Cardinals and Rangers Fans to Savor Fresh-Smoked BBQ and Other Delights at World Series

BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans attending the 2011 World Series in Texas and St. Louis will have a wide range of delicious foods to enjoy during baseball's Fall Classic, including local flavors and fresh BBQ brisket smoked daily right at each ballpark.

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For the second time in five years, Delaware North Companies Sportservice will serve all of the food that fans will savor while attending the World Series.

The company, founded nearly 100 years ago when three young brothers began selling popcorn and peanuts at theaters and ballparks, is the food service provider for the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium and the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Sportservice last served all of the fans at the World Series when the Cardinals and Detroit Tigers played in 2006.

This month, Sportservice served all of the fans of the four teams – Texas, St. Louis, Detroit and the Milwaukee Brewers – in the league championship series. It is believed to be a first for any food service company. In all, Sportservice has 10 Major League Baseball clients.

"It's a real privilege for Delaware North Sportservice to be serving so many baseball fans and have such fantastic clients," said Sportservice President Rick Abramson. "We're focused on continuously enhancing the ballpark experience so fans can enjoy a variety of freshly prepared food and menus that feature the tastes of each region."

At both World Series ballparks, Sportservice smokes Beef Brisket onsite to create fresh sandwiches. In St. Louis, Sportservice chefs prepare more than 800 pounds of brisket per game, slathering it in a made-from-scratch rub and then slow-smoking it for 12 hours. In Texas, Sportservice uses Hall-of-Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan's own brand of beef in its chopped beef brisket sandwich.

This season, Sportservice added two steak sandwiches created by Food Network to its concessions in Major League Baseball locations. The Food Network signature Red, White & Blue Steak Sandwich, which is available in both Texas and St. Louis, is served on a French demi baguette and topped with Maytag blue cheese and sweet and spicy Peppadew-pepper mayonnaise. The Texas steak sandwich is topped with a smoky charred salsa verde, while the St. Louis steak sandwich includes St. Louis-style barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese.

Also at both ballparks, Sportservice has locations dedicated to providing lighter and vegetarian options such as garden and chef salads, yogurt and fruit. Each location also offers a variety of gluten-free menu items

Other food concessions highlights from the World Series at Busch Stadium in St. Louis:

• Sandwich Showdown – The Sandwich Showdown has been expanded for the World Series. Fans will have more access to these action-cooking stations, which will feature made-to-order sandwiches, including slow-roasted Italian beef with aus jus or roasted turkey brined in Anheuser-Busch beer.

• Family Pavilion – At the Family Pavilion in Section 507, fans can purchase a kids meal with a hot dog, chips, cookie and juice or milk for $8.75.

• Gourmet Hot Chocolate portables have been added at Gate 1 and in Section 591.

• Build Your Own Nachos – St. Louis fans prefer nachos over anything else at the ballpark and at the Build Your Own Nachos stand, fans can create their own signature topping with pulled pork, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, jalapenos, green onions, pico de gallo and three types of hot sauce to satisfy mild or spicy cravings.

Other food concessions highlights from the World Series at Rangers Ballpark:

• Sausage Sundae – This variation of America's favorite dessert was recently added and includes a grilled and split sausage packed with macaroni and cheese, chopped brisket, garlic mashed potatoes, sprinkled parsley and of course, a pepper on top.

• Gordita Ranchero – This local favorite is served on grilled flatbread in front of the guest and is topped with spicy beef or chicken and elotes con queso crema, which is Mexican-style street-corn chopped off the cob and mixed with sour cream or mayonnaise.

• Churro Cart – Introduced late in the season, these Mexican-specialty desserts will be available in three varieties – strawberry, caramel and original – with a cart in the upper deck and lower concourse.

• Bayou Cooking Cart – A taste of New Orleans – Red beans, rice and gumbo – was added for last year's run to the World Series. Late this season two more items were added to the cart's menu: an alligator po boy and Cajun kabobs featuring blackened chicken and andouille sausage.

• Nolan Ryan Beef – Hot dogs and sausage are offered from a Nolan Ryan portable cart on the main concourse. Selections are served on a potato bun and topped with gourmet condiments such as Bistro Mustard, Sportservice's Secret Stadium Sauce and Salsa Roja.

Sportservice's large culinary teams are being bolstered by chefs from Sportservice's other baseball locations. They'll be busy preparing enhanced menus for the clubs, suites and several gala events. In St. Louis, Executive Chef Jessica Barnes leads the culinary team; in Texas Executive Chef Cris Vazquez will oversee the food for a second straight World Series.

Sportservice also operates the Cardinals Team Store and 32 other retail locations for the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Ten of these have been added for the World Series. Fans are purchasing National League Champs locker room T-shirts, locker room caps, pennants and other related merchandise, including cold weather gear. Also available is the stuffed Rally Squirrel and the "Got Squirrel" T-shirt to recognize the squirrels that ran on the field during the National League Championship Series.

About Delaware North Companies Sportservice
Delaware North Companies Sportservice is one of the nation's leading food, beverage and retail management companies, providing concessions, gourmet catering and fine dining operations at more than 50 professional sporting venues, entertainment complexes and convention centers across the United States and Canada. Sportservice has served an impressive collection of sporting events and clients, including the World Series, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball's All-Star Games, Stanley Cup Championships and the Olympic Games.

For more than 90 years, Sportservice has demonstrated that it knows what it takes to effectively develop, operate and manage multi-faceted kitchens, restaurants, suites, fine dining and retail facilities in order to meet the changing demands of today's fans. From introducing new healthy, organic food selections and creative cuisine for twists on the traditional fare, Sportservice continues to innovate and enhance the fan experience.

About Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is one of the largest and most admired privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly 100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden. Delaware North Companies has revenue exceeding $2 billion annually and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.

SOURCE Delaware North Companies