When I was a kid, as soon as winter melted into spring each year my family would take every opportunity possible to have a big, backyard, family barbecue. Dad’s grill was lit from Memorial Day right on through Labor Day. Each holiday, birthday, graduation and anniversary was celebrated in style under our lilac and cherry trees. The folding chairs and card tables were dusted off and set up outside. The coolers were hauled out and filled to the brim with icy cold beer and soft drinks. Everybody brought some kind of “picnic-y” dish to share. Everyone except my Aunt Giuseppina, that is. She always brought a huge tray of eggplant parmigiana. But, that’s a story for another day.
I don’t know how it is in most families, but in Italian families, hot dogs and burgers alone just don’t cut it.
This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2000.