On The Table

What’s in your picnic basket?

by admin on 06/07/10 at 7:14 pm

The Summer is in full flow and, for a change, the weather is superb.  This can only really mean one thing.  It’s picnic season.

What makes the ideal picnic

First of all you need to set the right tone.  You need good food, good wine and good company.

Here are some of my thoughts on how you can create the right ambience for your picnic this Summer.

Appetiser

First of all you need to get your appetisers ready.  Nothing beats a good bowl of Olives.

The Nigella Lawson Appetiser Bowl Set comes from Nigella’s living kitchen range. The black ceramic set of little dishes on a platter is perfect for serving h’ors d’oeuvres. The perfect gift for someone who likes entertaining.

The Nigella Lawson Appetiser Bowl Set costs £34.50

If Olives are not your thing then bread usually works well.  The Guzzini Vintage Green Bread/Fruit Basket will happily hold your freshly made crustly wholemeal loaf.

This two tone green basket from Guzzini suitable for bread or fruit, is made of a double layer of high quality plastic resin and forms part of a collection called ‘vintage’.

The Guzzini Vintage Green Bread/Fruit Basket cost £17.50

Plates

The most ideal plates for picnics are the Navigate Vintage Dot Blue Melamine plates.  Made from melamine these plates are light weight.  As part of the new vintage range ideal for summer dining.

Use them in the garden, on the patio, for picnics or in the caravan and boat.

Navigate Vintage Dot Blue Melamine Plates - £2.60 for large plate

Salad days

Salads and picnics were made for each other.

The Define Salad bowl and servers are part of a range of contemporary hand carved wooden serving pieces by Define that are perfect for entertaining. Made of Mango wood the bowl is 18cm deep and 30cm wide at the top, large enough for a substantial tossed salad.

Something refreshing to drink

No picnic would be complete without something to drink.  Whether you are out with the family or a romantic afternoon with an intimate friend or, lots of friends you need something to freshen you on a summer’s day.

Kids

Lots of water, cordial or juice.  Ever heard of the Liz Million range?

My children love eating from their very own lunch bag.  They will sit still for almost 15 minutes with the lunch bag propped on their laps.  So you could try the  Liz Million Bug mania lunch bag and the Liz Million Dinosaur drink bottle.

Liz Million Dinosaur Drink Bottle – £5.80

Liz Million Bug Mania lunch bag – £5.80

Romantic

If there are just two of you then it has to be fizz.   Sparkling rose or champagne really elevates the day from nice to something special. And for the something occasion you need some special LSA Champagne saucers.  With a slightly retro look, they are handmade and boxed in fours.

The LSA Champagne Saucers cost £37.50 for 4

Friends

If you are getting together with friends then it has to be PImm’s.   For the perfect Pimm’s recipe you need a Pimm’s Pitcher.

I like the LSA Pimm’s jug or the Hairy Bikers Jug, Both hold plenty.

LSA Jug costs £28.25

The Hairy Biker jug costs £13.26 (Reduced from £16.45 –offer may change over time)

The World Cup is nearly over and it will some be time to drag your other half away from the television and back into reality.  Summer living is what we enjoy at On the Table, we hope you do to.