Pupusas and Agua Frescas at Red Hook Ballfields
Josh Guttman | August 13, 2007
I wandered over to Red Hook yesterday to check out the Sunday soccer games and the authentic South American fare. Unexpectedly nestled on the corner of Clinton and Bay is an extremely well-manicured soccer pitch, that would provoke envy from the most adept golf course greens-keeper. Surrounding the fields are tents serving home-grown Ecuadoran delicacies, including the famed pupusas and agua frescas. After sampling each of the five agua fresca flavors, a friend and I shared one bean/cheese and one loroco/cheese pupusa….delish! In case you were wondering (and I know you were), loroco is an exotic flower, indigenous to El Salvador, and a natural aphrodisiac containing vitamins A, B and C, calcium and iron. No comment on its effectiveness:) During half-time of the most 
competitive soccer game I’d seen since the World Cup (complete with refs and line judges), we ventured across the street to take a look at the Red Hook Community Pool, a hidden gem of the neighborhood. Despite the 88 degree temperatures, the pool was sparsely attended and quite inviting, though our lack of swim-wear preparedness prevented our indulging. All in all, these events made for a splendid Sunday adventure, especially since they required so little travel. Word on the street is that the NYC government is campaigning to take over the fields and require vendors to obtain official permits to sell goods. While this was only my first time, the authentic family vibe made the experience what it was. The thought of licensed, regulated vendors surrounding the fields conjures up images of the bland and generic 2nd Avenue Street Fair. In any case, I recommend spending a Sunday at the Red Hook Ballfields, a true Brooklyn treasure.
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