By Jennifer Kastner Lackey
Contributing Writer
Picnics are the perfect way to start enjoying spring and make the most out of the longer days. A few simple planning steps can allow any host to delight his or her family and friends with an impromptu, but perfectly appointed, outdoor feast.
Comfort is key for a fun outdoor dining experience. For a traditional picnic vibe, create your dining area right in the grass or sand. Start with an old quilt or two as a base — the bigger, the better. A quilt or old comforter makes a much more comfortable seat than the standard picnic blanket or sheet as they’re thick enough to pad the itchy grass and sand. Next, scatter a small pouf, floor cushions, or a few outdoor pillows around the perimeter. Creating height in a seating arrangement allows guests to lounge on pillows instead of sitting straight up, or to set their plates down on a pouf. These seating areas create a spot to relax, but also help to hold down the blanket and other items on a windy day. Guests who can’t sit on the ground can still join in the festivities with the addition of a couple of folding camping chairs.
An outdoor picnic table can be set to fit a theme as elegant or casual as desired. A lace or eyelet table runner and mismatched silver from a thrift store creates an elegant, shabby-chic setting; a classic red-and-white checkered or colorful patterned tablecloth relays a laid-back vibe.
Skip the paper plates, which easily blow away, and opt for melamine instead. They are shatterproof, light enough to carry to a picnic spot and can be loaded into the dishwasher back home.
Cloth napkins may seem like an over-the-top addition to a picnic, but they take up less volume than a roll of paper towels and can really cut down on waste, which in turn means less trash to pack up and haul out from a remote spot. In fact, repackaging boxed items, using enamelware or melamine plates and bringing homemade items in reusable containers can allow for a picnic with little to no garbage.
Pick a bundle of lavender, rosemary, or lemon sage sprigs to naturally repel mosquitoes and add color and fragrance to the meal. Flies have an aversion to oregano, lavender and thyme. Herbs can be placed in jars or simply scattered about in bunches.
Citronella tea lights are small enough to bring along in a pocket, and add unexpected ambiance while keeping the gathering bug-free. Place tea lights in a metal pail weighted with sand to avoid the flames extinguishing in each passing breeze.
Efficiency is key when meal planning and packing a picnic basket or cooler. Pack the foods that will be eaten last on the bottom of the cooler. Plan a meal that is easy to pack, eat, and clean up away from the kitchen, but is still tasty and festive enough to please everyone.
For maximum dining ease, prepare fare that won’t require utensils. Foods that don’t require plates make al fresco dining even easier. Wrap sandwiches or baguettes in parchment paper, and bring fruits like apples, oranges, and stone fruits such as peaches and plums that don’t need to be cut or stored in a container.
For a family-style picnic at a large table, a variety of passable salads are crowd pleasing. Or, salads can be divided into Mason jars ahead of time, which are great for packing due to their screw-tight lids and compact, cooler-friendly size.
Beverages such as bottles of water, iced tea, lemonade and juice freeze well and, when packed on the top of the cooler, replace ice packs to keep the food chilled.
Everyone loves the adventure of eating al fresco so pull out grandma’s quilt, dust off the picnic basket, get outside and enjoy a meal under the season’s gorgeous Carolina blue skies.
Balsamic Pasta Salad
Recipe courtesy of Roberts Market
Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked pasta, tricolor rotini or spiral
1 large head broccoli, cut and blanched
Sun-dried tomato, julienned strips
1 10-ounce can artichoke hearts, cut small
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp Italian blend herbs
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook pasta to a soft texture, rinse and chill. Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets, blanch in hot water and chill. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, cover and shake until well mixed.
Mozzarella Olive Salad
Recipe courtesy of Sonia Kennedy, Nutrition in Motion
Ingredients:
1 ounce mozzarella, cubed
¼ cup grape tomatoes
10 green olives
Directions:
Cube mozzarella into ½ inch pieces. Wash grape tomatoes. Drain olives. Combine all three together in a lidded container or jar. Makes one serving.
Mason Jar Kimchi Salad
Recipe courtesy of Chef Andrew Cushing, Dockside Restaurant
Salad ingredients:
1 cup green cabbage, finely shredded
5 Roma tomatoes, halved
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
½ bell pepper, sliced
¼ red onion, sliced
1 fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced
2 stalks green onion, sliced
½ cup fresh cilantro
Dressing ingredients:
1 lemon, juiced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp white sugar
1 Tbsp water
½ tsp soy sauce
½ tsp Sriracha
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions:
Drizzle the dressing in the bottom of the Mason jar. Layer ingredients, beginning with the shredded cabbage and ending with the fresh cilantro. When ready to serve, unscrew the jar lid and invert into a bowl.
