Grace Kelly and Cary Grant sit in a convertible overlooking the French Riviera in 1955’s To Catch a Thief. Kelly reaches into a wicker basket, producing a lunch of cold chicken and beer.
“Do you want a leg or a breast?” Kelly asks.
“You make the choice,” Grant replies. 😏
Wether you’re cliffside in Cannes or on a blanket in Central Park, can we agree that there’s nothing more enchanting than a picnic?
Dining in the wild leads to unexpected moments that can’t be replicated in a restaurant or at home. A family of deer scampers through the nearby reeds, oblivious to your meal. A trumpet player appears on a nearby park bench and begins an unexpected serenade of Fly Me to the Moon. Sea planes ascend from the stretch of river runway just south of your blanket, landing and taking off among the ferry and sailboat traffic. That’s quite a view to take in over a meal.
It’s also fact that food just tastes better outside. Particularly when you’ve cooked it yourself, painstakingly packed it up, and lugged it to that perfect place with a view. There’s some savory satisfaction that comes with that hard work!
And once you’re unpacked and set up, sit back and enjoy. There’s no waiter, no running back to the kitchen for salt or extra napkins. It is what it is. How refreshing.
During covid we all got the chance to flex our picnicking muscle. Alfresco and socially distanced became the only way to safely dine with friends & family. We all attended a few picnic birthday parties in 2020, sharing takeaway from those favorite restaurants that we wanted support during the shut down. But while takeout bags and plastic utensils were practical then, why not plan ahead and do something special now?
I’m a big fan of the divine impracticality of bringing glassware on a picnic. Small ceramic plates, silver utensils, a couple of champagne flutes wrapped up carefully. Fabulous. Is it cumbersome? Yes. But worth it when you’re clinking that glass stemware during a waterfront sunset. There is no plastic equivalent.
It’s a lot like donning those favorite impractical stiletto heels or that stain susceptible white linen suit. Always worth the effort, even if you do stumble a little or suffer a red wine mishap.
Now when it comes to what to BRING on your picnic, I like to take a cue from Grace Kelly and pack chicken. (Breasts AND Legs, tyvm). Fried chicken tastes perfect cold or room temp, making it picnic ideal.
My go to recipe is Sam Sifton’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken. I am from Georgia and have OPINIONS on fried chicken, and this is the best classic/ simple recipe there is (imo).
(And yes, you really should marinate the chicken in buttermilk for 24 hours before frying).
Another hot tip: get an Instant Thermometer. Your chicken may look perfectly golden brown on the outside but still be slightly raw inside! You’ll know for sure it’s done when the internal temp is 165 degrees.
Alongside my fried chicken, I like to bring along a few herby, tangy salads. One pasta, one potato, and one with tomatoes, feta, and watermelon. I go for brine-y side dishes, but you do you! And perhaps pack some biscuits, too. (This southern girl’s go to biscuit recipe is actually from The New York Times).
Most important: you’ll need a nice basket for carrying all your goods! We have a couple of wicker picnic baskets on hand at my house: a small one and a larger one. Some picnics require both. Pottery Barn sells a pretty great modern basket, but they can often be found for a steal in thrift and antique stores.
not deep fried, but also tasty:
My summer Spotify playlist can be your picnic soundtrack. I’m generally not a fan of people blasting their own tunes outside when I’m trying to enjoy nature’s soundtrack. But if you want to listen to my summer playlist on a small bluetooth speaker (utilizing volume control) while you’re popping some prosecco... I wouldn’t be mad.
What’s Going On Summer 2021 Playlist
-Emily @satanscats