Summer, with a bang.

Signs that summer has finally arrived:

1. I sweat my cojones off all weekend, and actually start craving beer.

2. I break down and buy an air conditioner

3. Mister Softee trucks on every corner (or the creepy Brooklyn version, "Kustard King")

4. Spandex and doping are en vogue again leading up to the Tour de France.

5. The food vendors reappear at the Red Hook Ball Fields!

While all of these are notable developments, it was the food vendors in Red Hook that really got me excited last weekend. You see, Red Hook is an only-recently-not-life-threatening area of Brooklyn that is now the new frontier for foodies, microbreweries, hipsters, and IKEA. Of all the wacky, cool things that are happening in Red Hook right now, it is the most wholesome of them that is getting the most attention.

Saturdays and Sundays in the summer, it seems that every latino in the tri-state area comes to Red Hook to watch a Pan-Latin world cup of soccer games lasting all weekend. But is the soccer the real draw, or is it the Pan-Latin culinary throwdown that goes on? Seemingly sweet, middle aged, central american women are slinging Pupusas, Huaraches, Chicharrones, Horchatas, and elotes under signs that say "The REAL Ecudorian food!" "The Original Tostada Cart!" and my favorite, "Extasis!!" (you can't beat that).

Virtually every country in central america is there, selling their regional and sub-regional specialties. I decided on pupusas, the thick tortilla patties stuffed with beans, cheese, vegetables, or pork rinds (!). Indeed, I had at least 6 pupusa vendors to choose from, all of which claimed they were the most authentico. It was a tough call,but I chose this vendor because of the quality of their food photography and their clear grasp of information design.

I think this was a good choice. Behold, one pupusa de frijol, one pupusa de zucchini (not traditional, but fantastic), with pickled cabbage, tomato sauce, and crema:

Lorenzo thought it was pretty good, too:

Later in the summer even more carts show up, and the food vendors nearly take over the soccer field. After long, hot runs and sweaty weekends in the city, there can't be anything better than eating crazy delicious food outside and watching a soccer game sin gringos.  I am looking forward to ceviches, salted mangos, all varieties of tacos, and Jarritos all summer long.