This, clearly, is peak picnic season. Suppose Glyndebourne or Henley for the poshos, assume a beautiful tea within the park for a time without work, assume a hamper or field by the river if you will get away by prepare (there are umpteen fabulous locations lower than an hour from London).
The foundations are easy. Nothing too fussy to eat. Most issues ought to be sufficiently strong to face up to being knocked about en route: so pork pie is nice and a fruit cake is a greater choice, particularly in a tin, than a strawberry tart.
No meltables: exchange candies with one thing like pate de fruits (viz, fruit jellies) if not. Sandwiches are okay, nevertheless it’s extra enjoyable to supply cheese, charcuterie, pate, or smoked fish (plus chutney or pickles) alongside some crusty baguette or sourdough (if the latter, keep in mind the breadknife). And I’m not wholly enamoured of champagne on a picnic; if it’s scorching, lemonade or ginger beer is definitely a lot nicer.
When you haven’t the time or inclination to make your individual, listed below are some pretty prepared made picnics and a few recommendations for components to bolster your individual.
The Picnic Hamper. Made in Oldstead, £85
Made in Oldstead
Goodness, this isn’t a lot a picnic hamper as a cornucopia in a cool bag, brimful of fine issues. It comes from Tommy Banks, an excellent chef who runs eating places in addition to this wonderful meals field firm in North Yorkshire. There are high-quality juicy little pork and madeira pies, smoked salmon cured in spruce and verbena from his kitchen gardens, cheese from The Courtyard (terrific cheesemongers), scrumptious hen liver parfait with hedgerow jelly and wonderful sourdough bread. He promotes native producers, one being the Ilkley makers of black pepper and garlic salami. There’s native butter and his personal chutney and gherkin ketchup. To complete there are excellent blondies and runny salted caramel chocs. Oh, and his personal cans of herby lemon verbena pale ale and gamay pinot noir (with a packet of sangria combine). All in a sensible coolbag. Yum!
Nation Life Cheese and Charcuterie Hamper, Bathtub High-quality Cheese Firm, £100
Bathtub High-quality Cheese
This wonderful choice is available in a captivating wicker hamper with a fabric lining. There are two cheeses (pasteurised), a cave aged cheddar and Little Rollright, an unctuous creamy cheese from the Cotswolds. Then there’s that very stylish butter, Bungay, oatcakes and little stilton biscuits. The charcuterie is an excellent smoked coppa. And all accompanied by pickled onions (hurrah!) and Somerset cider. What’s to not like?
Paxton and Whitfield, Little Field of Birthday Treats, £45
Paxton and Whitfield
Even when it’s not your birthday, you possibly can make a high-quality picnic of this field of treats. Paxton’s know that fruitcake and cheese make a superb pairing, and right here is an effective, not-too-sweet cake, crunchy with dried figs, to go along with the uncooked Montgomery cheddar, Cashel Blue and a Celtic gentle cheese: one thing for everybody. There’s a bit of pot of its yummy damson and crab apple paste too. Simply add bread. All in a pleasant field. Or for those who simply need savoury treats, the superb Henley lunchbox, £55, contains pork rillettes, Tunworth (a high-quality English form of camembert), Sparkenhoe Purple Leicester (actually good), a child Yorkshire blue and crackers.
Fortnum and Mason, King of Picnics, £550
F&M
There are hampers and there are Fortnum’s hampers, and also you don’t get way more spectacular than the King of Picnics, which might be simply the factor for Glyndebourne. It’s fairly nicely bought every part: a considerable pork pie, Scotch eggs (theirs are runny inside), smoked salmon, stilton and wealthy Dorset brie, bread, a bit of charcuterie, nibbles, an enormous carton of crisps, teacakes…I imply, even for the grasping, there’s sufficient for eight. There’s a bottle of Provencal rose and a home champagne. And all of it is available in that pretty F&M wicker hamper. In any other case, you possibly can at all times accept the cream tea choice, at £50. There’s additionally an unlimited Final Picnic Hamper for £1,000, however you in all probability want a few footmen for that.
The British High-quality Meals Summer season Backyard Picnic, £75
Backyard Summer season Hamper
This properly chosen choice would in all probability hold 4 individuals joyful – nicely, relying how hungry they’re – for those who add a crusty baguette or two. There’s packets of fine ham and charcuterie, duck pate, olives, smoked salmon (100g) and a small English brie with chutney. The biscuits had been ginger, a moreish deal with. There’s a sensible navy wicker hamper, with out a deal with; very reusable. Add cutlery and plates individually.
Betty’s Afternoon Tea Reward Field, £50
Betty’s
Betty’s Tea Rooms are a Harrogate establishment and for those who can’t go to Betty’s, Betty’s will come to you with this wonderful field of candy tea-time treats for 4. There are macarons – uncannily like Laduree’s – scones and excellent strawberry jam, lovable fondant fancies and a very good raspberry and vanilla buttercream loaf, all in a beautiful field. It will make for a enjoyable conventional tea-time picnic. The one drawback is learn how to make tea with the Darjeeling tea baggage…I’m afraid of us, you might need to compromise with scorching water from a thermos. However a component of roughing it’s a part of the enjoyable, no?
Hamper Additions: these are good dietary supplements to a picnic:
Secret Smokehouse: Canapes, £57.99
It is a beneficiant choice of smoked salmon, scorching smoked items, mackerel and salmon pates and a creamy Dill and Mustard Mayonnaise, from a Hackney smokehouse. It will add a considerable, pleasing fishy component to any of the baskets.
Betty’s Yorkshire Fruit cake in a tin, £33.
What you want on a picnic is one thing strong, which can journey and received’t make a multitude when it’s eaten outdoor. A moist, wealthy fruit cake suits the invoice properly, and this one comes with nuts and cherries on high in a beautiful tin.
Fortnum and Mason, Pate de Fruits, £19.95
These are grown up fruit pastilles, solely in fabulous flavours like plum and apricot. A really stylish ending for a sensible picnic.
