Jeff Houck

The Tampa Tribune’s food writer since 2005, Jeff Houck covers the way people live through their food. He also hosts the Table Conversations food podcast and believes that everything crunchy is good.

 @JeffHouck
 The Stew
 Table Conversations
 StewVision
 Foodspotting
 Email Jeff Houck

Most Recent Entries

• USF Poly senate expresses alarm at independence bill in the Legislature
• USF showcases creationism critic tonight
• Times reporter goes to work at USF St. Pete
• Slutty Brownies, Homemade Snickers And Bacon-Wrapped Beef Hot Dogs [This Week’s Weekend Eats]
• USF Poly board member quits, saying USF is scuttling the “Poly model”
• Decision 2012: Florida’s Pizza Primary [Every Slice Of Newsroom Pie Tells A Story]
• USF gets big grant for veterans research
• Merlot Jelly, Korean Fried Chicken and Grand Marnier Souffle [This Week’s Weekend Eats]
• Researchers say cell phone waves can reverse Alzheimer’s
• Klasko and Obama grip and grin
• Genocide, memory and art the focus of USF conference
• Poly announces budget cuts; fires top administrators
• Debate turns into test of free speech. Some students failed.
• Homemade Potsticker, Pulled Pork With Fried Egg, And Unstuffed Pork Chops [This Week’s Weekend Eats]
• What’s up with the USF debate?

More

• The Stew
• The Dirt
• Hot Pursuits
• HOMEwork
• Inside USF
• L Archive
  • Green Lite
  • Bring It!

Monthly Archives

• February 2012
• January 2012
• December 2011
• November 2011
• October 2011
• September 2011

Michael Clayton Makes Play For Nutrition [No. 80 says, ‘Just Eat.’]

Posted Feb 5, 2010 by Jeff Houck

Updated Feb 5, 2010 at 05:19 PM

I’ve been a fan of Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Michael Clayton since he came to the team six years ago from Louisiana State University. After his breakout rookie season, Clayton suffered injuries and was used more as a blocker than a first-team receiver. He’s taken a good share of public scorn for not matching his rookie numbers, but he’s swallowed it well at times when I thought he deserved to lash back.

Enchancing my view was a little inside information. My friends Greg and Michelle Baker, who write as the Culinary Sherpas on their blog and in the Tampa Tribune, worked as private chefs for Clayton and had nothing but lovely things to say.

I asked them for a little food insight on him. Michelle replied:

I asked them about Clayton because I was due to interview him for a story I wrote for Sunday’s paper in which he talks about going to schools as part of the NFL’s “Fuel Up to Play 60” program and urging students to eat before they exercise. The Dairy Council of Florida sponsors Clayton’s presentations.

Here’s the rest of that interview:

How long have you been going to schools taking about this stuff?

I’ve been doing this for a long time. In college I was talking to kids. It’s been a passion of mine. I just actually signed up with NFL Play 60 this year, but I’ve done their events in the past. They just actually signed me to a deal this year.

Is it easy for you? Do you enjoy it?

I enjoy it because of the role that I’m in. To be in a position where kids look up to you and listen to you … every school I go to I get the principal or the teachers coming up and saying we need more of that.

Being that I am a role model in the community with an opportunity to share a positive message with kids, it’s always a pleasure of mine to do that. My foundation is the Generation Next Foundation, which gives underprivledged kids an opportunity to be successful. So I have a passion. It’s a opportunity to better myself as a parent and be a good example for my kids, so it’s positive all the way across the board and I get excited to do it every time I get the opportunity.

You and I have common friends in Greg and Michelle Baker. I asked them about your food likes and they said, “He likes anything Creole or Cajun.”

[laughs] Yeah.

They said you like spicy food, you hate lamb and bulgar…

Yeah

They said you’re pretty diverse in your tastes and that you love sushi and salmon.

Wow.

Where did the Creole and Cajun come from, when you were at LSU?

Yeah, well, I’m from Louisiana, born and raised, so…

Where were you born?

Baton Rouge.

Man you played in your hometown?

Yes, indeed.

So you grew up on that food. I guess your family cooked it?

Yeah, growing up, man, that’s all we did was cook the seafood and the crawfish. Everything had a kick to it. [laughs]

The Bakers said, “He comes from a family of good cooks. His mom is awesome and his father-in-law often does big dinners and events at their house.”

Yeah, my wife’s parents… I’m blessed that they are very blessed in the kitchen. Her dad actually used to be a caterer, man, so he does it at every big event. I just sit back and feed my face.
So what’s your favorite Cajun dish?

Aw, I love crawfish, man. Crawfish etouffe, shrimp etouffe. My favorite is gumbo, though.

Do you cook at all?

I don’t do a gumbo, but yes I cook. And I enjoy it.

Gumbo is harder than it looks.

Yeah, I have to eat a perfect gumbo and I can’t prepare it perfect yet. There’s a lot of twists and turns you gotta do to it to make it right. I don’t have it in me.

What’s your mom’s best dish?

My mom’s best dish is a smothered pork chop.

Oh, man.

Smothered pork chop, yams and greens.

I’m coming to your house.

That’s the meal of choice every time the come down or I go home. I get my smothered pork chops with yams and greens, man

That sounds awesome. Does your wife have to cook separate meals for you and the kids?

No, everybody eats the same. It used to be different. When they were younger, all they wanted to eat was chicken nuggets. [laughs] And candy. So we had to tailor their food a little bit, but their little taste buds are growing. My daughter likes the food spicy and makes sure she has a big glass of water if we have a spicy meal to eat and drink at the same time. But she loves it. She loves the taste.

She’s got the family taste buds.

Exactly. Exactly.

So what restaurants do you like to go to?

We get a lot of Outback. That’s quick right by the house. A nice easy steak or shrimp or chicken breast from Outback. Love Fleming’s.

Are you a wine guy?

Yeah, I’m a big wine guy.

Got a particular type you like?

Riesling.

You’re a Riesling guy? Okay. Nice and sweet and dry.

Little German. Little German Riesling.

Anywhere else?

Bonefish.

Okay, so you’re sticking to the chain.

Yeah. Bonefish is good. And Flamestone. Love Flamestone. Nick Pappas is the owner and he’s a good friend of mine. They have this excellent guacamole.

They make it at the table.

They prepare it right there and it’s delicious.

I know that when you first come to the league, the rookies take out the veterans on their squad for dinner and have to pick up the bill. Where did you go and what did it set you back?

Man, when I came out, we went to… it was a hotel restaurant out in Orlando. I forget the name. It charged me about $2,500. Receivers were always took care and didn’t abuse the power. I had Mark Jones who came out with me. We split the bill because he didn’t have quite as much money.

It was $2,500 between the two of you, or $2,500 each?

It was between the two of us. That was excellent, because other guys got hit for 14 grand, guys got hit for 20 grand.

Wow.

Twenty-seven grand… I think the highest was like 35 grand by the offensive linemen.

You don’t want to go out with offensive linemen.

No. Not the big guys. Not the big guys. Then they bring bottles home and pile bottles in their car. Louis XIII. They really dig into people’s pockets. I don’t find that too funny.

And you’ve got to just take it.

Yeah, you’ve got to take it. Or fight, you know, I guess.

I’ll take the bill.

Yeah.

So now you get to inflict the pain.

I take care of my guys. This year we had Sammy [Stroughter], but he was a seventh round draft pick. I know how the money goes. Once they get there in training camp, they really haven’t gotten paid yet.

If it’s first or second round, it’s a different thing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.