It’s no secret that I love picnicking. I LOVE PICNICKING! I love picnicking so much, I picnic in the winter because I can’t wait until summer. 2018 has been the most picnic-filled year I’ve ever had, what with the two or three, sometimes even 4 picnics I had a day in Buenos Aires. Just the other day before losing our reliable childcare for most of the summer, I took myself on a picnic crawl the other day – three hours and four picnics. It was positively glorious.

AND, I’m thrilled to be chatting about picnicking on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning on July 2nd! Listen in (and I’ll post a link afterwards in case you’re sleeping in…)

The TRIED TESTED AND TRUE LZV SUMMER PICNIC TIPS:
1). Low-stress.
No need for an elaborate wicker basket. Or even elaborate plans. It’s just food outside. I have a picnic blanket packed in an old tote bag at the front door at all times and all I have to do is throw in some food. Boom, insta-picnic.

2). Food
Chips = key. Cheese and crackers. Olives and pickles. Some charcuterie (that’s the fancy way of throwing in the leftover salami). Snacky food, and food you can eat sans utensils are my favourite (like empanandas and sandwiches!) Anything that doesn’t need to be warmed up/eaten cold is perfect.

AND DESSERT! I’m a big fan of making little individual crumble in tiny mason jars. They’re so easy to make – fruit in the bottom, some crumble topping on top and pop ’em in the oven, then put the lids on and they’re picnic ready! Pro-tip: I keep some crumble topping in a container in the fridge for instant crumble making the minute some delicious fruit comes along!) Rhubarb and strawberry for now, but soon peach and plum, and cherry, then apple…!

3). Drinks
I pack beverages in mason jars wrapped in tea towels. The lid keeps everything from spilling, the jar is a perfect drinking vessel and the tea towel makes wiping up sticky hands/inevitable messes easy peasy. This summer, my go-to beverage is Smitten Kitchen’s cucumber lemonade. It pairs delightfully with gin, but is also delicious sans gin!

4). Location location location.
I’ve had memorable picnics on the side of a highway. I’ve had glorious picnics on cliffs overlooking oceans, on the sides of mountains, next to polluted rivers, in a friend’s backyard. I say any place outside, picnic table or blanket, or just the grass, counts as a picnic.

Happy picnicking!!!