By Vaughn Vreeland, The New York Times
In an ideal world, the word picnic evokes wicker and gingham, cucumber sandwiches and glass pitchers of iced tea, all backlit by golden hour sunshine.
But in the real world, you’re batting away an army of flying critters and creepy crawlers trying to storm the hot fermented watermelon you forgot to put back in the cooler. Inevitably, something, or someone, is sticky. There’s never enough water, your friend forgot napkins — and why did the music stop?
Picnicking doesn’t have to be an ordeal, but you may be doing a few things wrong. Here are a few common mistakes — and some smart, easy fixes — that’ll make everyone’s alfresco dining more enjoyable.
Your Menu Can’t Take the Heat
Whether you’re going for a snacking spread or a full-on dinner party, a smart picnic starts in the kitchen. So choose your ingredients and dishes wisely, and keep mayonnaise-based salads, leafy vegetables, soft cheeses, soft fruit and seafood to a minimum. If potato salad is a must-have in your picnic spread, choose a creamy, more stable recipe; I use whipped tahini as the foundation for my dressing, then add lemon, lots of herbs and pepperoncini for a bit of bite.
Nothing ruins a sandwich quite like soggy lettuce, so instead of romaine, opt for a thinly sliced cabbage slaw. It provides the same crunch and vegetal respite as lettuce, but it stays crisp longer. Doubling the roasted red pepper spread gives you enough to use as a dip with little extra work.
You’re Cutting Food On-Site
No chopping at the function! When coming up with the menu, prioritize minimally messy crowd-pleasers like a smattering of chips and dips, charcuterie boards with cured meat, grapes, sliced hard cheeses and precut vegetables. Slice any sandwiches into manageable segments and place them cut side up. That lets your guests grab them without making a mess or touching three other portions along the way.
You’re Not Packing Enough Ice
Suzette Louis-Jean, an event planner and the owner of La TAS Events in New Jersey, prefers dry ice to keep things chilled, but regular ice in an insulated bag or cooler works just fine.
The more important part is how you pack it: Place the ice at the bottom to keep anything delicate from getting crushed.
The most frustrating part about ice is also the most obvious: It melts. To keep the party going well after you’ve arrived with your chilled cooler, ask your most reliable (and punctual) friends to bring two bags each. Overestimate how much you’ll need: You can really never have enough ice.
Frozen fruits are another brilliant way of chilling your punch, lemonade, tea and other fruit-friendly drinks. Add frozen cherries and pineapple to your tropical drinks, or frozen peaches in your iced tea. If you’re really planning ahead, freeze lemon wedges and cucumber slices for spa water. It won’t water down the drinks and often bolsters the flavor. Itap also very cute.
You’re Using the Wrong Gear
If picnicking is to become your summertime personality, it might be worth investing in some key things that make traveling easier. Airtight storage containers prevent leakage, and stackable ones are especially good for picnicking, as are lidded baking vessels, like loaf pans or 9-by-13 pans.
Rimmed baking sheets or plastic cutting boards are great ways to secure container foundations. Pack your items as flat as possible, rather than stacking them vertically and leaving gravity to topple it all. Lay things on their bigger, flatter sides and stack upward. Pad and secure your containers with things that have several uses — like kitchen towels — to keep the food from tumbling around too much.
You’re Not Asking For Help From Friends
If you go through the trouble of making all of that food, count on your friends. (People are often delighted to be appointed to meaningful tasks, research suggests.) Ask them to bring the rest.
Whatap often forgotten:
- Trash bags
- Paper towels
- Portable speakers
- Hand wipes
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Drinking water
- Seltzer
- Chargers
- Bottle openers
No matter what, remember that you’re at the mercy of the weather and your environment. Bugs will happen, wind will happen. Don’t be too hard on yourself if it isn’t perfect.
“Itap about the thoughtfulness that goes into it,” Louis-Jean said. “A picnic is a state of mind. Remember that you are the vibe. You are the secret sauce.”
Pepperoncini Potato Salad
Classic mayonnaise-based potato salad is great, but sometimes itap nice to switch it up. The whipped tahini in this recipe provides an equally tangy and creamy dressing thatap not only vegan but also more suitable for summer dining since it doesn’t spoil at the same rate as its mayonnaise-sauced counterparts. Tahini brands differ, so make sure to add water little by little, whisking thoroughly after each addition, to achieve the right texture. Pepperoncini does double duty here, with its brine adding acid to the sauce and the bits of tangy pickled pepper lending texture throughout. Baby Yukon Gold potatoes are optimal for their crunchy skin and creamy interior, but if you can’t find them, large Russets or Yukon Gold potatoes cut into bite-size pieces will work, too.
By Vaughn Vreeland
Yield: 10 servings
Total time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved or quartered into bite-size pieces
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup tahini, well stirred
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup room-temperature water
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini, drained, then coarsely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon pepperoncini brine
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more if desired for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Generously salt the water, gently stir and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re fork-tender; test one of the pieces with a paring knife, fork or cake tester — it should go through with no resistance.
2. Drain potatoes in a colander, and set them aside to cool to room temperature while you prepare the dressing. (To speed up cooling, tip them out into an even layer on a baking sheet.)
3. Put the garlic and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl and let it sit for a few minutes to temper the bite of raw garlic. Add the tahini, olive oil and pepperoncini brine, and whisk with about a teaspoon of water. Keep adding water, a little at a time and whisking vigorously between each addition, until the tahini is the consistency of sour cream. It will start smooth, then get grainy and look separated. Thatap OK; it will come back together once enough water is added. (Tahini brands vary, so it may take more or less water to get there.)
4. Add the celery, parsley and pepperoncini. Season generously with salt and pepper, stir and taste it. Adjust for seasoning with more salt, pepper and lemon juice.
5. Add the cooled potatoes and use the spatula to gently coat everything evenly in the dressing. Taste and adjust for seasoning once more, bearing in mind that the flavors will mellow a bit as it sits. Before serving, top with more parsley, if desired.
6. Serve at room temperature or chilled, as preferred; if serving chilled, cover and refrigerate for up to a day before serving. The potato salad is at its peak after 1 day, but will keep for 3 days covered in the fridge.
Italian Picnic Heroes
Picnic or beach days often call for a large Italian hero, but the lettuce so often tucked inside wilts before all your guests get a chance to serve themselves. Marinated slaw, like the Italian-dressing inspired one in this sandwich, is a prime replacement, offering the same crunch and freshness as shredded romaine, with even more sturdiness. The roasted red pepper spread is a bit creamy, slightly sweet and, if you add the optional chile paste, a bit spicy; double it if you like your sandwiches saucy, or save the rest for dipping with chips and veggies.
By Vaughn Vreeland
Yield: 4 to 8 sandwiches
Total time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
For the slaw:
- 1/4 medium green cabbage (about 1/2 pound), cored and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 3 cups)
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thinly
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, leaves and tender stems
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the red pepper spread:
- 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and pat dry (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chile paste, plus more to taste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
For the sandwiches:
- 2 (8- to 10-inch) hero rolls (plain, seeded or whole wheat)
- 1/2 pound thinly sliced deli turkey
- 1/4 pound thinly sliced deli ham
- 2 ounces sliced deli salami
- 2 ounces sliced hot soppressata
- 1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone
- 1 to 2 dill pickles, sliced lengthwise into planks, or dill pickle chips
Preparation
1. In a colander set in the sink, combine the cabbage with 2 teaspoons salt. Toss to coat. Massage it gently and leave to drain. In a small bowl, soak the sliced red onion in cold water. Let the cabbage and onion sit for 30 minutes while you prepare everything else.
2. Make the red pepper spread: In a food processor, combine the roasted red peppers, tomato paste, Calabrian chile paste, sugar and garlic until everything is finely chopped and spreadable, but not puréed. You should have about 1 1/2 cups. (You can also do this by hand: Finely chop the roasted red pepper and toss with everything else in a medium bowl.) Taste and adjust for seasoning, noting that most jarred roasted red pepper is already seasoned.
3. Finish the slaw: Rinse, drain and pat the cabbage dry with a clean kitchen towel, then place in a large bowl. Drain the onion and add it to the cabbage, along with the parsley, oil, vinegar, oregano and a few grinds of pepper. Toss everything together until evenly mixed, then taste and adjust for seasoning.
4. Assemble the sandwiches: Slice the hoagie rolls in half lengthwise and spread the red pepper spread evenly across all four halves. On the bottom halves, shingle the turkey, ham, salami, soppressata and provolone, then top with pickle slices. Pack the slaw onto the top halves and swiftly close the sandwiches and press down on them to secure everything together. Use a serrated bread knife to cut each hero into four pieces and arrange them, cut sides up, in a lidded 9-by-13 baking dish for easy transport.
Pineapple-Coconut Punch
Based on the popular tiki drink known as a Painkiller, this big-batch punch requires no blending and is lightened with a bit of coconut water for a refreshing all-day cocktail. Either light or dark rum works well here, but a combination is preferable for a balanced cocktail thatap bright with a slightly complex finish. Adding frozen pineapple and dark sweet cherries just before serving not only chills the drink, but infuses it with flavor (and can be a fun snack as you drink).
By Vaughn Vreeland
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups coconut water
- 1/2 cup canned cream of coconut
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
- 1 1/2 cups rum (light, dark or a combination of both)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
- 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
- 1 cup frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
Preparation
1. In a large pitcher, whisk together the coconut water and cream of coconut until evenly blended. Add the pineapple juice, orange juice, rum and nutmeg (if using), and stir to combine.
2. If making ahead, refrigerate until ready to serve. Right before serving or transporting, add the frozen pineapple and cherries and enjoy.
Triple Stack Brownies
Triple-decker brownies are a dream come true for indecisive cookie lovers everywhere. Known in some circles by a less tactful name, this classic mashup consists of a chocolate chip cookie dough base shingled with chocolate sandwich cookies and draped in brownie batter. Itap tempting to cut into it while itap still warm from the oven, but for the perfect cross-section, make sure to cool the pan completely (with an optional 30 minutes in the refrigerator). The cookie dough provides a chewy foundation for the slightly crisp sandwich cookies and gooey brownie, creating a three-way celebration of chocolate treats thatap hard to match. It all comes together by hand, but if you prefer, an electric mixer makes for quick and easy work.
By Vaughn Vreeland
Yield: 24 brownies
Total time: About 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Cookie Layer:
- 3/4 cup/170 grams unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened, plus more for greasing
- 3/4 cup/165 grams brown sugar, light or dark
- 1/3 cup/66 grams granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 cup/170 grams chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (semisweet, bittersweet, milk or a mix)
- 34 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo), 10 of them halved into semicircles
For the Brownie Layer:
- 1 1/3 cups/227 grams chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
- 1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup/134 grams granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup/110 grams dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup/48 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup/64 grams all-purpose flour
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Preparation
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a metal 9-by-13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper so there’s overhang on the long sides, then butter the parchment. Fill a medium saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat (you’ll need it in Step 4).
2. Make the cookie layer: As the water comes to a simmer, in a large heatproof bowl (metal preferred), mix together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with a flexible spatula or hand mixer, until they’re just combined. Whisk in the egg, vanilla extract and salt until itap slightly lighter in color, about 1 minute. Whisk in the baking soda, then switch back to the flexible spatula and fold in the flour until itap mostly combined, with a few streaks of flour remaining.
3. Fold in the chopped chocolate and spread the cookie dough evenly across the prepared baking pan (reserve the mixing bowl). Top with the Oreos in an even layer, arranging the whole cookies in a 4-by-6 grid in the middle, then nestling the halved cookies around the edges so the cut sides touch the pan edges and only minimal gaps remain. Set the pan aside while you make the brownie batter.
4. Make the brownie layer: Rinse out the mixing bowl (it doesn’t need to be scrubbed) and wipe dry, then add the chopped chocolate and butter. Set that bowl over the pot of simmering water and gently heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is melted and evenly combined, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and turn off the stove.
5. Add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl, and whisk for 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and the sugars have started to dissolve. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition, and continue whisking for another minute, until the batter is roughly the consistency of marshmallow fluff. Add the cocoa powder and baking soda, and whisk for 1 minute, until they’re fully absorbed and the mixture is visibly thicker. Fold in the flour with a flexible spatula just until no streaks remain.
6. Scrape the brownie batter on top of the cookie batter and smooth into an even layer. Set a kitchen towel down on a work surface close to the oven.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top looks shiny and puffy. Gently rap the pan a couple times on the kitchen towel-lined surface, then top with flaky salt and put it back in the oven for 14 to 16 minutes to set the salt and finish baking. Take the pan back out of the oven and rap it once more to ensure the fudgiest brownie texture possible.
8. Cool completely at room temperature, about an hour, then slice into squares. For the cleanest slices, refrigerate the cooled brownies for about 30 minutes before cutting.
This article originally appeared in .
