What should you pack in your picnic basket? Yes, a few leftovers, a quick tossed salad, a baguette and some cheese will make anyone happy, but with just slightly more planning you can develop a flexible picnic menu that'll work for you every time. Mark Bittman has a system for this which he divides into four categories: dips, poached food, raw or pickled food and beverages.
Bittman's latest op-ed in the Times says that every picnic basket should have four components, which he breaks down as follows:
Dips: Mayo is his top choice, followed by a heavy-tahini-and-garlic-made hummus.
Poached Food: Bittman says almost any vegetable can be poached and served cold for dipping! The only caveat is "to cook really strong-tasting vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage by themselves, unless you want your subsequent items to taste like them."
Raw or Pickled Food: This is where a few cheese or charcuterie options would be perfect. Bittman also recommends pickled cucumbers (which are easy and quick to make).
Beverages: Whatever suits your fancy! Wine is always nice, though.
The most challenging part of packing a picnic basket, though, is not forgetting the essentials, like utensils and napkins. Check out his rundown at the end of the article to pre-pack your picnic basket now so it's always ready for an impromptu summer picnic!
Read More: A Few Things All Picnic Baskets Need at The New York Times
Related: From Simple to Swanky: 10 Picnic Baskets for the Summer
(Image: Tinywater for Design*Sponge)
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crossword puzzle....another picnic essential
...I keep a set of plastic wine glasses in my picnic basket. Even if the drinks we put in them aren't wine (but let's be honest, they usually are), they make the picnics a little more fun!
Steps to a perfect picnic! Don't forget ambiance--like a colorful linen towel from decktowel.com to double as a picnic blanket!
Wine IS nice. A pity so many places won't let you drink it in public
Probably my favorite sign ever was one I saw in a park in Bath, England:
"It is forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages in the park when requested by a constable not to."
The implication being, if you can be rational and adult about it, it is perfectly fine to drink a nice glass of something.
I'm also, I might add, a big fan of a thermos of coffee or tea, for a cold weather picnic.