Picnics can be easy and delicious. If your tastes swing toward the fancy side, try some of these yummy gourmet dishes that are easy to pack and still taste amazing and impressive.
Try a Cold Soup
Provided you have ice packs and watertight containers, cold soup can be a refreshing opening course for a picnic outdoors. If you enjoy tomato-based soups, try a chilled gazpacho or pureed vegetable soup, garnished with basil or a sprig of cilantro and served in individual containers already divided into the correct portions.
If you think you might enjoy a fruit-based soup that can be used as an appetizer or as a dessert, try Cream of Mango soup. It is a very simple recipe that pairs wonderfully with fresh berries.
Bruschetta Varieties
Any type of bruschetta is another gourmet, easily prepared and packed appetizer for a lovely picnic. The options with bruschetta are endless: roasted red pepper with mozarella and balsamic vinegar, diced tomatoes with onion and basil, cinnamon apples with bacon and gorgonzola, or any other tasteful combination of vegetables and cheese are excellent toppers for thinly sliced French bread.
Pack the topping in a separate container so that the bread doesn't get soggy. To get a nice rich bread for the bruschetta, drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper over the sliced French bread and bake it until it is crispy. This recipe for a tomato bruschetta is easy to pack for a day away.
Prosciutto Makes the Picnic
No gourmet picnic would be complete without a prosciutto dish. One simple favorite is asparagus wrapped in prosciutto. Although it may taste best hot, if a warm dish isn't feasible, simply cook the asparagus a little less than normal, so that it is a tad bit firm and easy to bite through or cut when chilled.
This recipe for an Artichoke and Prosciutto salad takes care of the greens for the meal, and is an excellent option for a chilled prosciutto dish. The greens will hold up better if the toppings are kept separate from the arugula until it is time to serve and eat.
Main Course for a Gourmet Picnic
If the picnic guests have not yet filled up with all of the appetizers and opening courses, try wowing them with a vinaigrette-based potato salad (to avoid mayonnaise going bad) and cold sliced ham with a fruit glaze or fresh fruit salsa or chutney. This peach salsa has an excellent combination of flavors and is a great choice for summer, since peaches are in season.
The Perfect Picnic Dessert
Rhubarb upside-down cake can be the perfect finish to a gourmet picnic affair, particularly if there are enough ice packs to keep a container of whipped cream chilled. The sweet and tart rhubarb will compliment the variety of flavors from the whole meal, and will also be a unique and filling finish to the whole spread.
For easy transporting, try baking the cake in a pan approximately the size of what the picnic attendees will consume, leaving it in the pan until it is ready to be cut and served.
Gourmet Picnic Beverage Options
Fancy drinks for picnics can run the gamut from perfectly-paired wines and champagnes to fresh lemonade and sun teas. If glass bottles and dishes are allowed where the picnic will take place, try pairing a dry Riesling with the main dishes and a chardonnay champagne with the cake. If the guests prefer, a white wine sangria with peaches, grapefruit, and blueberries will also compliment the tastes of the meal.
Lemonade, served with pre-cut lemon slices and mint sprigs, is a tasty non-alcoholic alternative sure to please children and adults alike. Similarly, black sun teas that are mildly sweetened or that have fruity undertones will also suit the flavors of the meal.
Katherine Brind'Amour - Quality. Creativity. Professionalism. Writing you can trust, from an expert in the health sciences, creative writing, and academics.
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