The Heart of the Table | Seasons & Celebrations
Orange Bowl Memories & Ten-Dollar Lawns
When I moved to South Florida with my family in the early 70s, we immediately became Miami Dolphin fans! Game day was an absolute event for us. We drove forty minutes from our house to the game and parked on the front lawn of a home belonging to a sweet Cuban family that lived blocks away from the Orange Bowl.
The price to park at their house? Ten bucks!
"My mom packed tons of waxed paper wrapped sandwiches, and we ate right on the sidewalk on our way to the game!"
Eventually, Joe Robbie built a new stadium in the late 80s and tailgating took on a whole new meaning. Fans hauled grills to the parking lot, and we ate footlongs, burgers, and brats... and sometimes a Buffalo wing or two!
The stadium was overhauled over the years, team ownership changed, and the fans continued cheering. Stadium food grew to multi-course buffets and in-seat food delivery via your iPhone. Our fan-food palette definitely grew, but the absolute standards remained exactly the same. Burgers, hoagies, and wings.
As long as I can remember, there was a Game Day staple from a little restaurant in Pompano Beach that made the best wings I’ve ever eaten. We ordered them with extra garlic and extra hot sauce. They were the perfect fan food, whether your team was winning or on the verge of winning. And at this point in the season, there is always HOPE!
From the Memoir to the Kitchen
To bring this memory to your own tailgate, explore the Master Blueprint for the signature hot garlicky wings that inspired this story.
View the Recipe in The Estate Vault