WHAT MAKES THE perfectpicnic?

Whether catering for a glamorous night out watching an open-air concert, prepping lunch for a school day trip or organising an outdoor meal for residents in a care home, nothing beats a picnic when the weather and mood is right. Filled with handheld, individually portioned snacks, sharing boards, takeaway picnic boxes, cakes and sandwiches, picnics easily cater for all dietary needs for children and grown-ups alike. This month’s expert panel tell us all about their favourite treats when eating al fresco.

MIKE NAIDOO Executive Chef, Catch at The Old Fish Market

My favourite item for a picnic is a lobster roll - it’s delicious, it’s rich, indulgent, easy to eat anywhere! It pairs with an English sparkling wine, or a stout and that’s what you want in the summer - to relax, enjoy tasty food with incredible ingredients. Here at Catch, we are proud to feature English sparkling wine from four exceptional Dorset vineyards. Langhams, Bride Valley and Furleigh are now pretty well known, but a real favourite is the Chickapin rosé sparkling from English Oak Vineyard…. It pairs perfectly with Crab and Lobster.

RICHARD FOWLER Head of Sponge.co.uk

Although the warm, sunny weather is often short-lived in this country, now is the time to get outside and take advantage of picnic season while you can. No picnic is complete without sweet treats, and we believe the perfect dessert on a summer’s day is a slice of your favourite cake, that tastes even better when eaten al-fresco. Here at Sponge. co.uk, we have an extensive list of summer cakes perfect for picnic season, such as our Lemon Drizzle Cake. Delicious, hassle free and also available in gluten-free, it’s a light and fluffy cake made for enjoying during the warmer days, sat outside with an ice-cold refreshment. So, whenever you decide to pack up your food and drink and head for a cosy picnic spot, make sure a delicious summer cake is amongst your selection.

FABIEN LEVET Commercial Manager at Pidy UK

Takeaway options are an ideal solution to meet this picnic demand, while maximising sales without operators worrying about venue capacity. This is particularly beneficial for businesses suffering staff shortages, as it is quick, easy, and cost effective.

Operators could take inspiration from Pidy’s Quiche Margarita recipe; simply spread some mozzarella on a Pidy pre-made quiche base, then pour over beaten eggs and cream. Sprinkle some cherry tomatoes coated in olive oil, oregano, and salt, then top with more mozzarella. Bake for 20 mins at 170°C then a further 15 mins at 150°C, garnish with fresh basil leaves and voila! Not only is this a healthy alternative to pizza, but it’s also delicious served hot or cold, making it perfect for picnics. The bases are convenient to grab and fill as required, and an ambient shelf life of nine months plus means operators won’t have to worry about unnecessary food waste.

CLAIRE BANNERMAN Roving Chef, Vegetarian for Life

Always make sure that a picnic is packed with vegan options – and make more than what is needed as everyone wants to try the plant powered option! Sandwiches make the perfect picnic staple and can be made with delicious vegan friendly fillings. Everyone enjoys a Ploughmans – for a vegan version make with a hard cheese with tomato, lettuce and sandwich pickle. A fruity twist could be a Florida Salad with vegan cream cheese with apricots, pineapple and sunflower seeds. A creamy avocado sandwich or wrap can include hummus, sliced avocado and cucumber – or Filling Fungi: Mushroom pâté with gherkins and red onion.

Samantha Rain

Development Chef, Henley Bridge

Creating picnic food which is safe for people with dysphagia is only one part of the challenge facing care caterers. It’s also important that it looks palatable and appetising, and this is best achieved using moulds to emulate how the ‘normal’ dish would look. Fortunately, there are lots of products available to aid this process, such as Sosa’s Gelcrem Cold, a thickener which allows you to get the texture of custard but in cold conditions, without adding gelling agents. It can be used to make bread which is suitable for people requiring an IDDSI level 4 diet and can be frozen in moulds for future use. We used it to create this ‘Posh Prawn Sandwich’ and you can find the full recipe in this article.