Spring grilling in a New York park
SPRING is a most awaited season, especially in the East Coast, after enduring a hard winter. Spring is life and renewed spirits! Spring is a remarkably beautiful season with many flowering plants blooming and birds chirping all day. Although grilling in New York parks peaks in summer (July and August), barbecues are popular as soon as the cold weather warms up in spring. Spring rains and showers mark the season, which can sometimes spoil picnics in the park.
One glorious spring Sunday, Patricia’s family and I joined Romanian friends for a grilling picnic in Macy’s Park. It was an Orthodox Easter Sunday so in keeping with tradition, a whole lamb (not more than 2 months) was prepared for the feast. The Romanians in Patricia’s apartment building belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church. I have attended baptismal rites in an Orthodox Church and was struck by the similarities of the religious icons especially of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Similar in so many ways, the Orthodox Church, however, does not believe in the papal supremacy like the Roman Catholics.
While Patricia, assisted by her kids Silvian and Sabrina, painted Easter eggs, I baked my signature sponge cake. It was an outdoor event so I chose to frost the cake with white marshmallow icing instead of the usual whipped cream. Strawberries are in season so I generously topped the cake with slices of strawberries. Our cooler contained several bottles of Mionetto Proseco and Rose wines, San Pellegrino Arranciata (Italian orange soda) and fruit juices for the kids.
Macy’s Park in Long Island City is an hour away from where we live (without the traffic). The park is not too far from the famous department store (the main store is in New York City). Parks are well provided for with picnic tables and grills. Surrounded by ponds where Canadian geese and ducks roost, feeding the noisy bunch adds to the fun. A leg of Lamb and its head were already grilling, complete with a rotisserie mechanism when we arrived in the park. The Romanians have also prepared a terrine of lamb innards served on a platter with assortment of cheeses and crackers. In a nearby grill, branzini (European seabass) was wrapped in aluminum foil and was cooking over embers in its steam. Patricia prepared the Tomato-Mozarella-Basil Salad seasoned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I just love this salad! While waiting for the grilled lamb, we picked on the salad paired with chilled Mionetto Proseco. The refreshing bubbly drink was as crisp as the nippy air in the park.
The lamb without the legs was oven roasted with plenty of rosemary. The baked red skinned potatoes were served with the lamb but I preferred steamed rice, which we never fail to bring in picnics. The leg of lamb grilled on charcoal was more flavorful than the oven roasted one. Nothing beats the smoky flavor imparted on meats when charcoal-grilled. Corn on the cob with the husks on were thrown on the grill and tasted so sweet. The “boys” offered to drive to Starbucks for coffee, which was perfect with the Strawberry Sponge Cake, not to mention the chilly weather as early evening set in.
