Wild Card Saturday at Kelli and Patrick’s

Wild Card Saturday has become a decade-long tradition. It started back in 2002 in our apartment on Burd Street with the Snow Bowl: New England Patriots v. Oakland Raiders during a big-ass snowstorm. It has turned into an annual gathering at Kelli and Patrick’s, complete with pernil, chili, chicken wings and punch. (Sometimes Pigskin Punch. Sometimes other punches.) The guest list has changed over the years, but the premise remains the same. Drink punch. Or beer. Watch the game on TV. Or don’t.  The only thing everyone at the party absolutely does is eat. And eat well.

So I’ve also been covering Wild Card Saturday for as long as I have been blogging on Sour Cherry Farm. I don’t have photos from last year, because I was barely at the party. I was recovering from the flu.

But here’s a look:
Wild Card Saturday from 2009. (K&P took a break because of extenuating circumstances.)
Wild Card Saturday from 2008.
Wild Card Saturday from 2007.
Wild Card Saturday from 2006. (Includes the history of Wild Card Saturday.)

We’ve also been bringing a punch for several years. Recipe for Pigskin Punch here. (Except in 2009, we served Sidecars.)

This year, we made Rex Ryan Punch.

The rules remain much the same.

The Jets were playing this year, so we made a “Gang Green Garnish”:

Andrew helped make the punch, too. Greg, Andrew and Ralph have been on the guest list for many years.

Billy made a lovely smoked salmon platter:

And a salmon mousse-pate thingy:

The bar was outside in the built-in cooler:

Kelli and Anna Maria getting napkins:

The indoor bar:

Chips and salsa:

Shrimp ceviche:

Go Jets!

K&P’s nice tree:

Kelli and Paige:

Carol and Billy:

Random people chatting:

Eileen and Paige:

Greg and Patrick:

Steve and Aimee:

Sean and Kevin:

Graham and Marissa and Ralph:

Theresa, Catherine, Alison and Jill:

Allison and Jen:

Lou and Tim, Patrick’s Sunday morning basketball buddies:

Mitch, Patrick and Erik:

Bob and Brian:

Carol and Billy in the living room:

Kelli and me:

By the tree:

Pretty ornaments:

Patrick and Kelli:

Party:

Young-Yi, Marissa, Catherine and Kelli:

Me, Marissa, Catherine and Kelli:

Now, for the food!

Table:

Getting the food ready. Those are pots of chili and beans. Yum!

Aimee’s Spinach salad:

Erik’s Chili:

Suzanne’s Cowboy Beans:

Now that’s oven to table!

Patrick’s pernil, from a Mark Bittman recipe.

Patrick’s chicken wings:

Food:

And guess what? The Jets eeked out a win with moments left in the game. Now that’s a Wild Card Saturday to remember!