Fre sh A ir Fare
plan the perfect picnic to give your food, and mood, a boost
Text by Nancy S. Moseley The scene is iconic. Maybe even reminiscent of a favorite Looney Tunes cartoon. A red and white checkered blanket weighted down by a basket of food and noshing friends. In the foreground a parade of workaholic insects march away loaves of bread, triangles of cheese and perhaps a condiment or two on their backs. After all, it’s hardly a picnic without a few earnest ants. The word picnic comes from the French word pique-nique, with ‘pique’ meaning to ‘pick’ or ‘peck’ and ‘nique’ meaning ‘trifle.’ Initially it was used in literature to describe diners at a restaurant who brought their own wine. The definition we employ today echoes 18
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the original in that we still supply our own food. The element of a picnic being associated with the out-of-doors is an homage to the Middle Ages when royals set up an elaborate meal as a respite from hunting. There are two main things to consider when planning a picnic: • •
where you plan to eat what you plan to eat
A picnic itself can be the main event or, like our hunter ancestors, it can nicely complement another excursion. It’s a welcome treat to enjoy provisions on a mountain top summit after a strenuous
hike or the halfway point of a long, woodsy stroll. Take a blanket and some grub to a lakeside beach or kayak up to an unexplored shoreline for sustenance. Grab a picnic table at a local winery or stretch out on the bed of a pick-up truck at an overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway. When the key characteristic is simply eating outside (warning: restaurant dining does not count), the options are vast. You really don’t need to go any further than your own backyard. Deciding on the location will help determine what else is needed. Most importantly, will you be driving to a spot or arriving on foot? Are there picnic tables? Should you bring along a
May/June 2020
