PICNIC TIME

[TIGGYWINKLE]

I think picnics are so relaxing and romantic This year I plan to be very organized. I have the baskets, wind breaker, umbrella, cool box, rug, quilt, fishing stools all at hand ready to go, having reorganized my utility and shed space. I find there is nothing as bad as trying to find things and get them together. I now want to plan some really nice food, and drinks. I think we dream about Summer picnics all Winter, and then when the time comes, we just throw a few sammies or salad together. I want to have some nice things in the Freezer ready to go. Lets plan ahead. What do you bring on a picnic? Where do you like to go? What drinks do you bring? What is your favourite food for a picnic? Your most memorable picnic?
I am fed up with BarBQ's. The food gets boring, not particularly good for you, too much shuffling in and out with stuff, and OH slaving over a hot stove. This year I am going to have picnics in the garden, everything prepared, no smoke, smell the roses, sit back and enjoy.I'm going to plan some menus. Looking forward to your ideas.

[sunflower]

The beauty of preparing picnics, rather than eating out is that you can really go to town in preparing luxrious foods. For example, I love red salmon sandwiches with watercress, washed down with organic ginger beer...shades of Enid Blyton!!

[Oola]

My fave food for a picnic is very simple - salt and vinegar crisps, a thick doorstep wedge of a cheese and pickle sandwich, and apple juice. For dessert any cake would do me! If it's a lazy afternoon perhaps a couple of ales to relax. Oh, and cheese and onion pasties also go down well. And nachos with salsa.

I remember we used to take picnics into the grounds of Wrest Park in Silsoe. We'd pay to get in and then spend all afternoon in the parklands, playing badminton or something. Great fun.

Tiggywinkle our family do lots of 'mediterranean' style lunches, where you turn up, put something on the table and everyone sits around and helps themselves. It's all very relaxed and we just chat and eat. It's always been like that and it's really good to get on with my extended family so well. Because we grow a lot of our own food we make a lot of homemade things, such as potato salads with chives, fresh beetroot (yeuk!), pickled onions, salads etc.

[JacquiMcR]

Picnics are wonderful. I have fond memories of taking sandwhiches, juice and biscuits to the river, the park and the beach. As the eldest of nine grandchildren, we always had picnics in my nans garden, sitting on an old quilt. We made tents with bed sheets draped over the washing line and pegged into the ground. She grew fabulous blackcurrants and raspberries and we would dip stalks of rhubarb into sugar held in paper cones made out of the corners of brown paper bags.

Oola, if you are having garden picnics you could try making tee light holders from fancy jam jars (bonne maman are good for this) decorated with glass paint and beads. The can go on tables or be hung in trees and if you use citronella candles they will deter any bugs.

On rainy days we have even been known to have a carpet picnic in the living room, complete with paper napkins, cupcakes and lemonade.

[franbee]

If you are taking your picnic in the car or in a rucksack, you will need different foods to just serving in the garden. Sandwiches travel well and are easy to eat, or pasties, scotch eggs etc. And from my DS exam, rock cakes travel well!
In the garden you could have more 'fork' food, salads etc, and soft 'spoon' desserts. Or there's homemade scones, cheese ones perhaps.
My most favourite meals whilst on my camping trips in France are the lunches, salad with pate or cheese, and celeriac 'worms' (remoulade, like coleslaw) and fresh baguette. We have that every day and I never tire of it.

[jazzactivist]

I like chunky salads for picnics which are easily transportable in 'tupperware' boxes - tuna salad and or a good coleslaw, nice cheeses, a range of crunchy crackers, and nice fizzy soft drinks. I find that fruit tarts are quite good for pudding.

I love BBQs and the main problem in the UK is that people often choose unimaginative food like sausages and burgers and don't cook it well. It is a fine art in South Africa, and lovely chicken, lamb or fish that has been soaked in a marinade overnight and then constantly brushed with more while cooking and regularly turned is second to none. My choice of marinade is fruity white wine, pineapple juice, a teaspoon of brown sugar, a crushed garlic clove and some bay leaves. Cook some jacket potatoes or sweet potatoes and parcels of veg in foil actually in the embers or have a range of good salads. The key is to build up the fire and then let it burn down so that it is just the hot glowing embers to cook on. Don't bother with gas barbeques as the food never tastes the same.