Since 1934, the Masters Tournament has been viewed as the pinnacle of golf. Held in Augusta, GA, this tournament is an iconic southern tradition. My maternal grandmother, Bobbie, was an avid golfer. The Masters Tournament was her Super Bowl, and she and my grandfather would go every year for the final day of the tournament. While I myself am not a golfer (after one summer of lessons, I decided to stick to being the golf cart driver), I can appreciate the tradition of the Masters. Beautifully cared for greens, blooming azaleas, and of course, the food. The Masters is known for having simple yet delicious (and dirt cheap) food. Since patrons will be limited this year due to COVID, recreate the Masters classics and enjoy watching this year’s tournament at home.
Above: My grandmother Bobbie (far left) with her golfing buddies
Is there anything more southern than pimento cheese? While it's easy to make, I prefer to use a shortcut and buy it instead. My favorite brand is Palmetto Cheese, which can be found in most grocery store chains. I’m partial to the version with jalapenos, but the original is also amazing. Spread it on white bread, add a tomato if you’re feeling fancy, and you’re good to go.
Egg Salad is also something that I opt out of making, instead choosing to purchase it from the OK Cafe in Buckhead. I add it to toasted wheat bread. It’s a simple yet delicious combo.
Hot Tip: to make ahead, place sandwiches on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Lay one layer of damp paper towels over the sandwiches. Cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. The paper towels will keep the sandwiches from drying out for up to 6 hours. Then, all you have to do before your guests arrive is wrap the sandwiches in wax paper and put them on a tray.
What’s a Masters watch party without a cocktail? The Azalea is named after the beautiful azalea bushes that dot the Augusta National Golf Course. It's refreshing and one of the easiest cocktails to make.
For dessert, I made white chocolate pecan cookies. I couldn't find a recipe, so I used Southern Living's recipe for white chocolate cranberry cookies and swapped pecans for the cranberries. These cookies are so thin and crispy. The pecans balance out the sweetness of the white chocolate. They're addictive; it's impossible to eat just one.
Get the Recipe: Southern Living
I kept it simple with the chips and popcorn and picked up bags of each from Publix. The Cape Cod potato chips are my favorite; they’re so crunchy and satisfying.
Get the Look:
I wanted to create a buffet from which snacks could easily be grabbed as to not detract from any golf watching. I found green and white checkered wax paper on Amazon, perfect for wrapping sandwiches. I also used it to line white take-out boxes to serve chips, the perfect grab n' go snack. I made individual bags of caramel popcorn to which I added green and white grosgrain ribbon. This was easy to set up and the only thing I had to make were the cookies! I found the 'Georgia on my mind' flex cups from Swoozie's, a stationary store.
Thanks for Reading!
- Sam