The Best of Labor Days To Those Who Celebrate The Holiday!

Italians don't celebrate the American Labor Day (here workers celebrate on May Day, May 1st), but this a fine time for a cookout in any case. One could just fire up the grill, but with a little planning one could do much more:

• The day before, make insalata di riso (chilled rice salad), together with pasta all'ammiraglio, a tomatoey pasta salad, and butterflies with almonds, tomatoes, and feta cheese. While they're chilling, heat the coals and prepare some peppers, and also some eggplant; they'll profit from marinating overnight in olive oil and garlic. Some mixed boiled vegetables (to be served chilled) will also be quite nice.
• On the morning of The Big Day, marinate whatever meats you want to marinate -- Vittorio's grilled chicken, for example, which profits immensely from the addition of finely chopped lemon zest and an occasional drizzle of lemon juice as it cooks, and prepare your other meats as well.

Chicken works nicely with sausages, spare ribs, and steak.

Side dishes? The grilled vegetables, chopped tomatoes (even an insalata caprese, with mozzarella, for those who don't want meat), and mixed boiled vegetables. Salad too for those who want it, and lots of crusty bread.

Next? Ice cream or sherbet, or fresh fruit. Peaches in wine are very nice in summer.

And this brings up the subject of drink. Chilled white wines, for example a good Soave or Gavi (2007 vintage) will be nice, as will Lambrusco, of the Secco (dry) variety. I'd go with Sorbara in this case, or Salamino.