Guide to Picnics

ChefsLine Picnic Menu & Recipe Collection

Late Summer Picnic Menu by Chef Nate
Down-Home Picnic Basket by Chef Cary
Southwestern Spread
Summer Backyard Party for a Crowd
Sandwiches For Dad Picnic Menu
Living Room Floor Picnic

Picnic-Perfect Salads

Last modified on 2008-06-29 17:36:53 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Our selection of do-ahead salads taste great at room temperature and compliment many different menu styles. Serve in colorful cups to vary your food presentation.

Couscous salad with, dried apricot slices, golden raisins, currants, cherries, orange zest, caramelized onion and garlic, fresh thyme and parsley, tossed in a white wine vinaigrette.

Asian pear and grilled pineapple salad with julienned daikon radish, mango, red pepper, spring onion and black sesame seeds tossed in seasoned rice wine vinegar.

Roasted trio potato (fingerling, red and purple) salad with caramelized onions and garlic, spring onions, parsley, and crisp lardons tossed in a dijon vinaigrette.

Grilled asparagus salad with caramelized onions, fried prosciutto and warm sage vinaigrette.

Haricot verts salad with toasted pine nuts/walnuts, red onion and marjoram vinaigrette, and crumbled Greek feta.

Grilled fennel and blood orange salad with basil, and red wine vinaigrette.

Orzo salad with grape tomato halves, grilled and diced zucchini and yellow squash, diced and caramelized onion and garlic, Kalamata olive halves, fresh thyme, and toasted pistachios tossed in extra- virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Anytime Picnic Essentials

Last modified on 2008-07-01 18:48:05 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

My family has always been big on picnicking—whether on the living room floor in front of a fire in January , beside a stream in the Cascade Mountains or in a hollow between sand dunes within sight of the pyramids. There is something simultaneously exotic and familiar about a picnic, whatever the venue.

Above all, a picnic should not be ordinary, nor should it be an effort—at least not during the picnic itself. A little advance planning and work goes a long way toward keeping the picnic itself more joy than job but even a spur-of-the-moment picnic can be pure pleasure if you’re prepared. And although you can get really fancy in your choice of picnic baskets, a simple tote, stocked with basics and kept in your car trunk, can transform a wide place in the road into a natural banquet hall.

I keep all of these items in my picnic basket which I keep in the trunk of my car so I’m ready for a picnic at a moments notice.

The Compleat Picnic Basket
Salt and pepper shakers—essential at any meal
Can opener—not used often, but required when required
Cork screw—basic
Knife—something cheap (Ginzu-like), and make a scabbard from cardboard and tape
Cutting board—you don’t want that Ginzu knife touching your car’s hood
Plastic tarp—ground gets wet
Blanket—you’ve got to have a picnic blanket
Paper plates—use it and toss it, don’t drive around with dirty plates
Plastic utensils—see above
Plastic cups—glasses are nice for special occasions, but having plastic cups around is never a mistake
Paper napkins—see “Plastic cups” above and insert “napkins”
Wet naps—the greatest addition to picnicking since the basket
Zip-lock bags—always handy
Plastic grocery bags—picnic-sized garbage bags
Garbage bags—big garbage bags

After some 50+ years of picnicking I consider the above items essential. They’re not all needed every time, but they’re all needed eventually and they all fit into a basket, a canvas tote, or even a pillow case.

Meats Fit for a Picnic

Last modified on 2007-09-16 22:16:25 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Listen now as Chef Kevin describes some of his favorite do-ahead meats for picnics for ChefsLine member Theresa in Winchester, Indiana. All of these meats are just as delicious when served cold and are easy to pack and go!

• Fried chicken!
• Roast pork loin, sliced thin
• Grilled steak, tritip is great
• Lemon brined grilled chicken
• Roasted or smoked turkey
• Smoked fish - salmon, trout, even shrimp

Tip: Sandwiches are also a crowd-pleasure. Bring the fixings so you can prepare a fresh, to taste, sandwich on site.

The Moveable Feast

Last modified on 2007-06-12 00:47:18 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Although meals eaten outdoors always have a certain splendor, there are certainly key elements to planning and preparing your moveable feast that help ensure delicious tastes, food safety, and a pretty presentation. Use this checklist and have fun!

1. Spruce up sandwich presentation by layering colorful wrapping paper with parchment or wax paper. Wrap like you would a present, tucking in the ends.
2. Don’t forget the corkscrew, a sharp knife, a bread knife, small cutting board, and water.
3. Bacteria and germs need the combination of food, moisture, and heat to grow. Temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees are not suitable for food storage and foods left in these temperatures for over four hours are firmly inside the “danger zone.” In hot weather (above 90 degrees) food should never sit for more than 1 hour. Any left over left out for more than 2 hours should be thrown away and always keep foods covered and in shady spots. The Partnership for Food Safety Education publishes very helpful information about safe food handling practices. ChefsLine is well versed in many food handling issues - do not hesitate to call us when in doubt.
4. Lay a plastic tarp first so you can use that pretty blanket for seating.
5. Bring a trash bag, wet naps, and of course, plates and forks.
6. Prepare dishes that taste good at room-temperature including sandwiches, salads, and cheeses.
7. Include a crunchy, lively salad as one dish to balance textures.
8. And, unlike a cooler whose plastic and damp insides often give me pause before opening, there is nothing that says “look inside!” like a pretty picnic basket!
9. Sources: Red butcher paper to wrap sandwiches or line tables Source http://www.pospaper.com
10. Sources for red checkered take-out containers: http://www.plumparty.com/. http://www.mrtakeoutbags.com/
11. Other ideas- Have the kids design own bags with stickers and markers. Wrap their own sandwiches with pretty plastic wrapping and stickers. Styrofoam soup containers can be decorated with markers and stickers too.
12. Keep raw meats wrapped tightly and separately from cooked foods and those meant to be consumed raw.
13. Pack ahead: Pack perishable foods at the last minute with ice or ice packs, and be sure not to open it too frequently.