Picnics for all Seasons

The best picnics take place when you least expect it. A good idea is just to wake up, take a long drive, pack a picnic basket and off you go.

I love this tail gate picnic in the back of a 1948 Packard.

These clever folks in the warm Caribbean waters have a great picnic idea.

If you love picnics you can also have them in the winter.

This one in the shadow of Mt. Ranier

In France they have lovely tables and benches in rest stops and parks where you can enjoy your break from the drive.

Here are a few essentials for the picnic.


Great picnic basket

This is just the right tablecloth to put on the ground or the picnic table.

Red Check Picnic Tablecloth

Paper Plate Holders

Can't live without these.

Here are a few recipes that you may not already have for a French picnic.

I love a veggie sandwich and here is how you can prepare one to pack in your picnic basket.

Rub a split Baguette with a little olive oil and grill for a couple of minutes
Spread with a little Ricotta cheese
Add a slice or two of Swiss Cheese
Add some Avocado slices
Add some tomato slices
Add a couple of radishes for crunch
Depending on how you feel about sprouts you can add them or not
Salt and pepper

A Quiche is an easy thing to pack up.  Here is my recipe.

Prebaked tart shell (I use a store bought shell and bake for 15 minutes)
8 whipped eggs
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
1/4 cup cream
1 onion and 8 mushrooms sautéed
Mix together
Put in prebaked shell
Sprinkle top with parmesan or grated gruyere and bake until eggs cook and cheese melts.

Soup should be brought to a winter picnic in a thermos bottle.  This one holds 61 ounces and can serve 6-8 people.

Extra large thermos bottle

I love to make vegetable soup the French way

Pour 2 cups of vegetable broth or water into a large pot

Add 2 leeks
2 peeled potatoes cubed
2 courgettes (zuccini)
1 onion
6 peeled carrots cut in pieces
1 red pepper

You can use any vegetables you want but be sure and add the potatoes and onion.

Cook until all vegetables are soft and pour off some of the water. Use your immersion blender to make it smooth and thick.

Cuisinart immersion blender

The cutest throw away hot or cold cups ever.  They would look fabulous on the red checked tablecloth, wouldn't they?

Cherry design paper cups

You could put together a very cute picnic collection for a great Christmas gift for friends who love to picnic.

The best cookbook ever about picnics.  It has picnics for all four seasons and the winter picnics are fabulous.

Picnics all year round

I think these wine bottle and glass holders that go into the ground at a picnic are brilliant and so practical.

Picnic stakes set

Please do have a picnic, whatever the season, whatever part of the world you live in.  For my friends in Australia, enjoy the sun.  For my friends in the ski country USA, enjoy the snow and don't forget a picnic lunch.

I will be going to a picnic tomorrow when I go with friends to the banks of the Dronne river in France for a lovely picnic.  Yes, it will be cold but we will wear our woolies and Uggs and even build a little fire.
After that we will go to a Christmas Fair in Perigueux.  In the morning we will go to a Brocante in Saint Astier where I hope to find some things for French Vintage Home.
More about that in the next blog.

Have a Happy Picnic.......

A Bientôt