It is halfway through the seventh inning and the crowd rises to their feet. Fans stretch out stiff arms and legs, some flag down vendors for a late-game beer or bag of peanuts. And over the speakers, a familiar melody rings out across the stadium:
Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don’t care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don’t win, it’s a shame.
For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out,
At the old ball game.
If you are looking to have friends over for a night of rooting for the home team, you can prepare a simple menu of traditional baseball foods that will build on the nostalgia of heading to the stadium. From snacks to dessert, each element will remind your guests of all the great traditions that go along with America’s Pastime. Whether or not you incorporate the seventh inning stretch at home is up to you!
There is something about the leisurely pace of a ball game that makes people feel like snacking. I mean, it is right there in the song: “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack!” Make sure you have some of both on hand for an on-point baseball party. Serve the popcorn in red and white striped bags from the dollar store for bonus authenticity points.
You can find peanuts in the shell in the bulk foods section of your grocery store (be sure none of your guests have an allergy before serving). Remember to have an empty bowl or bucket strategically placed near the peanuts so guests can easily dispose of the shells.
After all that salty snack food, your guests are probably thirsty. Most baseball fans are accustomed to putting back a cold one (or more!) while watching a game. Put a twist on the traditional pilsner by serving your guests a beer cocktail. A mixture of beer, fresh lime juice, and ginger ale makes for a refreshing beverage to get you through all nine innings..and then some.
When it comes to baseball food, hot dogs are the gold standard. They are tasty, portable, and can be eaten with one hand while wearing a glove on your catching hand – in case you need to scoop up a foul ball, of course. Every stadium has its own version of the classic hot dog. In Detroit, the dog is covered with Coney Sauce and onions. (Pro Tip: don’t ever look up the ingredients in authentic Coney Sauce!) The Yankees are hot dog purists: the dog MUST be a Nathan’s natural casing hot dog topped with yellow mustard and onions. At Wrigley, you can get a spectacular Chicago-style hot dog topped with tomatoes, mustard, pickles, relish, onions, hot peppers and celery salt. If you don’t wear some of it home, you are eating it wrong.
You can choose to serve the type of dog specific to your home team, or you can let your guests experiment by offering a ‘Build Your Own Hot Dog’ bar. Put out a few signs with the “recipes” for different stadiums’ specialties along with small bowls filled with a wide variety of hot dog toppings. Your guests will have a great time mixing and matching their toppings.
An alternative to serving the classic dog is the Brewers’ bratwurst. Brats are a Wisconsin staple, and Miller Park serves Klement’s sausage exclusively. Klement’s is also the sponsor of the Famous Racing Sausages™ that entertain visitors at each Brewers home game. You have not lived until you have 1) seen five grown adults wearing sausage costumes racing down the foul line of a baseball field and 2) been emotionally invested in the results of the race.
To get the most authentic brat experience, choose all-beef bratwurst – Klement’s and Johnsonville are both Wisconsin-based companies. Before grilling, place the brats in a medium-sized pot and pour in a beer. Add enough water to the pot to cover the brats, and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the brats for at least 15 minutes and for up to an hour. Remove the brats from the cooking liquid, and grill ’til done.
Serve the brat on a split bun with kraut and brown mustard. Wash it all down with a cold one.
For a sweet finish to the meal, these Cracker Jack cupcakes are a home run, and they are so easy to make. The base is a butter cake cupcake topped with delicious cream cheese frosting. Drizzle each cupcake with caramel sauce, and a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt. Top each cupcake with a few pieces of Cracker Jack. It’s all the flavor you remember from your childhood, just kicked up a notch. Now that you have plenty of baseball party ideas, it’s time to celebrate. Be sure to let ForRent.com know if these recipes knocked your party out of the park!
