Tailgate party guru
has a dream job

It's a ritual that begins every autumn across this great land of ours. We arrive by the carloads each weekend, packing stadiums in every corner of the nation. Men, women and children, proudly outfitted in the colors and emblems of our beloved team, are brought together in the name of gridiron.

Yes, football games are a popular American diversion, though there are occasions -- such as when your team finds itself on the losing end of a bruising three-hour battle -- when the game itself comes second to the other great game day ceremony: the tailgate party.

In the hours before the game (and sometimes after), participants secure prime portions of parking lot, fire up the grill and toss on slabs of beef, pork and fish, crack open a few cold ones and fraternize with their neighbors. It's a weekly custom many ticket holders cannot live without.

Few, however, are as versed in the American tailgating experience as Joe Cahn, the self-appointed Commissioner of Tailgating, whose Web site at www.tailgating.com will have you scratching your head and wondering "Why didn't I think of that?" Just what his job entails is not exactly clear, but one thing's for sure: Joe Cahn loves his work. And as he has been elected to a lifetime term, he'll likely be enjoying his post for some time to come.

According to his Web site, Cahn visits between 40 and 50 stadiums a year in his RV, sampling regional fare like Philadelphia cheesesteaks, New England lobsters, New York hot dogs, Seattle salmon, San Francisco dungeness crab and, of course, Buffalo wings. He not only managed to secure a grant from Coca-Cola to study the habits of tailgaters across the country, but also received an award from the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association for embodying the spirit of the American RV traveler.

Cahn offers pointers on creating the perfect parking lot celebration, a top 10 list of tailgating must-haves, as well as tips gleaned from fellow tailgaters. You can find links to tailgating grills, books, videos and accessories and browse through a lengthy list of recipes, from Alabama mustard/vinegar barbecue sauce to Jamaican jerk chicken. Bust out an extra serving of kal bi and poke this weekend. You never know when Joe Cahn will be dropping in on your tailgate party.

Note: Web sites mentioned in this column were active at time of publication. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin neither endorses nor is responsible for their contents.