The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

MARCH MADNESS

T he NCAA tournaments are an American tradition that sends millions of fans into a synchronized frenzy each year. It’s this chaos that gives the tournament its March Madness nickname. An original 68 teams are winnowed down to an elite foursome called “the Final Four” leading to the final competition that will crown an NCAA champion. Now that I’ve impressed you with my paltry grasp of March Madness fundamentals, let me tell you what it really is to me—the basketball equivalent of the Superbowl, which I love! Since the final NCAA game is often held on a Monday, heavy drinking is usually down to a minimum. Beer suffices. I also like keeping food easy to manage and finger friendly. After all, most eyes are on the TV screen, not on managing to keep a plate from wobbling off your knee while you try to cut a piece of chicken. One handed bites like chicken drumsticks and mini burgers are always a good choice and, here in Texas, there is usually something spicy on the menu like mini tacos. I love Mexican flavors with plenty of punch that wake up your taste buds and go great with beer. Given how fast my guests eat my chili, I suppose I’m not the only one. For game viewing, I like to serve food on large trays and people can just help themselves. No worrying if the food isn’t piping hot; it’s just as good warm or at room temperature. Load up your coffee table with platters, napkins and beer, find a spot on the couch and game on!

SPRING · MARCH MADNESS

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