There is something extra delicious about a spur-of-the-moment picnic.
Maybe the spontaneous break from the daily grind is the reason. All it takes is a sunny day, the clock ticking toward noon and a deli just steps from the office or home. In minutes, you can be munching on lunch in a park or in your own back yard.
Sometimes an impromptu picnic becomes one of the most memorable meals on a vacation, particularly in Europe, where the delicatessens, cheese shops and bakeries offer foods too aromatic and mouthwatering to pass up.
Closer to home, the ever-growing supply of prepared foods for working adults too tired to cook means more variety for last-minute picnickers. No longer must a loaf of crusty bread, a good cheese and some fruit suffice, although they remain the most basic of picnic foods. Let the choices available at the market dictate the menu: an array of salads, fried chicken or spicy wings, overstuffed sandwiches, even sushi.
This year, concentrate on the accessories: the basket for transporting plates, glasses, cutlery, linens and essentials such as a corkscrew and a couple of knives; the cooler for keeping foods safe to eat; a scented candle to ward off flying pests.
Dinnerware manufacturers have combined acrylic and plastic with updated designs to create attractive plates, bowls, glasses and even stemware that are almost indistinguishable from their breakable counterparts. This year's hot decorative motif is bubbles. Dishes and glasses, either in clear no-color or pretty pastels, are dotted with tiny bubbles, as if a spray of champagne had been injected into the acrylic. Some dinnerware comes with coordinating flatware whose handles are made from the same material.
Wine always seems to taste better in a proper wineglass, but handling stemware while sitting on a picnic blanket demands a high degree of coordination. Some manufacturers offer a bit of help with plastic plates that include a cutout where you can place a stemmed glass to help prevent spills.
One of the advantages of investing in picnic ware is that the basket can stay packed and ready for whenever the mood for a picnic in the park strikes.
If you want to round out store-bought picnic foods with homemade fare that travels well, here are some recipes that can be prepared in advance:
Spicy Gorgonzola Spread
Makes 2 cups
1 pound Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 2/3 cups roasted red peppers, chopped
