family. Unfortunately for me, my family lives very far away and did not come to any of the tailgates this year. Luckily, I have a second family, the Drehwings, who welcome me with open arms and plenty of good food.

At our first home game tailgate, I walked out of the locker room to see tables and tables of food and my roommate’s dad, Mr. Drehwing, manning his grill. I immediately grabbed a plate and filled it with the various salads, pasta salads, chicken wings, chili, and fresh fruit. Everything was delicious and fresh, two words you don’t usually hear uttered together at Farinon. Each parent contributes something, whether it is the drinks, some gourmet salad or even a plate of fruit. The tailgates are full of everything we miss from home. After filling my plate, I then got in line for one of Mr. Drehwing’s burgers.

He handed me exactly what I had been missing in my meal plan, a fresh, juicy, hot cheeseburger. It melted in my mouth and I immediately went back for another one. At every tailgate, I look forward to devouring a couple of Mr. Drehwing’s burgers. I miss having good quality beef every week like I would have at home, but luckily our tailgates always deliver something that fulfills all of my cravings. When you get to know Mr. Drehwing better, he will bring a secret supply of flank steaks and shrimp. You can get these special items on the “Back Grill” in a separate line. However, you have to keep the “Back Grill” a secret between you and Mr. Drehwing.

The Drehwings are veteran tailgaters. They have three daughters, all of whom play division one lacrosse. With the grill strapped down to the back of their pick-up truck, the Drehwings attend almost all of their daughter’s games. You can even find the Drehwings at other Lafayette sporting events, ready to feed any hungry mouths of Lafayette athletes. Two weekends ago they supported Lafayette’s women’s rugby team, since a former lacrosse player is now a member of the rugby team. The Drehwings not only hosted a tailgate for the rugby team and their families , but also encouraged many other families and students to attend the game. This family is all about brining people together by enjoying good food.

The Drehwings have mastered the art of tailgating and put a smile on every player’s face regardless of a win or a loss. My roommate and her family are incredibly generous with their support of our team. We are incredibly fortunate to have many parents who care to bring everything to our tailgates. I will be craving Drehwing burgers all summer and can’t wait for next season!

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 at 7:13 pm and is filed under 8:00 AM section. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.