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Picnics
should inspire us to be creative, to use whatever feelings possess us at the
time. Unexpected locations and times, occasions with a theme, your imagination
and the element of surprise should always contribute to the plan. Or better
yet, use the "fun factor" – no agenda, spur of the moment, open the
refrigerator, pack it up and go!
While
living in southern Florida, my boyfriend and I often had the same complaint. We
were working so much we never had enough time to get to the beach and
appreciate it. One early evening I solved this problem by filling a bus tub
with salted water and setting it on my porch. The bottom was sprinkled with
sand and seashells, while rose petals, lemon slices and a
 small beach ball floated across the top. We sat down
in beach chairs (complete with towels and flip-flops) and put our feet in the
tub. There were sand buckets filled with iced beers and a tray of seafood
yummies served in seashells. It wasn’t the real thing, but with a little
imagination it sure felt like it for a while.
I lived
and worked in New York City and continue to visit usually twice a year. New
York is fantastic but the hectic pace and noise can even get to us seasoned
veteran visitors. On 51st off 3rd Avenue is a very small park with a lovely
waterfall, and this is where I always have a personal picnic. I know most
people choose Central Park, but this spot is a little corner of the real world
amidst all the chaos of New York. Of course New York is heaven on earth when it
comes to finding items to fill a picnic basket but I usually take the simple
approach, choosing some of my favorite items to truly enjoy in my special spot.
A croissant, a handful of raspberries and blueberries, a piece of goat cheese
and a chilled sparkling water usually do the trick and I’m ready to
re-enter the world of New York City.
You
won’t have to search long for appropriate picnic locations on the Outer
Banks, or for some great ingredients to employ in creating portable meals.
Although we chose the Wright Brothers Memorial Monument, the beach in Kitty
Hawk and a quiet pier on the sound in Sanderling for our picnic photographs,
you might also consider the Hatteras Inlet (Ocracoke) Ferry, the very end of an
old fishing pier, a spot in Nags Head Woods, or the porch of your
house.
This
year's recipes use some of our local bounty – shrimp, tuna and fresh
produce – and highlight salads that are excellent served on a bed of mixed
greens, as sandwiches on a croissant or French bread, or on their own, with
crackers or crostini. |
