October 2025 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN October 2025 12 Easy & Elegant Tailgating Recipes to Share By LA Berry When Gloria Austin, founder and philanthropist behind the Equine Heritage Institute, and researcher Mary Chris Foxworthy released ACookbook for Horse Lovers: Recipes, History and Culture Surrounding Horses and Feeding Their People, it posited how the evolution of cooking was adjacent to our relationship with horses. “The most enjoyable equestrian events,” Austin ob- served, “[are] all structured around the fellowship of sharing a meal with one’s buddies with similar inter- ests. Horses, of course.” “Horse shows required eating something to keep one’s energy up for the competition. Picnics were often part of the show and even judged for spectators to wit- ness. The sometimes formal, sometimes casual dinner parties were an opportunity to share a day’s activities in conversation. If you study sociology you understand the cultural importance of sharing a meal. “We only eat with the people who are important to us.” Planning & Portability What we serve and how we serve it are important, too. Austin says there are three P’s to equestrian culi- nary hospitality: Planning, Portability and Presentation. “Tailgate picnics require packing cold and hot foods, plus table settings in the rear boot,” Austin said, referring to the ‘trunk’ in carriage driving, “and the proper wine is a wonderful addition.” Planning the care and feeding of equestrians is best achieved with that most priceless of kitchen ingredients (no, not saffron): Extra hands and/or volunteers. “Once we are hunting during our formal season, we tailgate after weekday hunts but have a breakfast after hunts on weekends,” says New York foxhunter, Lin- da Scorsone, who likes to do her cooking in advance. “Generally two or three members put on a breakfast at a home near the meet, often belonging to one of our friendly landowners. These logistics require easy food that can transport easily and warm up quickly.” One such easy dish is a boneless pork loin roast, marinated overnight in soy sauce, garlic powder, pep- per and lime juice, before covering with aluminum foil and cooking at 350 degrees until (depending on its size) medium to well done. “The first time I made this [roast] I was so worried it would over-cook that I took it raw to the house we were using. It was a big, early December meet with holiday flair, so a lot of people were there. But the oven couldn’t handle a 15-lb. pork roast and it took much longer to cook than expected. Fortunately, every- one had a pretty good buzz by the time was the food was ready!” For dependability (and Portability) the Opening Day Breakfast with Windy Hollow Hunt, a “traditional NewYork country hunt” in Port Jervis, rides on deviled eggs. WHH honorary secretary Heidi White’s reci- pe starts with seven eggs in a pan with water one inch above the eggs. Cover and bring to boil. Re- move from heat and let stand 15 minutes before pouring off the water and putting in ice water until the eggs are cool (10 min- utes). After peeling the boiled eggs, cut them in half, remove the yoks, and put the halved whites in your egg carrier. Mash the yolks in a bowl with a quarter-cup of may- onnaise, one teaspoon each of yellow mustard, white vinegar, and sugar, and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Spoon some mashed yolk into each half before (don’t forget, Presentation) sprinkling with smoked pa- prika to garnish. Presentation Whether you’ve a preference for linen tablecloths, silver chafing dishes and crystal goblets, or rustic chips ‘n’ dip, there’s a tailgating or picnic style for everyone. But if you’re looking for thematic inspiration, one place to turn might be the Genesee Valley Hunt Club and Opening Day GVH Hunt Races in Geneseo, New York, which have been known to attract equestrians whose “culinary equitation” is an art form. GVH Hunt Races have included tailgate prizes for Best Culinary Experience, Best Hunt/Equestrian Theme, and Best New York State Farm to Tailgate, judged on presenta- tion and taste by chefs and celebrity judges. But don’t be intimidated. One previous winner, Sue Erdle, of West Sparta, made an elegantly streamlined modern day Ploughman’s Lunch, based on the tradi- tional English cold meal served on a chopping board, using thick-cut bread and ham, hard cheese, onions, butter, pickles and chutney. Whatever your hospitality style, British rider and writer James Delingpole paints a perfect picture of what it feels like any and every time: “Hunting is so brilliant because it combines so many things that make life worth living. The matchless beauty of our countryside; the camaraderie of shared danger; the glamour of a cocktail party; the spirit of a warehouse rave; the thrill of the chase; the dressing up in fabulous costumes. People who were strangers an hour before now feel like your oldest friends.” Share a few recipes with the people important to you. Horse people, of course. (Recipes continued on page 27) Elegant spreads make the experience next level. Image Active Riding Trips The Importance of a Good Breakfast The father of our country (and First Horseman), George Washington, also appreciated a good breakfast – of corncakes and milk -- before a pre-dawn ride to the field on his favorite hunter, Blueskin. Sometimes the meal was the better part of the day. A1768 NewYear’s Day entry by Washington to his diary quips, “Fox hunting in my own Neck with Mr. Alexander and Mr. Colvill. Catched [sic] nothing.”