Ravin about the Ravens!
As we walked around Lot H last Sunday, Ravens fans kept asking how their tailgate measured up. And though we love 'em all, and don't like to play favorites, we just had to confess that it was tops!
I mean, Baltimore's got a lot going for it. A beautiful new stadium in a legendary sports complex (Camden Yards) near a bustling harborside downtown accessible by a clean (and cheap!) light rail system.
Add to that a great fall day, passionate fanbase and plentiful fresh seafood and you have all the ingredients for a fantastic tailgating tradition -- and that's just what we found.
Fan vans were popular, as were customized short busses and campers. Lack of parking for oversized vehicles apparently keeps the tailgating rigs on the small size. But the parties are plenty big.
We saw more than a few buddy bars in the lot, and the most cooker / trailers we've seen since last year in Dallas.
What we were really looking for was some of that famous Maryland crab, and there was plenty to be found all around the lot. Along with clams, mussels, shrimp, and various seafood soups, they best captured the flavor of the day.
But that was only the beginning. Ravens fans were cooking diverse and impressive menus that ranged from tortilla soup to pork tenderloin, beef brisket to Chesapeake Bay wings to stuffed baked apples.
And at 11:30, when the judges stepped up to begin the Taste-off, they were confronted by two tables entirely filled with entries. It took more than 30 minutes for them to work their way through the most recipes we've ever had at a single tailgate.
The crowd waited patiently while our judges considered carefully and finally announced their choices for the Blacktop's Best.
They recognized Mary Callan for her Raven Velvet Cake, Don Nevaker for his Bologna Burger, Karen Topolski for her Lump Crab Dip, Mike Zz for his 24 hr.Venison Tenderloin, and Brian McKinney for his Italian Sausage with Green Peppers and Onions.
But top honors went to Big Mike for the sweet and spicy, melt-in-your-mouth ribs he'd been smoking on his trailer for days!
When the game was over, fans filled the trains outside the station, and flooded the bars at Inner Harbor. But the die-hard tailgaters returned to the lots, fired up the grills and started cooking again. The Ravens had won, and their fans celebrated throughout the lots with music and lights filling the air well into the night.
Super Fan !
Humphrey, the Ravens tailgate rescue dog, was roaming the lots in full fan gear, complete with the essential Saint Bernard accessory -- a barrel under his chin. And just to make sure everyone knew how he felt about the opposing team, Humphrey was sporting a Terrible Towel tied to his tail.
Friends of the Tour!
Our neighbors in the lot just happened to be the local distributors for both Jim Beam and Budweiser (good people to have at your tailgate!) In addition to throwing a couple of killer parties, these guys were good enough to make room for us in their row and let us play with their cool Bud mobile.
Tailgating Tip:
Contrary to what you might read on the web, tailgating at M&T can present a challenge for traveling fans. After going round and round with the parking attendants on gameday, and being told to move (over and over again), and getting charged double what we had been told it should cost, we decided to call the front office on Monday to get the facts straight. This is what we learned:
- Oversized vehicles are only allowed to park in Lot J (not H, as the website states).
- Oversized vehicles pay $100.00 to park, either at the lot or by calling ahead to get a permit. The number for Central Parking is (410)347-9330, ask for Cynthia James.
- There is NO CASH PARKING AVAILABLE for standard vehicles. All lots are Permit Only.
See more pictures from the Baltimore tailgate in our Scrapbook OntheBlacktop.com!
Click here...
OnTheBlacktop.com 
Tailgate Talk... 
NEW TV Show! 
