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Play ball! The Dayton Dragons home opener is Thursday. If you are thrilled that it’s baseball season again, consider having a baseball-themed get-together at your place.
Invite the gang over to watch a televised game or host a gathering before or after going to a Cincinnati Reds or Dayton Dragons game. Baseball at the University of Dayton and Wright State University offers more ways to root root root for the home team.
The all-American sport is also a terrific theme for a baseball fan’s birthday party, a kids’ event or any summer cookout. A baseball-themed baby shower for the little slugger on the way? Sure!
As with any “styled” party, you can go easy-does-it — or a wee bit crazy with decorations such as garlands made with baseball cards and handmade pennants. Baseball napkins, plates and tablecloths are readily available at area party stores.
Food is the highlight of any party. Your buffet of tempting offerings will earn you all-star hostess status.
Use artificial grass as the buffet table’s covering, easy to do by purchasing Astro-Turf door mats. Catcher mitts holding baseball chocolate balls from Esther Price or a balloon bouquet of Mylar baseball balloons are eye-catching table decorations.
What to serve? “Go with the old faithfuls — beer, hot dogs and nachos, the biggest sellers at a ball park,” says Chef Scott Pobuda, executive chef at NCR Country Club. Chef Scott should know what pleases a crowd since his former position, for eight years, was as executive chef at the Great American Ball Park, home of the Reds.
“We served upscale modern cuisine in our restaurants at the ballpark but, you know, most people just want to get a hot dog,” he says with a chuckle.
Hot dogs are even more fun when guests really dress ‘em up from your smorgasbord of condiments with extras like homemade relishes, jalapenos, sauerkraut, chopped cucumber, cheese, grilled onions and other tasty toppings.
“When catering, I serve three different chilies to top hot dogs: regular, Cincinnati style and a white chili,” says Joe Swartztrauber, owner of Rob’s Restaurant and Catering in Brookville.
Other main dish ideas to consider: hamburgers, pulled pork and sub sandwiches.
“Chicken, such as our broaster chicken, is a good all-American food to serve at a baseball party,” says caterer Robert Benson of Centerville Pizza and Barbecue, “with lots of traditional comfort food items such as potato salad, barbecue beans, mac-n-cheese.”
“We sometimes spice things up with crockpots of dips for tortilla chips,” says Swartztrauber. “A good trio is chicken fajita, buffalo chicken and a Reuben dip.”
For different but still casual party fare, a taco bar lets guests be mucho creative. Provide soft and hard shells, meat (chicken, pork, beef), lettuce, cheddar cheese and sour cream as well as extras such as guacamole, black beans, cilantro, limes to squeeze, spicy salsa, smoked cheese, scallions and small jalapeno peppers.
Set small galvanized buckets of soft pretzels and peanuts-in-the-shell around your party area along with your homemade Cracker Jack (the Internet has dozens of easy recipes). Even more fun is to personally distribute snacks a la ballpark vendors by “wearing” a tray with a decorative carrier strap. Be sure to include packages of Big League Chew Bubble Gum.
When planning desserts, it’s easy to turn an ordinary white-iced cupcake, a white-dipped cake pop or a plain sugar cookie into a baseball. Simply decorate with two curved red lines with baseball stitching. More adventurous bakers can decorate a sheet cake to resemble a baseball jersey.
If there’s a guest of honor for your baseball party, then have the guests sign a baseball jersey or baseball as a souvenir of your very fun party.
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