Memorial Day Cookouts

By Christy Rost, June 2004

Brush off the picnic table and strike up the band! Memorial Day weekend signals the official start of summer fun. Backyard barbecues, pool parties, picnics in the park, and block parties. As school and work schedules wind down, it¹s time to reconnect with friends and neighbors around a picnic table laden with fresh and tasty summer recipes.

It¹s also the time to pause and remember Americans who have died while in the service of our country. Originally called Decoration Day, the National Commander of the Grand Army officially proclaimed Memorial Day on May 5, 1868. Flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery, a tradition which started after the Civil War in cemeteries located throughout the South. Originally meant to commemorate soldiers who died in the Civil War, following World War I, the holiday was expanded to include Americans fighting in any war. It is traditionally celebrated on the last Monday in May.

Memorial Day celebrations and something hot off the grill just naturally go hand-in-hand. Paired with a selection of cool, refreshing salads bursting with flavor and texture, and old-fashioned desserts such as fruit pies or cobblers, these early-summer gatherings are easy to create and set the stage for a deliciously relaxing summer.

Try grilled chicken with a sweet apricot ginger sauce or your favorite recipe for ribs. Both are inexpensive main dishes that can be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. For dessert, it¹s hard to beat All-American Apple Pie. With its buttery, flaky crust that almost melts in your mouth, and a natural-juice apple filling with just the right amount of cinnamon and spice, my classic apple pie is just the thing for a Memorial Day cookout, or anytime you want to celebrate the good ol' USA. You¹ll find this delicious recipe in my recipe archives.