Where did the summer go? It’s hard to believe that Labor Day weekend is just days away. I’ve always thought of Labor Day as a rather bittersweet holiday, signaling a close of the carefree months of summer. We’ll look back with a smile on evenings by the lake, campfires, pool parties and chasing fireflies.
Labor Day is a rather interesting holiday. It has its roots in unions rallying for fair treatment in the workplace. Now it’s a time for us to take the day off and celebrate that last hurrah of summer.
While America puts vacations in the rear-view mirror and school has now been in session for almost a month, one thing that keeps marching forward, at least for a while, are the delicious fruits and veggies coming from our gardens, with summer tomatoes continuing to gift us with their juicy deliciousness.
Whether you’re a traditionalist who never strays from hot dogs and hamburgers on Labor Day weekend, or you’re smoking a chicken or throwing steaks on the grill, a Caprese salad makes a beautiful dish. There are numerous incarnations of this dish, many keeping things simple with nothing more than tomatoes, basil and mozzarella drizzled with some really good olive oil. Sometimes I’ll add some crisp, smoky bacon bits, which is totally contrary to the Italian roots of this salad but awfully good nonetheless.