Let’s Talk About
Picnics
TheJournalNJ.com | JUNE 2021 51
BY MARYANN MIANO
D
of “picnic,” but to some of us, its meaning is all about being in a
carefree state of mind with an easy approach to living. Dining outdoors
with friends heightens our senses to the pleasures of eating and makes
for great summertime memories.
Picnics were a thing during the 18th century, usually attended by
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sation with wit. Usually, everyone invited would contribute by bringing
a dish. Today’s picnic is a respite from the ordinary, an escape from the
routine, and can be as simple (or elaborate) as you choose. You can create
a theme or have an eclectic mix of cold and hot foods.
Some basic necessities for a successful picnic include a cooler
(which you should keep in a shady place); refrigerator bags to use for
hot or cold foods (hint: freeze juice boxes and use them to keep your
food cold, then allow the juice to thaw as needed); a large thermos for a
cool drink; paper dinnerware with plastic utensils, serving spoons and
cups; tablecloths for a picnic table and/or an old quilted bedspread for
the ground; fun outdoor games to play with kids; and a garbage bag to
dispose of everything neatly. And yes, a cute picnic basket is fun to carry
Food can be prepared at the picnic with a portable grill. Just be
sure to keep any meats cold before they are cooked. Or prepare as
much as you can in advance to make your picnic stress-free. Substantial
food that is simple to prepare and cook is the way to go. Head to the
woods and follow in the footsteps of Little Red Riding Hood and her
picnic basket for her grandma. It’s International Picnic Day this Friday,
June 18. If the following recipes seem easy, they’re supposed to be. Try
• 6 whole chicken breasts
• 3 quarts of water
• 1 onion studded with 2 cloves
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 tsp of salt
1. Put the chicken breasts in a large pot with the water, clove-studded
onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt. Cover
pot and bring to a boil.
2. Skim off foam, replace cover and simmer until chicken is fork
tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pot. Bone the
breasts and remove the skin. Cut breasts in half, making 12
pieces of chicken.
3. Wrap in foil. The following vinaigrette sauce is spooned over
the tepid chicken just before serving.
4. To make the vinaigrette sauce, blend all ingredients and let sauce
stand at room temperature for several hours. Ingredients are 4
Tbsp wine vinegar, 1 cup olive oil, ½ cup chopped parsley, 1 Tbsp
fresh chopped chives, 1 Tbsp chopped capers, 1 Tbsp chopped
green onion, 1 Tbsp chopped sour pickle, ½ tsp dry mustard, 2
hard-boiled eggs, chopped, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.
1 ½ lb. ground round steak (or sirloin)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 Tbsp ice water
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped walnuts
Combine the meat with Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and ice
water. Mix lightly with a fork and add the grated cheese and chopped
walnuts. Shape into 6 patties (1/4 lb. each), but don’t pack down
/TheJournalNJ.com