A picnic can be as glorious as muslin tents and endless lights set out before a lake. Dishes may be painted porcelain with starched linens accompanied by mouthfuls of brie and fine bubbles. In the same vein, your picnic can have a beautiful impromptu countryside simplicity. A few basics will set either version of this beloved age-old activity on its way effortlessly.
Tools -
A basket is at the center of your efforts. You can employ a beautifully constructed basket with every detail considered. You need add little else besides food and drink wares to complete your dream day. For a simple country picnic, anything from a flea market find to a mixed use basket can serve perfectly.
A blanket is crucial to your comfort. Wool is the perfect material for cooler nights as it can serve as seating or a wrap as the sun sets. Cotton fabric is more desirable in warmer months as it can stand in as blanket or beach towel.
Food Stuffs -
Keeping food simple and rich in flavor promises success with little fuss. Room temperature safe foods are ideal if you are traveling, hiking or just letting the day take you on a whim. Basic sandwiches of meats, cheeses, and vegetables with dressings of olive oil and viengar are a lovely and classic bet. Accompany with whole fresh fruits and tuck in a special sweet like a Parisian fruit tart fetched from a local pâtisserie as a surprise finish.
Sips -
The classics still stand true for beverages but there is always room for adventure. A good bottle of red wine is a perfect pairing with nearly everything. If you want a bit of edge, mix up a violet liqueur punch beforehand and bring in a stainless steel thermos. Garnish with edible flowers and you will become part of the landscape.
Basics -
Always tuck in the basics of dishes, napkins and, silverware - You can pick up beautiful paper/plastic plates in floral patterns and plastic/paper accompaniments in unconventional colors to mix. Therefore, you can feel like Marie Antoinette without worrying about breaking the country’s china. Induldge in the beautiful laziness of a picnic. Truly drop out of the world with your company; entertainment should be laughter, rich bites and fresh air. We suggest tucking in a copy of Ted Hughes Birthday Letters written about his wife Sylvia Plath.
The dreamer in her
Had fallen in love with me and she did not know it.
That moment the dreamer in me
Fell in love with her and I knew it
- Ted Hughes, Birthday Letters
Words by Brit Parks
Images:
Love in the Afternoon, 1956
Arthur Elgort for Conde Nast
Victorian Picnic, Source Unknown
George Warner Allen, 1947, Picnic at Wittenham
Victorian Family Picnic, Source Unknown