Labor Day Checklist: Get Gift; Make Food

By Sandy Hu

I haven’t decided on my Labor Day menu yet, but I’m more stressed about getting my Labor Day gift.

I know – not even unions give gifts on Labor Day.

Our gift-giving tradition started with Disney’s Flight of the Bumblebee. While shopping at the mall one summer, Dave and I spotted the videotape on sale – just the one my younger son Chris had wanted but was unable to find!

So I bought the video as a Christmas stocking stuffer. But Dave wouldn’t hear of it.  He wanted Chris to have it right away. I wouldn’t budge and there were no other gift-giving occasions in sight.  Finally, David sputtered, “Give it to Chris for…Labor Day!”

So I did.  But to be fair, we had to get something for Dave…then dad…then mom.

We do a secret drawing early in the summer to decide who gives to whom. By the time Labor Day rolls around, dad will have forgotten whose name he drew and one time David was on the verge of getting two gifts (which meant someone else was going to be OOL). Gifts have to be $20 or less but sometimes we cheat if the gift is just too perfect to pass up. If someone is away, they must send their gift in time for the Labor Day gift opening.

It’s nice to get a surprise in the middle of the year.  And we love this quirky tradition, having kept it over many years, as an activity unique to our family.

Our other Labor Day tradition, like everyone else, is to barbecue.  I’m thinking of keeping it simple this year. While the grill is heating up and friends kibitz with the cook, I’ll serve these little dried plum and feta tidbits. The recipe, from the California Dried Plum Board, can be multiplied easily to serve a larger group.

Dried Plum and Feta Pickup Sticks with Drizzled Honey
6 pitted dried plums
2 ounces feta cheese, cut into 6 (3/4-inch) cubes
6 toothpicks
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon toasted fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Thread 1 dried plum and 1 cube of feta cheese onto toothpick. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle lightly with fennel seeds and chopped mint leaves. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cooking Tips
To toast fennel seeds, place in small skillet. Toast over high heat 1 minute or until fragrant, shaking pan occasionally. To crush seeds, use a mortar with pestle or place seeds in heavy-weight plastic bag and crush with rolling pin.

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