The crack of a bat followed by the roar of the crowd; the scent of freshly mown grass mixed with the aroma of roasted peanuts. Spring is finally here, and with it comes the start of a new baseball season. The resumption of our national pastime is as perennial as the first green buds and shoots, yet this year some new offerings will be found at the local Akron Aeros game. From fireworks in the sky to fireworks on a plate, there’s a lot more than baseball going on at Canal Park Stadium.
This year the Aeros have made some exciting additions to their lineup on the field — and off it as well, starting with Jason Kerton, the Aeros’ new director of food and beverage. Currently in his eighth season in minor league baseball, Kerton moved to Akron following a stint as food and beverage director for the Charleston, S.C. RiverDogs. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Kerton was featured in ESPN’s magazine as well as several Food Network shows for his extreme ballpark eats.
Though he may never receive a Cy Young or Golden Glove for his work on the field, his culinary concoctions should definitely hit a few grand slams with hungry spectators. Buzzbin got a glimpse at Kerton’s starting-lineup menu:
3 Dog Night
Perfect for fans of Russian nesting dolls, this extreme creation consists of a hot dog stuffed inside a bratwurst stuffed inside a kielbasa, topped with sauerkraut and Ohio Stadium mustard and crammed on a hoagie roll. Though your stomach may need its own seventh-inning stretch after you eat this monster, your taste buds will be singing “Joy to the World.”
Nice 2 Meat You Burger
This colossal creation features a 1.25-pound hamburger stuffed with a half-pound hot dog and another quarter pound of bacon, cheese and onions. This heavy hitter might require a few practice swings. And a healthy heart.
Eighth Wonder of the World
A one-pound, 16-inch ace of a hot dog, specially created for Canal Park by Five Star Meats. This monster is no 99-cent gas-station weakling.
WonderDog
Batting cleanup for the Eighth Wonder of the World, this half-pound, 14-inch hot dog makes up in taste whatever it lacks in size to its big brother.
For the Eighth Wonder of the World and the WonderDog, fans will have the
opportunity to choose from 40 different toppings at Canal Park — and we mean different. We’re talking toppings like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Macaroni and Cheese, Wasabi, Chocolate Chips and Pineapple. Five of the 40 toppings will include secret ingredients and change monthly throughout the 2011 season.
Also new this year is the “Farmer’s Market” concession stand, designed for the more health-conscious (we were shocked, too). The Farmer’s Market’s healthier alternatives include veggie burgers, turkey hot dogs, hummus and chips, fruit platters, veggie platters and salads.
The Aeros have new concession-stand themes for 2011 as well: Godfather’s Kitchen (featuring Italian favorites), The Dog Pound, Taters, Jobu’s Voodoo (named in honor of the Voodoo doll from the classic sports flick “Major League”), The Bier Garten and the Sock-Hop Ice Cream Shoppe.
As though baseball and mountains of food don’t scream “Summer!” loudly enough, starting this month and running through September the Aeros will feature a fireworks show after every Friday home game. Also on deck are events like Mustache Appreciation Night, midget wrestling, even appearances by celebrity wrestlers.
Crazy food, explosions and — oh, yeah — a game on the diamond? Sounds pretty American to us.
