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Brunch at Blueprint, Park Slope, Brooklyn

It was the eye-catching simple exterior that caught our attention first when we passed by this place on Fifth and then peeked inside its windows. Right in front of us was a plate of biscuits being consumed by a brunch diner and elicited a “Mmmm!” from both us, including the mental note to make a future plan to dine there.

That time came soon enough and we found ourselves on a warm spring day in their backyard garden for a nice little brunch. So nice. I’d love to come back.

Corned beef hash and eggs.

I loved their house-cured corned beef with the perfect yellow eggs.

The pork butt comes with a biscuit and kale slaw.

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Crispy Salmon Over Arugula, Radish and Avocado

In a bind, it always helps to have some basic things handy to make a light and nutritious meal. For us it was a slab of frozen Alaskan salmon we’ve kept in the freezer for a few weeks, some endives (they keep surprisingly well), and other stragglers in the fridge.

Pretty, pretty, yum, yum:   Seared crispy salmon and candied kumquat over avocado, endive, red radish, arugula.

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Food Truck Rally – Prospect Park, Brooklyn

I wasn’t aware that the NYC Food Truck Association was working with the Prospect Park Alliance to hold a Food Truck Rally every third Sunday from April through October.

I found out serendipitously (my favorite way) when I went to run a lap at Prospect Park last Sunday and saw a couple of food trucks just setting up.

Can you sense the excitement in this shot? I was so happy to see food trucks before starting my run!

I had my eyes set on a favorite sandwich from the Red Hook Lobster Pound and was ecstatic to see their truck parked at the Grand Army Plaza.

The Red Hook Lobster Truck!

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US National Arboretum, Washington DC

On a recent trip to DC, the 30+ Asian female demographic in our rented SUV agreed that a true sign of aging is the learned appreciation for plants. In gardens, in homes, in flower shows, and in large establishments whose sole purpose is to showcase the beauty of botany, patrons are mostly women. On that particular Spring Saturday, it was us.

“You can call me Flower if you want to.” If you know where that line is from, we should talk.

The US National Arboretum is a division of the USDA, and is basically a tree and plant museum where flora and fauna (who doesn’t love saying that?) are cultivated for scientific purposes. The USNA is composed of nine miles and 446 acres of plant life, two miles away from the Capitol building, and is a treasure I didn’t even know anything about until our DC-based friend included it in our trip’s itinerary.

Below are photos of our botanical finds. My favorite photo is that of the columns, the original support of the United States Capitol in 1828. They have a Romanesque/Parthenon feel about them.

The Capitol columns, original supports for the 1828 Capitol Building.

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Grilled Pork Belly (Inihaw na Liempo)

It’s barbecue season again and it’s the time when we prepare our favorite barbecue recipes. Grilled pork belly (or inihaw na liempo) is a mainstay in our barbecues because of their ease in preparation and quick cooking on the grill. The only challenging part of cooking with pork belly is sourcing it. In order for us to get it sliced in a particular way, we get our meat from Hong Kong Supermarket and insist that they be cut lengthwise in 3/4 inch pieces. Sometimes they will object in true Chinatown fashion. Your job is to insist. 🙂

Crispy skin and perfectly browned.

Grilled pork belly is a popular dish served in parties, beachside barbecues, or with liquor in the Philippines. With very few ingredients it is easy to prepare in the US if you have access to pork belly and Filipino soy sauce.

Grilled pork belly, sliced.

Recipe below. Continue reading

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