topic Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences in Off-Topic

☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Marjo — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 12:46:58 GMT

Hi guys,

As part of the Summer discussion series here in Off Topic, I wanted to discuss what I think is one of the most awesome things of summer...

Picnics! 🧺 🍇 🍉 🥐 🧀 🍷

For me, an ideal picnic consists of a great location (I prefer a quiet summer field or a large green park away from noisy traffic), delicious food/snacks and a nice drink, and some great people to catch up with. (Although I have enjoyed solo picnics too!)

I'd love to hear if you guys, first of all, like picnics too? When was the last time you had one? A few weeks ago, I had a socially-distanced picnic where we had separate picnic blankets and our own sets of snacks, in a local park. It also counts, if you don't have access to a park for example, to have a picnic locally in your own garden, or even on the balcony or the living room floor!

If you could decide everything according to your preference, what would be the ideal picnic for you? I'm thinking

Location 🗺️
Stuff to bring with you (in addition to the blanket!) 🧺
What foods would you choose and what drinks? 🍹
Who would you like as company? If you could pick anyone 😀

Looking forward to hearing about your picnic thoughts!

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Cleoriff — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 13:14:13 GMT

Not really much help here @Marjo. My husband hates picnics. In fact he would rather do without food than think about going on a picnic.

Having said that, we did do picnics on the beach when the lads were young. Not ideal, sand in sandwiches etc

The last picnic we went on as a family was for our granddaughters birthday 5 years ago.

We went to a local beauty spot called Hartshill Hayes...

We were told not to bring food as her Grandad's partner, a caterer, would bring everything we needed.

It was lovely. Plenty of food and drink for adults and children. Sandwiches, snacks, party food and fruit.

The children played with kites and other stuff. A great day as it was warm and sunny.

I did ask my other half if he enjoyed it. He said it was ok but he was still hungry.

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Mi-Amigo — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 14:09:38 GMT

Not one for picnics now @Marjo but did enjoy them when I was younger.

Mum used to do sarnies, cake and pop [and flask of tea for the oldies - Mum, Dad & Gran] for picnics in the park and for on beach on summer hols.

Still enjoy butties at lunchtime but all the bother of laying out blanket, prep and carting stuff is too much hassle now, so it`s curled up on the sofa, windows open and enjoying the sandwiches.

Sorry for being a bit negative.

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 05:04:47 GMT

I enjoy a picnic and even now will have sandwich + hot sausage roll + crisps + cake and fruit drink outside on an afternoon ... this would be in the garden of the Friends Meeting House aka Quakers in town ... for myself or doubled up for the company of a friend

When my son was with me we would picnic during the Summertime in the nearby park

A group picnic was a Parish Picnic up the Dales by the shallow river Wharfe ... = ... my dear dad Roy, bless him, made a raft of 2L pop bottles for us all to play on

Food then included chicken thighs and grapes

We sat on our blankets and enjoyed sharing our food with friends

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Marjo — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 15:55:46 GMT

I've just caught up with this topic. That looks so lovely @Cleoriff ! Thanks for including a photo of the area where you went for the Birthday picnic. A caterer bringing the food, that must have been awesome.

@Mi-Amigo That's not negative at all. Curled up on the sofa with a nice snack and a drink sounds lovely too! In fact I should probably do that more often myself as I just tend to eat at my computer desk which is probably not the best.

@Anonymous Sounds lovely! Have you gone recently? Your foods list made me hungry

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 17:56:09 GMT

@Marjo wrote:
I've just caught up with this topic.

@Anonymous Sounds lovely! Have you gone recently? Your foods list made me hungry

Hello @Marjo I have not had a picnic out this year YET ... ... ... not too good on my feet / legs atm ... ... ... BUT after 80% heavy rain plus today ... thank you for reminding me to do so in the not too distant future.

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

TallTrees — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 21:35:21 GMT

Hi @Marjo
Always had a picnic when at beach with parents. I like a picnic when touring. Home cooked Ham in sandwich is favourite with English mustard.
Like hard boiled eggs on a picnic too. Tea is good for drink.

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

jonsie — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 23:24:05 GMT

My last picnic was on a beach in Thailand on Christmas day five years ago when the temperature was 35 degrees C. That was a happy surreal day

We had crab, prawns, oysters and squid and I was ill Boxing Day through to New Year's Eve

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 05:47:11 GMT

@jonsie wrote:
My last picnic was on a beach in Thailand on Christmas day five years ago when the temperature was 35 degrees C. That was a happy surreal day
We had crab, prawns, oysters and squid and I was ill Boxing Day through to New Year's Eve

Ohhh @jonsie what a memorable Christmas Day for you ... I too like seafood and shell fish.

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

TallTrees — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 07:25:41 GMT

Ah the shellfish saga!

You are so realistic @jonsie All extremely enjoyable to eat ~

it's just the Salmonella included in the dish that is unwanted

Well done though for staying out of Hospital!

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Cleoriff — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 07:25:45 GMT

@jonsie wrote:
My last picnic was on a beach in Thailand on Christmas day five years ago when the temperature was 35 degrees C. That was a happy surreal day
We had crab, prawns, oysters and squid and I was ill Boxing Day through to New Year's Eve

Not at all surprised @jonsie

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

gmarkj — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 11:37:13 GMT

Sounds... delightful!
We had an indoor picnic for my dad's birthday last week - all socially distanced of course.
Outdoor can be a bit trickier. Last time we tried to have one (it was July a couple of years ago) it rained. Hard. We all retreated to our cars and were sat waving at each other through windows!

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

Marjo — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 07:59:08 GMT

@Anonymous if you do end up having a picnic in the near future let me know how it was. Although it's getting a bit colder now little by little. I actually had to turn on the heating in my flat!

@TallTrees You've reminded me actually that my mum used to have hard boiled eggs when we were on picnics when I was a child. I had forgotten about that! A little bit of salt sprinkled on the egg and it was delicious.

@jonsie That all sounds excellent apart from the getting ill part! I've never got used to eating oysters though but I'm curious. From sea food my current favourite is king prawns.

@gmarkj what food did you have at the indoor picnic? Was there birthday cake?

Re: ☀️🌴 Your summer picnic preferences

gmarkj — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 11:08:45 GMT

There were some small sandwiches, mini sausages and sausage rolls, BBQ chicken legs, crisps, salad and then fruit and yes birthday cake!