Picnic Foods

[little ms foodie]

picnic this Friday with friends, our contribution will be:

chicken salad with grapes in endive leaves

roasted potato and green bean salad

chocolate cream cheese cupcakes

[little ms foodie]

another outdoor concert this weekend, I'm re reading this for additional ideas.........

other things I've thought of are mediterrian orzo pasta salad and salmon rillettes (out of the Bouchon cookbook)

[Megan Blocker]

My favorite picnic treat (besides cold chicken, mmmm...) is french bread with cheese and chocolate.

Seriously delicious.

[little ms foodie]

Picnic last Friday night. We brought melon cubes wrapped in proscuitto. Also Shrimp rolls. Think lobster rolls from Maine only with shrimp. toasted the hotdog buns earlier and let them cool. then brought the shrimp salad mixed and filled the rolls at the scene. Excellent.

Others brought thai chicken skewers, fritata and little sandwiches. treats from a kick ass local bakery were served for dessert. YUM!

[fifi]

We haven't been doing organized picnics but are pretty choosy about what we pack for an "excursion." A current favorite is a pressed sandwich made with my eggplant gratin. Most often I use the version without the sausage. We also almost always carry a batch of Texas Caviar. We have started eating the caviar with saltines instead of tortilla chips. Then we congratulate ourselves on having done good on eating our vegetables.

Using frozen bottles of water to keep the cooler cool is another trick I have picked up this summer.

[PicnicChef]

We have a few picnics coming up and I'd love some ideas on things that can be made the day before, kept and eaten cool. Of course pasta salads, cold chicken and cookies are standbys but what about some new fun ideas??

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With Valentine's Day around the corner, I wanted to mention that one of the most romantic things is a little indoor Picnic. I do one every year, and we love it. While going out to eat is always fun, Valentine's day is more fun at home. Here is my suggestion:

1/2 bottle Veuve Cliquot - to get the evening started...

Combine with - 1/2 dozen oysters, the best would be little moonstones...

I don't think there is much in the world to compare to that combo but venture on...

(and I'm sure you know the easy opening trick. Stick them in the freezer for 1/2 an hour right before opening)

St. Andre cheese with a little dibble of proscuitto and raspberry jam on a thin slice of baguette

a lovely little salad of lobster, avocado, mango and herb with a light champagne viniagrette.

Next, open a nice bottle of Red - since it's Valentine's Day, how about a nice Cos D'esternal?

nibble on some bolder cheeses, using that baguette, couple it with a small filet mignon that you simpy roast at 350 degrees in butter, pepper, and finish with a little fleur de sel. Slice it thin. Eat it with your fingers.

Why bother with dessert

Just a thought for a little indoor or outdoor picnic.

[little ms foodie]

putting together some ideas for a picnic dinner next weekend- I'm thinking of a cobb salad wrap I saw recently on foodnetwork. anyone have some new ideas?

[little ms foodie]

My favorite dish to make for a picnic is lentil salad - de puy lentils with red wine vinegar, red onion, and mustard.

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forgot to mention that I have been doing this too only adding tomatoes, mint, parsely, olives and feta cheese- a little greek flavored salad

[raxelita]

White beans cooked and pureed with (fresh or roasted) garlic, (lotsa) olive oil, lemon, tarragon, parsley, s & p, served with toasted baguette.

[Nina C.]

It seems like every holiday weekend is afflicted with Devious-God-Weather-Curse. Someone upstairs says "Ha Ha Ha. You want to go outside and play, don't you? Well too bad because it's going to rain AND be too hot to do anything." But yesterday those devious gods must have been sleeping because it was absolutely glorious weather.

My sweetheart and I decided it was worth bagging work for the day to go on a picnic. The spontaneous outing meant that we could only bring what we had in the house but thankfully, we generally have a well-stocked fridge.

We had a loaf of sourdough bread, some tartufo semi-soft cheese, cracked pepper smoked salmon, yogurt and herb dip, roasted eggplant-cilantro spread, persian cukes, pear and cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas. For dessert, some fresh plums, and (in the aluminium foil) fresh figs that I sprinkled with sugar and ran under the broiler.

Several hours lying in the park and (pathetically on my part) playing football was just what the doctor ordered. Now back to work! (Being self-employed means I have to yell at myself and occasionally, when procrastination gets really bad, break out the flogger. I'm a mean boss. )

[Jaymes]

Using frozen bottles of water to keep the cooler cool is another trick I have picked up this summer.

Yes, that's what I do, too. In fact, when planning for a picnic, the first thing I do is to put a bunch of water bottles into the freezer. Not only does it work great because as they melt, they don't get all runny and messy like ice does, they serve double-duty as something to drink as the day wears on.

Also, regardless as to what else I take on picnics, I ALWAYS take some sort of cold soup in a thermos. It's easy to serve - just pour into paper cups and pass around with plastic spoons. Everybody has something to nosh on while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Obviously, a traditional gazpacho works beautifully for this, but I've used many different kinds of cold soups. It never fails to be a huge crowd-pleaser.

[mojoman]

My post will speak to my anal retentiveness but I really don't go for the loaf of bread, hunk of cheese, sausage/salami, salad that is safe at room temp eaten on a plastic plate from your picnic basket.

We have a picnic basket with plastic plates, utentils, glasses, etc. However, if you use the little cutting board to cut up your cheese/meat, spoon out a salad onto the plate, etc....it's a frickin mess afterward. Plus, depending on your picnic circumstances, sometimes you are cutting stuff up with your bare and UNWASHED hands.

I much prefer to make great, high quality sandwiches. You might have to eat them with unwashed hands; however, you're not handling them as much as cutting up bread and cheese.

I portion out salads and sides into little disposable containers. When you're done, either throw away or bring back with you but you don't have dirty plates to mess up your nice picnic basket.

Dessert is usually something like a high quality cookie or brownie...nothing gloppy or wet.

JMO.

[Henry dV]

So where are the picnic pies & chutneys...........

............pigeon and pork, a fave around these parts.

Edited September 4, 2007 by Henry dV (log)

[Jaymes]

Plus, depending on your picnic circumstances, sometimes you are cutting stuff up with your bare and UNWASHED hands.

...

You might have to eat them with unwashed hands; however, you're not handling them as much as cutting up bread and cheese.

That's why we always tote along a small bottle of hand sanitizer, or some of those little packets of hand wipes that I lift from KFC.

[mojoman]

Plus, depending on your picnic circumstances, sometimes you are cutting stuff up with your bare and UNWASHED hands.

...

You might have to eat them with unwashed hands; however, you're not handling them as much as cutting up bread and cheese.

That's why we always tote along a small bottle of hand sanitizer, or some of those little packets of hand wipes that I lift from KFC.

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Honestly, I do too but I don't like the Purell residue.

Don't store the KFC wipes in the glove box of your car. They won't be moist and soapy when you need them. Says the voice of bitter experience.

[rooftop1000]

So where are the picnic pies & chutneys...........

............pigeon and pork, a fave around these parts.

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How is that pie with ice cream?....now the chutney on ice cream might be good

Tracey

[racheld]

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Oh, Sir Henry!!! I knew we could count on you!

Did you box the pastry with your own cool hands?

[llc45]

I have just read this tread and am filled with envy! My husband, who is normally game for anything, hates picnics. Over the almost 20 years we've been married, I've heard every excuse - the ground will be wet, it will be too buggy, it's too hot, it's too cold ( I could continue). Guess I'll have to live vicariously through this thread.

[Jaymes]

    I have just read this tread and am filled with envy!  My husband, who is normally game for anything, hates picnics.  Over the almost 20 years we've been married, I've heard every excuse - the ground will be wet, it will be too buggy, it's too hot, it's too cold ( I could continue).  Guess I'll have to live vicariously through this thread.

Make friends with someone that has a boat.

[Henry dV]

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Oh, Sir Henry!!! I knew we could count on you!

Did you box the pastry with your own cool hands?

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Certainly did, you can`t beat a cold water crust

[hummingbirdkiss]

I can not imagine any other picnic I enjoy sharing more than

huge dungeness crabs cooked in the shells

Tim's alder chips

OB lager beer

brownies for dessert

eaten on blanket of newspaper at the beach any time they are in season

....even in the winter

[llc45]

    I have just read this tread and am filled with envy!  My husband, who is normally game for anything, hates picnics.  Over the almost 20 years we've been married, I've heard every excuse - the ground will be wet, it will be too buggy, it's too hot, it's too cold ( I could continue).  Guess I'll have to live vicariously through this thread.

Make friends with someone that has a boat.

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Jaymes - you are quite perceptive. Our friends used to hava a boat and, now that I think of it, that is the only time my husband loved eating outside. I never thought about that angle. Hmmm - who else do I know that has a boat...

[llc45]

I can not imagine any other picnic I enjoy sharing more than

huge dungeness crabs cooked in the shells

Tim's alder chips

OB lager beer

brownies for dessert

eaten on blanket of newspaper at the beach any time they are in season

....even in the winter

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That sounds incredible!

[Peter the eater]

Two years of unreported picnics? Bump. I'm a virgo born on the equinox -- which means tons of excellent seasonal foods. For the last twelve years I've had a birthday picnic, each time a different place and menu, thanks to my spouse.

[barolo]

My Monday night beach picnic group is up and running.  We meet at 7:00 pm on Monday nights and walk down to the beach for an informal picnic.  We all just bring what we have on hand and share.

 

The food has to fit in a large tote bag with the blanket, wine, and a few glasses and utensils.  Ideally it is pre-portioned or is easy to portion on site.  I usually make enough for 6-8 people. I have a day job so things that can be made ahead and don't involve elaborate preparations are ideal. 

 

I've looked at Anna N's "Meeting friendly snacks to bake"  http://forums.egullet.org/topic/147440-meeting-friendly-snacks-to-bake/  for baking ideas. 

 

What can you suggest?