Stilettos, Stoli & Scribbles ~ Served With A Twist

Good morning and Happy Monday!

Today is the first day of Spring! I’m not losing my mind (okay, the jury is still out on that one) and I know I said that a couple of weeks ago, but today is really, truly the first day of Spring, because the “Boys of Summer” are back!

Today is the opening day of the 2017 Major League Baseball Season!  It marks a day when hope springs eternal and every team in both leagues (even the Yankees) still has a shot at a division title, a league pennant, even a World Series win!  Okay, it actually began yesterday with a “soft opening” when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New York Yankees, but we don’t count that. Today is the day. There are twelve games being played today all across the country. We here in Boston are referring to it as the beginning of “year 1 A.P. — After Papi — as Boston embarks on its first season in 15 years without David Ortiz…”* (I’ll  pause here for a moment of silence.)

Peanuts and Cracker Jack will always be my personal ball park favorites (along with Fenway Franks and a “Sports Bah” (that’s Sports Bar to the rest of the country. Basically it’s vanilla and chocolate ice cream surrounded by a chocolate coating, sans stick. Providing the thing survives the toss from the vendor, the fun is trying to eat it before it melts all over you), the owners of Fenway Park, as well as the owners of every other major league park in the country, are trying to up their culinary game as well as out-do each other.

According to Thrillist, they are “are engaged in an unofficial arms race to see who can craft the most outrageous stunt food.”  This is the newest treat in Boston’s arsenal:

Lobster Poutine

-Aramark photo

“When you visit Fenway Pahk, you obviously want to get wicked toasted with some ‘Gansetts before heading out to the Green Monstah and eating a Fenway Frank or two, right? Mostly right. Instead of the traditionally basic Fenway Frank, opt for this new creation, the lobster poutine: a hearty portion of lobster meat with cheese curds, French fries, lobster bisque, and chives. That’s right, chives! Red Sox Nation may be baseball’s current Evil Empire (sorry, Yanks), but their food is super-freakin’ good enough to make them saints in our eyes.”

Seriously? They can dress it up however they want, but poutine belongs nowhere south of the Canadian border (though I’m sure it’ll be a big seller up in the Monster Seats).

photo via Redsox.com

I’m sad to say that I have never been to Opening Day.  Well, in truth, only a little sad. Despite the fact that I grew up loving the Red Sox, and have been going to games for as long as I can remember, and that I now live within blocks of Fenway Park, it’s also a Monday – in April.  While it’s true that today is an unofficial holiday here in Boston and most bosses will understand if an employee suddenly takes “ill” and needs the day off – April is still freaking cold up here in the Northeast.

It’s been well documented that we New Englanders are a hardy bunch, and yes, it is supposed to be a balmy 52 degrees by the time of the opening pitch,  but it was snowing just two days ago. It has snowed more than once on the Fenway Faithful as they huddled in the stands beneath their official red, white and blue blankets. This time of year the lines for the concession stands selling hot coffee are longer than those for beer. It’s not fun if the roar of the crowd is actually the collective chattering of teeth.  I’ll wait for June – or July.

Oh, who am I kidding? I’ve just never been able to get Opening Day tickets.

How about you? Are you a baseball fan? Do you like to go “out to the ballgame” or watch from the comfort of your armchair?  In any case, have a great week!

*via Redsox.com