This week, the Texas Rangers open their season, hosting the defending World Series Champion Houston Astros.

Each Spring since I moved to North Texas, I’ve enjoyed attending the event at the beginning of the season where the Rangers’ concession company, Delaware North, introduces new dishes at the park. This year carries extra significance. If you walk up to the deck in right field, you can see progress on the new ballpark across the way. And also see how many parking spaces aren’t there anymore.

Delaware North has an impressive array of new items. Loyal Scaiaholics will recall last year when I made light of the Rangers’ vegan offerings.

Now, Globe Life Park has been named “Vegan Ballpark of the Year.” This year, Delaware North has added Vegan Nachos to the lineup. Also, frozen Rose wine, understandably called “Frose” [pronounced, froh-ZAE].

But each year, I ask the first chef I find, “Listen, maybe I don’t want fancy food. Maybe I just want a hot dog and some peanuts. And I also don’t want to know what’s in the hot dog. It’s mystery meat. Excuse me, mystery ‘meat.'”

This year, the chef who drew my ire was standing next to the…

Dilly Dog

The Dilly Dog is a hot dog from Fort Worth’s Texas Chili Company, surrounded by a pickle then dipped in corn dog batter and fried up to a golden brown.

The chef patiently explained the amount of research and development that went into this titanic struggle. First, they had to find the right batter.

A batter that was too thick wouldn’t cook the entire pickle/hot dog situation. Batter that was too thin couldn’t support the entire situation.

That wasn’t even the toughest part, though. The toughest part was regulating the size of the hole in the pickle. This isn’t just pickle slices around the outside of a hot dog. An entire pickle, courtesy of Mansfield’s Best Maid, had to be “cored” [cored!] and the hot dog was inserted into the pouch.

That’s not the only pickle-based addition for the Rangers, though.

Pickle Bar

In the suites, fans, because fans in suites are better than you, will have access to a pickle bar. The pickles here will be a selection of sour, bread and butter, and spicy garlic pickles.

I texted this information to several associates. Two sent back “Big Dill” jokes. A third expressed concern that Apple only offers a “cucumber” emoji and suggested use of the hashtag, #LetTheBrineShine.

Let’s get that trending, Scaiaholics.

The Pickle Bar is only available in the suites, but Delaware North hit the pickles pretty hard this year. At the State Fare stand, you’ll find the Dilly Dog and also Pickle Fries, which are exactly what you think.

Lay’s Home Plate Chicken Sandwich

The Lay’s Home Plate Chicken Sandwich is served on the same bun as the Beltre Buster.

It’s a chicken breast that’s split up, coated with Lay’s potato chips and then, like most items, fried up to a golden brown. According to the Rangers’ and Delaware North’s press release, it’s then served on a bun the size of home plate! Exclamation point!

This is sold at the Flew the Coop stand in Section 50.

Triple B

The Triple B may not be quite as big as home plate, but it’s only $18 at the Homeplate Butcher Block and does have bacon, bologna and brisket, so you’re getting your essential beef and pork for the day.

It’s topped with Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce, so really, this could be a Sextuple B situation.
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7th Inning Cinnamon Roll

The 7th Inning Cinnamon Roll is a cinnamon roll dipped in batter and, stop me if you’ve heard this, deep fried to a golden brown. It’s then drizzled with chocolate and raspberry sauce.

Along with the Dilly Dog, this may rank as one of the more “walkable” new items. The 7th Inning Cinnamon Roll does not contain pickles, though. A reporter asks.

This is also available at the State Fare stand.

While most of these items are available in suites or at particular locations, there are changes to the regular concessions stands, too. The Rangers and Delaware North have added 11 kiosks where you can order your food and then pick it up without waiting in line.

Oh, if only they had people walking up and down the aisles during the game, offering to sell you beer and pretzels without getting out of your seat! Some day, baseball fans. Some day.

The chef I talked to earlier talked about the amount of time everyone spends developing ideas. I asked when they start thinking about next season. They had previously tried out new items during the playoffs.

He said he’s already thinking about things he might try next season. They’ll look at items that are popular this year and which selections flop. There is no offseason for chefs at Globe Life Park.

At the end of the discussion, Delaware North invited all the reporters to partake in the new dishes. The chefs started placing giant trays of deep fried cinnamon rolls and pickle-laden corn dogs in front of us.

I don’t understand why this might be considered excessive. As an Edward R. Murrow Award winning journalist, it was my responsibility to try these dishes.