Fenway Park set to serve up new food offerings

The cookie was supposed to weigh a full kilogram, but pastry chef Caitlin Follett decided 2.2 pounds might be overkill.

After some experimenting, she cut the new “Cookie Monster” down to a meager 1 pound — enough to feed a family of four for at least a few innings. It and its half-pound sibling will be available at the Red Sox’ home opener on Tuesday and throughout the season, among Fenway Park’s newest concessions offerings.

Executive chef Ron Abell said he finished a full Monster in under 20 minutes, but that doing so isn’t for the faint of heart — or the weak of stomach.

In preparation for the home opener, the chefs and bakers at Fenway whipped up 500 1-pound cookies and 800 half-pound cookies. They also produced more than 1,000 Boston cream pie trifles, another new item that will be available throughout the park. The trifles feature a rich chocolate ganache over silky vanilla pastry cream and fluffy vanilla sponge cake.

Fenway Park’s team of pastry chefs has made desserts for catered events and premium suites for years, but their wares haven’t been available at concessions stands.

“We’re extending out to your average Joe fan [who] can come and get a 1pound cookie, a half-pound cookie, a Boston cream pie trifle,” said Abell, entering his 17th year at the ballpark. “We have so many people coming from out of town. You’ve got to have a Boston cream pie when you come to Fenway.”

New premium dessert options include a cookies-and-cream cheesecake, toasted coconut crème brûlée, and sticky toffee pudding, which will be available in suites and other premium seats. The pastry chefs also are experimenting with a recipe for bumpy cake, a chocolate dessert made popular in Michigan, but it’s not ready for its debut quite yet.

One of the biggest developments of the offseason is a new condiment supplier. The Red Sox’ three-year contract with True Made Foods — makers of a maligned sugar-free ketchup — ended in November. Heinz will now supply the ketchup and relish, while Mike’s Amazing will supply the mustard and mayonnaise.

Abell also introduced a number of savory items to Fenway’s rotation. The star is what he calls “Irish nachos” — crispy waffle fries loaded with corned beef, Russian dressing, sour cream, pickles, scallions, and cheese. A “healthy” option, in his words.

Also on the menu: a barbecue bacon burger with caramelized onions, and a fried chicken sandwich with bacon, Vermont cheddar cheese, and Grillo’s pickles.

Sal’s Pizza returns for another year as the official pizza of Fenway Park, and the classic New England clam roll returns to the lineup — with a twist. This year’s clam roll is made with togarashi, a Japanese spice blend that adds a spicy, citrusy kick to a New England staple. It features a crunchy slaw made of radish, carrots, and cabbage to counter the richness of the clams.

Also back is the lobster roll, though Fenway Park has a new lobster supplier — Luke’s Lobster, out of Portland, Maine.

With this year’s new offerings, Abell is trying to push the boundaries of what counts as “ballpark food.”

“A lot of people don’t realize what exactly we do,” Abell said. “They think, ‘Oh, you’re the chef at Fenway? You must make a killer hot dog.’”

It’s true: Abell makes a great hot dog. Fenway Park sells between 5,000 and 7,000 Fenway Franks per game, depending on the crowd and time of day. The Fenway hot dog is so iconic in Boston that it’s the only item on the menu Abell would never consider tinkering with.

“Are you kidding me? I can’t touch that,” Abell said. “I could be killed!”