After a satisfying brunch at a local diner we drove over to the festivities around 3pm. The reunion took place in one of the cousins’ backyards, who’d set up a large army tent, many tables, and numerous coolers with libations. There were at least 40 people who all knew each other, and we eventually ended up in a large circle listening to countless stories about my PIC’s uncles’ shenanigans from way back when, mostly told by the remaining uncle, who is my PIC’s last living connection to his mom, my late MIL who unfortunately passed before I could meet her.
As for the food, a huge buffet was set up in the tent that included excellent, homemade juicy pork sausages & burgers, Utica tomato pie,
very good pulled pork,
baked beans & German potato salad,
and a LOT of pasta variations — it’s upstate NY after all 
that included the chicken riggies our SIL brought:
rigatoni with chicken, green peppers & hot peppers in a creamy, spicy tomato sauce. This version from one of the top purveyors in the area wasn’t spicy, it hadn’t really been properly warmed up, and the pasta was overcooked. Sounds to me like one of those pasta dishes I’m sure we’ve all thrown together from random pantry & fridge items, so how this has become a ‘thing’ was kinda lost on me…… but maybe I can come up with my own 'hyper-local’ pasta for our hometown 
We stuck around long enough for a bonfire & a small set of fireworks, then joined our BIL & SIL who’d left early to be with their baby-I-mean-dog 
, and where we ate the other hyperlocal dish my PIC and I’d picked up at a local pizza parlor: Utica greens. Two large servings of sautéed escarole with TPSTOG, hot cherry peppers, pecorino, breadcrumbs, prosciutto.
This was very good, but I’d probably not cook the shit out of the greens myself & try for a lighter dish. Lobster tails my PIC and I’d picked up at the diner for a late night dessert.
It was a good weekend & wonderful to meet / see all those folks again 
