World Championship Onion Dip

I am not ashamed of it at all and will speak about it freely with anyone yet I still find that every now and then I will have to make a very specific point of coming out, again.  Evidently despite my living a genuine life there is one thing about me  not easily pick up on by casual observers.  I’m tempted to say nothing but circumstances often present themselves where to not say something makes things even more awkward.  So here it is:

I don’t like football.

There, I said it.

Whatever ‘sports gene’ there is that allows for someone to be a football fan did not show up in my genetic code.

I realize that the “nature vs. nurture” debate will roar on but consider this: I have never once had an iota of interest in team sports and yet my sister practically came out of the womb calling audible and arguing with the referee (doctor) that gave me a First Down out of the womb instead of her. Heck, even Sis’ childhood bedroom was once decorated with gridiron wallpaper and a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader poster. On the other hand I would stay up at night sewing up a new pillow treatment for my twin bed with matching curtains and doing collecting research in order to replicate Nancy Lancaster’s drawing room at Kelmarsh Hall.

Start talking football and you will see my eyes glaze over in seconds as I desperately think out a strategy  to end the discussion as soon as possible. Any sports conversations longer than 10 seconds would reveal my “T” and while I”m not ashamed of it, I would prefer not to be subject to any judgement either.

I managed to get all the way through high school before social pressures would would coax me into learning enough intricacies of the game, its teams, its customs and its rules so that I could approximate enjoyment of it. If I couldn’t love the game I would at least pretend to love the game and make everyone else happy. Like me now?

When I couldn’t avoid playing football I would do my best to put on a good show and get through at least a few minutes of it before wiggling my way out. After it was over I would understand with even more clarity that this particular activity just wasn’t for me.

The more I faked it the more I was losing myself by being what I thought someone else would want me to be. It felt wrong.

Eventually I learned to accept this truth about myself. It made me special. I decided to slowly come out and tell people. First those closest to me and then, with their support, a few more. Some would either try to use it against me or tell me that they could no longer be friends with me but in the end my football-loving friends and family realized they didn’t care either way and continued to love me.

My lack of football enthusiasm rarely comes up any more except, of course, around Super Bowl Sunday when the entire nation goes crazy nuts for football.

Its like Oscar night for straight people isn’t it?

World Championship Onion Dip

Even though its not my thing I still enjoy the excitement the game brings everyone else and it is in this aspect where I find my joy and inner piece with the whole thing. Well that, and the fact that half time entertainment seems to always be chosen to appeal to people like me. (Cher, Diana Ross, Madonna, Beyonce…need I say more?)

And as much as everyone else enjoys watching the game I enjoy cooking for those viewers. After Thanksgiving Superbowl Sunday is now the largest single day of food consumption in America. When you consider that most of it is in the form of chips, snacks, and other small foods you have a lot of food shoveling  going on during those several hours.

What I enjoy about the trend is how America is taking snack food standbys and turn up the volume (as The Ina would say.)  Chicken wings become Chili Lime Chicken Wings with a wasabi crust, cheeseburgers become Kobi Sliders with a Cabernet Sriracha glaze. Stuff like that.  I love that stuff. You know what it means?

It means that there is probably someone like me at your party who would rather cook than watch.

This onion dip is just onion dip. No trendy flavor but yes, I was tempted to crumble some bacon into it. Before food blogs and 24 hour cooking channels we used to make it by adding onion soup mix to sour cream. Now we know better and we make it this way. Your guests will know the difference.

Whether you love watching the game or you just love those who do, enjoy your Sunday. Be yourself. Your secret is safe.