“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 like me you didn’t just read the lyrics to Jack Norworth’s 1908 classic, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” you silently sang them to yourself. Baseball is America’s game and beloved by millions, but I am only a liker of baseball, not a lover.
An exciting game is awesome. I saw the Astros win their league championship and have been to see them play in the World Series, which was thrilling. However, to me, so many regular season games are long and can be, dare I say it, a little boring.
Even though I am not a huge fan I do always make a point, when I am traveling during baseball season, to see a game in whatever city I am in. This may sound contradictory, but as a tourist attraction baseball games are the way to go. Tickets are usually reasonably priced, the fields are beautiful and often historic, and the fans are excited and fun to visit with.
Then, whenever I am ready to go, I leave, in whatever inning that may be. I’ve seen games from Boston to Toronto to San Francisco and at many points in between. I usually only stay for a few innings because baseball, to me, can be a little slow, but when my kids suggested we go as a family to see the Astros to celebrate Mother’s Day it was truly an experience unto itself, one that even topped seeing the World Series.
Sunday’s game was at 1 p.m., so we decided to have brunch before we went to the stadium. Kulture was a new restaurant for me, but I will definitely be back. Kulture calls itself “an urban comfort kitchen,” and offers a wide variety of Caribbean/ Southern inspired entrees that they rotate seasonally. We hit it at the perfect season for us and feasted on crisp fried chicken, fresh fried catfish, creamy grits, pillowy biscuits with seasonal jellies, and tangy lemon tart. The atmosphere and service were just as amazing as the food.
If you are headed to a game, Kulture, which is housed in the Avenida Houston on the ground floor of Partnership Tower, is in the perfect spot for a pre- or post-game meal. And its proximity to the George R Brown Convention Center and the Toyota Center makes it a walkable choice if you are attending any event in the area.
The Astros beat the Cincinnati Reds soundly on Sunday and we had the best time at the game. Because we were so full of fabulous food from our brunch at Kulture I did not get the chance to indulge in one of my favorite guilty pleasures, a ball park hot dog.
When I got home, I whipped up this Chili Cheese Dog Bake, it’s not quite the same as a ballpark hot dog but it’s a close second. I hope all the Moms reading this had the BEST Mother’s Day. And I can’t wait to continue with more of my European adventures when we meet again.
Ingredients:
1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls 8 all beef hot dogs 1 c shredded cheddar 30 oz. of homemade chili or you can use two (15-oz.) cans chili 2 tbsp melted. butter 1 tsp chopped chives 1/2 tsp onion powder
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375°. Roll out crescent dough and press the perforations together to seal.
Cut into eight squares. Sprinkle cheese onto each square and wrap the cheese dough around each one of the hot dogs.
Spread the chili in an even layer on the bottom of a 9”-x-13” baking dish. Line the hot dogs up in a row side by side down the center of the pan on top of chili.
Combine the melted butter with onion powder and chives. Brush over the top of the hot dogs and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. If the crescent rolls start to get too dark, cover the pan loosely with foil. Serve hot with a quick sprinkle of chives.
