My first real meal after Le Bernardin was our Memorial Day burgerfest in Yonkers.

There’s nothing better than having friends in the city whose parents have big, comfortable houses just outside of town with backyards and grills, especially when those parents think of you as their children and invite you to all of their parties.

Emily’s dad makes a ton of pesto from the basil in his garden every summer and freezes whatever he can’t use in ice cube trays (he leaves out the Parmesan until it’s time to cook). It keeps amazingly well and tasted as fresh as could be.