As Italians, our fast food might be pane e formaggio on the fly, but when is the last time you savored an al fresco feast in the great outdoors? Before summer escapes, take time now to plan a picnic with your cherished family and friends.

One summer weekend every year, my family and I are lucky to be part of the annual PDG picnic. The PDG lodge originated in Chicago in 1925 as the Piana dei Greci (PDG) Aid Society. It was a haven for nuovi arrivati Arbereshe from Sicily and helped them get established and assimilate into life as Americans.