When the temperature rises, New Yorkers from across the five boroughs hit the city’s parks to take part in that classic American ritual of grilling with their neighbors. We went to Prospect Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park to see what’s cooking.
Brazilian immigrant and Park Slope, Brooklyn, resident Alex Rodrigues and his son Adler, 7, in Prospect Park grilling beef short ribs, chicken hearts (a Brazilian specialty), and calabrese sausage — "because a lot of Italians emigrated to Brazil." He said, "The good thing about this corner is that you have Mexicans, Koreans, Russians — and Americans with hot dogs."
In Prospect Park, Francisco Vidalis — an immigrant from Puebla, Mexico, who settled in Sunset Park, Brooklyn — grills chicken drumsticks marinated in sesame, scallions, olive oil, and garlic.
Matthew (in black T-shirt), whose family is from St. Vincent in the Caribbean, grills octopus pre-boiled in white wine and lemon juice. Olive oil and paprika are added on the grill.
A dog waits for some of Matthew's grilled octopus in Prospect Park.
A couple from Mexico grill shrimp and corn in Prospect Park.
A going-away party for Midwood, Brooklyn, native and U.S. Marine PFC Alfred Muniz, 20 (in blue shirt). Muniz, who is about to ship out for a year of combat training and deployment, celebrates with his brother Gabriel (in purple shirt), wife Erika, and sister Joana. Muniz said he joined the Marines to "explore the world."
At Alfred Muniz's going-away party in Prospect Park, his brother Gabriel works the grill.
Tim Glenn (red T-shirt) stands watch over "Cash Money Beer Can Chicken," made with a can of Colt 45 beer, onions, and peppers.
Wayne "Cash Money" Farmer grilling his special "Cash Money Beer Can Chicken" in Prospect Park
"Cash Money Beer Can Chicken" at rest, in Prospect Park
Galdino Garcia, an immigrant from Puebla, Mexico, grills burger and steaks for a large gathering in Prospect Park.
Galdino Garcia grills burgers and steaks for a group in Prospect Park.
At Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 5 Picnic Peninsula, Louis Morales (right), a DJ who lives near Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, came at 10:30 a.m. to claim a spot, where he grilled burgers, corn, and chicken drumsticks. He says he came to grill in Brooklyn because "the view is the best here." He graciously shared his grill with Jessica Honeywell, from Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, who said of Louis, "He's a good neighbor" because he shared his much greater experience and skill as a grill master.
Mike Sheftman and E.J. Slater, law students at the Brooklyn Law School, grilling asparagus in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sharing a grill: Geoffrey Peterson, grilling pesto chicken kebabs and sausage, has never met asparagus grillers Mike Sheftman, Andrea Scheer, or Amber Leary, all law students at the Brooklyn Law School.
Amina DeLeon, a Crown Heights, Brooklyn, resident who used to work at the now-shuttered Long Island College Hospital not far from Brooklyn Bridge Park, grills turkey burgers and chicken for a celebration of children's graduations in June, including those of her daughter, niece, and godson.
At the Pier 5 Picnic Peninsula at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Eduardo McNamee grills Latin beef sausages.
Jason George of Canarsie, Brooklyn, grills chicken drumsticks for a birthday party in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Jessica Honeywell, from Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, and her friends; they came with 6.5 pounds of beef steaks.
Newlyweds Ashley and Daniel Porter-Gonzalez from Fort Lee, New Jersey, grilling turkey burgers stuffed with goat cheese and mushrooms in a cast-iron skillet in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Daniel Porter-Gonzalez from Fort Lee, New Jersey, works his grill in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Cavangnie Alexandra shows Keanna Samuel the fine art of grilling in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
A birthday party at the grills in Brooklyn Bridge Park for Daniel, on the right
Hot dogs, corn, and burgers, hot off the grill for a birthday party in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Avi Wag and Aaron Scheer brought their own grill to the Pier 5 Picnic Peninsula. "It's not the food that's different," says Wag of his setup. "It's the grill — this one is kosher!"
Avi Wag mans the kosher grill he brought with him to Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Muhammad Khatana and his family, immigrants from Lala Musa, Pakistan, break the Ramadan fast with chicken tikka and tandoori chicken in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The last day of Ramadan was the day before.
The women of the Khatana family from Lala Musa, Pakistan, break the Ramadan fast.