The summer weather in the United Kingdom is temperamental at best, so as soon as the British population get a hint of sunshine, we get the urge to go out and picnic. Eating ‘al fresco’ is a wonderful activity and a great way to pass a lazy Sunday afternoon with family and friends. Whatever your plans, there are some things that you simply must have to have a ‘great British picnic’.
Food is obviously the key to an enjoyable picnic, and is largely dependent on who will be there. If you’re picnicking with children, bite-size goodies are preferable such as freshly made and quartered sandwiches. Alternatively, mini-pastry treats such as sausage rolls, pastry mini pork pies, mini pasties or kiddie size muffins and cookies, are a popular choice. Fruit is also an excellent picnic item and easy to eat on the go – bananas even come in their own packaging!
If it’s a gathering of adults, then variety is good, with some old favourites always guaranteed to go down well. Cornish pasties are tasty hot or cold, but of course you could always have a vegetarian option such as a cheese and onion pasty.
If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to pasties, why not try a quiche, with meat or vegetables. A variety of low fat quiche options are on the market these days, with 50% less fat cheese used, so you don’t have come off the diet to go picnicking. Scotch eggs and cocktail sausages are also great grazing food, while sweet teeth can be satisfied with a traditional muffin or doughnut. Alternatively, why not try a carrot cake muffin with some cream cheese frosting for something a little more special?
If you’re looking for a more romantic picnic, then simplicity is the key. Some freshly baked bread, filling the basket with its delectable smell, along with some paté, French cheeses and some patisserie items and perhaps a strawberry tart to finish would be just perfect for a sunny afternoon, all washed down with some pink fizz.
If you want to make a real go of it, you can always bring a variety of salads, the green kind as well as potato salad, coleslaw or even fruit salad. These are best kept in a cool box to keep them fresh and tasty.
The British picnic is changing, though, and these days you’re as likely to see people having a barbecue on a disposable tray in a local park as people eating sandwiches. This means that you can have ‘hot’ picnics instead of more cold foods, although you still need a good bap for your burgers and a roll for that hotdog!
Unusual Bakeries
Looking for somewhere a bit different to eat? All the bakeries below are breaking out of the traditional bakery mould in one way or another…
The perfect cream tea
The cream tea is the most luxurious of English summer treats, ideal after a long walk in the West Country sunshine or as a treat with friends. But what goes into the perfect cream tea? Traditionally, this depends on where you are in the country.
