Sanford McLain of the Undertow in Orange Beach has found a way to make the Sunday two weeks before the Super Bowl a pretty super day itself.

Teams of at least 20 cooks will gather at what McLain likes to call the "back 40" at his bar on Canal Road and compete for a $500 first prize in a Tailgate Party Cookoff. Second and third places will receive a trophy.

The best part? The general public can pay $5 and wander from booth to booth for samples of the food. All of this money will be donated to Alzheimer's research.

"We will have 20 teams, some are from restaurants and some are individuals," McLain said. "We hope to assign a judge to every team to start with and have them rotate taking small sample from each group."

Oh, and there's the little addition of football as well. The NFL's two conference championship games are also that Sunday and McLain says the Undertow boasts the largest HD screen in Orange Beach, a 120-incher.

For teams, the entry fee is $50 and includes several amenities, including an eight-by-12-foot cooking area and an eight-foot folding table. Each team will also be provided a banner to display at their cook station.

Each team also will receive serving containers, plates, boats, napkins, spoons, forks, knives, ice and refreshments. To enter a team call 251-981-3331 or stop by the Undertow.

Teams are required to provide their own food, cooking supplies, spices and cooking utensils. Gates to the "back 40" open at noon with competition beginning at 2 p.m. Football kicks off around 3 p.m.

The Undertow is also a Wi-Fi hotspot so bring your laptop along for the festivities.