This outdoor tea party for a sultry summer day begs to be set under a big shade tree, hopefully in view of a slow-moving river. Packing the picnic baskets is half the fun, using assorted tins, Mason jars, and cute thermoses to keep everything in perfect shape during the journey to the picnic setting. A vintage cooler is much prettier than the modern plastic kind. If you have a less-than-lovely cooler, just toss a pretty throw over it after unpacking. Don’t forget cheerful cloth napkins and bright pillows. Always pack plenty of water and other non-alcoholic beverages when entertaining in the heat of the day. Though the usual etiquette of the more formal indoor tea party is relaxed during outdoor excursions, keep in mind that everyone will enjoy the party more if good manners are used. Leaving the picnic spot just as you found it shows respect for the next visitors as well as the natural world. Without a beautiful place in which to gather, there can be no great picnics.
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Haiku:
In the hot wind, a Yellow butterfly flutters Onto a turtle. |
Menu
Beverages:
Iced Southern Sweet Tea
Minted Lemonade
Sparkling Water
White Peach Coolers
Savories:
Cold Fried Chicken Drumettes,
Lobster Subs or Banh Mi Sandwiches (from a Vietnamese sandwich shop)
Deviled Eggs
Curried Carrot Raisin Salad
Garden Bean Bundles
Pete’s Coleslaw Cups (omit if choosing Banh Mi as they have slaw-like veggies right on the sandwich.)
Breads and Scones:
Cream Scones with Blueberry Variation
Sweets:
Apricot and Plum Jam Bars
Brownies
Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
Blackberry Slab Pie
Beverages:
Iced Southern Sweet Tea
Minted Lemonade
Sparkling Water
White Peach Coolers
Savories:
Cold Fried Chicken Drumettes,
Lobster Subs or Banh Mi Sandwiches (from a Vietnamese sandwich shop)
Deviled Eggs
Curried Carrot Raisin Salad
Garden Bean Bundles
Pete’s Coleslaw Cups (omit if choosing Banh Mi as they have slaw-like veggies right on the sandwich.)
Breads and Scones:
Cream Scones with Blueberry Variation
Sweets:
Apricot and Plum Jam Bars
Brownies
Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
Blackberry Slab Pie
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Recipes Included:
Cold Fried Chicken Drumettes In our opinion, there simply couldn’t be any picnic without fried chicken. For our picnic tea, we’ve shrunk the size of the chicken portion while maximizing the flavor. Using only the meaty portion of the chicken wing, the “drumette,” we coat our chicken with a spicy dredge mixture featuring the added zing of grated Asiago cheese. Note the dredged chicken air-dries for ten minutes before frying; this ensures an extra crisp crust which adheres beautifully. The recipe is easily doubled or tripled. A lidded, square glass refrigerator-style container is preferred for transporting the drumettes in style. If you don’t happen to have the collectable Depression-era glass boxes, American glass companies are making these charming boxes again. They can be purchased wherever Pyrex or Anchor Hocking is sold. Lobster Subs This is no ordinary picnic. This is a picnic tea, and your guests will be stunned to discover that you have packed lobster sandwiches in your picnic basket. And these are not just sandwiches. These are subs, otherwise known as submarine sandwiches, to describe the shape of the freshly baked rolls in which the lobster chunks will be nestled. Depending on your location, there are a variety of other names for this heavenly creation and the bread on which it is served. In New England these are called Lobster Rolls, and elsewhere they may be called hoagies. Whatever you call them, make the lobster filling on the morning of your picnic, and refrigerate it. Just before you leave for the picnic, fill the rolls with lobster, wrap them in parchment or waxed paper and tie them with string. Deviled Eggs Deviled Eggs are one of the greatest snacks of all time. Although they are a simple food item, they need to be made with patience and meticulous care and eaten as soon after being assembled as possible. The “shelf life” for Deviled Eggs may be very short, but in our experience, they never last long enough at any gathering to worry about leftovers. Deviled Eggs have always been a favorite picnic food. Curried Carrot Raisin Salad This retro-favorite is as tasty now as it was decades ago when grandmas used to serve this healthy salad in brightly colored Fiesta Ware bowls. Now that we think of it, if you still have a set of Fiesta Ware bowls, why not use one of yours to transport this very pretty salad to the picnic? Stretch plastic wrap over the top and pack the bowl carefully in your picnic basket. In addition to being flavorful, attractive and loaded with nutrients, this salad is also very easy to make. Your biggest challenge will be shredding the carrots, which you can do with a hand held shredder, or use the shredder attachment on a food processor. Garden Bean Bundles Like a napkin ring around a napkin, we serve summer-favorites pickled green beans inside a sturdy, hollowed out Roma tomato ring. Shop for tomatoes which, when hollowed out, will accommodate 5 or six green beans. A feathery dill frond garnishes our green bean bundles. Edible flowers such as nasturtium would also make a lovely garnish, adding to the fanciful presentation. Pete’s Coleslaw Our readers should not be surprised to discover that Kathleen’s brother Peter is also an excellent cook. And he has an innate affinity for the fresh fruits, vegetables and fish that are readily available from the farms, orchards and fishing boats surrounding his home town of Watsonville, California. Pete’s portable coleslaw combines the best that summer has to offer. Cream Scones with Blueberries Cream Scones with fresh blueberries baked inside will make a charming addition to your July Picnic Tea. If possible, bake them just before leaving for the picnic site. To keep the Scones as warm as possible in the picnic basket, wrap them in a kitchen towel, and bring along a pretty platter to serve them. A jar of Lemon Curd would be the perfect partner for these summery Blueberry Scones. Honey Butter To make the honey butter, place ½ cup honey and ½ cup very soft butter in a small mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until well combined. Transfer the honey butter to a decorative bowl and serve with warm sliced Sally Lunn bread. Apricot and Plum Jam Bars These luscious bars feature two of the best fruits of summer, apricots and plums. We’re hoping you have some jars of home made apricot jam and plum jam in your pantry. If not, buy jars of good quality jam at the grocery store to whip up these easy and really good bars. You will end up with two different flavors of jam bars in the same pan. These bars will also travel well to your picnic. Pack them between layers of waxed paper or parchment in an attractive cookie box with a tightly fitting lid. Make sure to pack several of each flavor. Brownies These moist, fudgy, triple chocolate Brownies are everything a Brownie should be—chewy, intense and decadent. The thick layer of Fudge Icing on top elevates these childhood treats to new grown-up culinary heights. Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies This recipe, developed by Kathleen’s friend Suzi, makes about two to three dozen three-inch cookies. The iced cookies can be stored in a single layer in airtight containers for up to four days. Note that you will need to buy some pure vanilla bean paste to achieve the intense vanilla bean flavor of these classic cookies. You will also need cookie cutters. If you have a good assortment, choose cookie cutters in summery themes such as flowers, leaves or birds. For your picnic tea, you might prefer to serve these cookies without the icing, maybe just sprinkled with sparkling sugar crystals, and packed in a pretty cookie tin. Blackberry Slab Pie Slab pies recommend themselves to the hostess with their rustic charm and natural ability to feed a large group. We have none other than Martha Stewart to thank for bringing this old-fashioned church supper staple back to the spotlight, where it rightfully belongs. Here we make it with summer blackberries, but it also shines if made with apples, peaches, or blueberries. Just limit the fruit to 6 cups, to keep the slices neat for eating out of hand. |
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