The Food Dude: It's Time Again to Tailgate

“A true Theta Burger is topped with mayo, sliced pickles, hickory sauce and grated cheddar cheese on a sesame bun — Vince was a stickler about that,” Brad said. “I am an onion lover, but it was not on the original Theta.”

Chad and Brad said you can now get true Theta Burgers at Louie's restaurants, Henry Hudson's, The Greens Country Club, Quail Creek Country Club, Les Debris and at the State Fair.

Split-T Hickory Sauce can be found at Crest Stores, Sprout's Markets, Buy For Less stores, The Meat House, Everything BBQ, Holder Brothers Beef, Jack's Fire House and American Propane.

Norman style

To talk Sooner tailgating, I spoke with Paula Barrington, who along with Pam Wiley, is responsible for The Catering Girls tailgate. Paula is famous first and foremost for her Bloody Mary. One sip and I was sold. I am historically not a Bloody Mary person, but this mix of heat and spice was good enough to eat with a spoon and call gazpacho.

Tailgaters started calling Barrington and Wiley the catering girls because of the breadth of products they bring to their tailgate. You'll find their tailgate just north of University and Boyd, near the First Presbyterian Church in Norman.

Barrington said her food secret weapon is the bratwurst, but that no one walks away from their tailgate hungry or thirsty.

As for the Sooners, she said, “I expect a national championship and nothing less every year.”

Stillwater style

Up in Stillwater, on the west side of the architecture building just south of the stadium parking lot, you'll find Laura Steen and her husband, Conner, surrounded by the same friends and their families that started tailgating while in college close to a decade ago.

“We all keep expanding our families, and the tailgate just keeps getting bigger,” she said. “It's meant our tailgate has had to adapt to having kids around.”

Steen said the go-to tailgate treat is the Walk-o Taco, also known as a walking taco or a taco in a bag. Simply cut open a single-serving size bag of tortilla chips — Laura prefers Doritos — and replace the air so kindly supplied by the folks at Frito-Lay with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, cheese, salsa, onions and whatever taco-friendly toppings you prefer.

“You can walk from tent to tent with it,” she said. “And still hold a cold beer.”

Whether you bleed orange, crimson or a little bit of both; and whether you trek to Stillwater, Norman or open up the back patio, part of what makes the fall so fun is getting together with friends for football, fellowship and flavor.

If you think you excel at any or all of those things, by all means enter the contest.