Picnics have always been a favorite outing of mine. I mean, I celebrated my nineteenth birthday with a picnic. That is legal drinking age in British Columbia where I was living at the time, but instead of crashing the local pub with my older siblings, we – well, picnicked.
We raided the greenhouse for cherry tomatoes and baby cucumbers, tucked a load of homemade bread and a pocket knife into a basket, recruited a few friends and set off on a hike. After an hour or so of trekking, we reached the lookout and threw ourselves on the mossy rocks, ravenous. Out of nowhere my sister produced a dark chocolate torte and a few pounds of Montreal smoked meat, an obvious nod to a certain young man back in Quebec who was missing the occasion.
It was the sweetest gesture, and not lost on my sentimental 19-year-old self. That was a picnic to remember, absent boyfriend and all.
Picnic for the Planet
Picnic season is finally back and what better way to celebrate than on Earth Day. You can be certain that I’ll be stretched out on a blanket at some point today, enjoying the first picnic of the season. We’ve got a few families coming over and the plan is to go for a nature walk and then build a bonfire for S’mores. Happy Earth Day!
I am also joining up with some of my favorite bloggers and our Earth Day friends at The Nature Conservancy for a Virtual Picnic for the Planet.
Amber and I teamed up to spread the word about Picnic for the Planet, and since she and I live in different countries, the only logical thing to do was to take our picnic online.
At the bottom of the post you’ll find plenty of inspiration for picnic food from a great group of girls who obviously know their picnic stuff.
But first, my ideal picnic and a recipe.
Perfect Picnic Fare
I’m happy eating most anything as long as I’m stretched out on a warm rock or mossy slope under sunny skies, but if I had to choose a perfect picnic menu, it would consist of these elements.
Sandwich
How many picnics did I enjoy when backpacking through Mediterranean Europe that consisted of crusty bread, a hunk of cheese and a carton of wine? I can think of quite a few, and not once was I lacking.
Bread and cheese, most decidedly, is the base of a picnic lunch. You can pick your favorites – pita, wrap, panini, sub, and more – but it’s hard to beat this easy to pack, easy to eat duo.
Salad
Outdoor summer dining screams for fresh salads, be they potato, pasta, grain, tomato, bean or green. The combinations are endless, as Shaina demonstrates with her Spring Orzo Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Artichokes. That salad is chilling in my fridge right now, awaiting a coveted spot in the picnic basket.
Easy Greek Salad is crowd-pleaser, Beet Salad with Pickled Golden Raisins is definitely original, and -my favorite- Grilled Corn & Avocado Salad with Lime & Basil simply must be bookmarked for corn season.
Don’t forget to pack the forks.
Fruit
Sweet berries, stone fruits and fragrant melons are all ripe at the peak of picnic season. It’s almost criminal not to feature them in a menu, however, they can be a little tricky to transport. A picnic outing nearly always requires some travel -either by foot or car or both- and the jostling is not kind to delicate summer fruit.
So, I like to make a fruit salad in advance, with plenty of mint and a squeeze of lime. I pack it in a Tupperware container, and tuck some small waffle or sugar cones into the picnic basket alongside the fruit salad. When it is time to serve, I use a slotted spoon to scoop the fruit into the cones and pass them aground. Little ones can eat the fruit – and the containers – and there aren’t any dishes to do, only faces to wash.
Cookies
Or bars. Or cupcakes. But something sweet must be had! In honor of Earth Day, may I suggest Happy Planet Cookies? Good for the earth and good for you! Plenty more ideas for goodies at the bottom of the post.
Chips
Full confession time – I love a handful of potato chips with my picnic lunch. It’s the only time I eat them (save for the occasional dreary baby/bridal shower). I’m currently relishing Miss Vickie’s Balsamic Vinegar and Sweet Onion chips. Multigrain and garden herbs pita crisps from In Snax are also a favorite, and a decidedly healthier alternative to your standard potato chip.
Drinks
A Nalgene flask of filtered water is usually all we pack for our picnics, but for special occasions I’ll make Strawberry-Limeade. If I’m particularly organized I’ll make sure we have some Cold-Brewed Iced Tea steeped. I sweeten it with agave syrup, add a sliced lemon and the tea is good to go.
Today our iced tea is the new Meyer Lemon flavor from Stash. Perfect for spring!
Recipe: Pressed Sandwiches, Italian Style
My love for Italian bread, cheese and meat has not subsided in the decade since I was in Italy. This favorite sandwich serves up many of those flavors in tidy little packages.
I love a pressed sandwich for two reasons: it can be made in advance, (the night before, actually) and it compacts the filling just enough so that the sandwich doesn’t fall apart when the children eat it.
Plus, the layers look so pretty! Feel free to mix and match ingredients to make your perfect sandwich.
ingredients:
- Bread: 1 large ciabatta, or rustic loaf of bread
- Cheese: provolone, mozzarella, Asiago or other firm cheese
- Meat: soppressata, capicollo, or other Italian cured meat
- Fresh Green: lettuce, baby spinach, or radicchio
- Spread: butter, pesto, seasoned mayonnaise
- Extras: sun dried tomatoes, marinated eggplant or peppers
method for sandwiches pictured:
- Slice bread in half down the center. Butter generously and spread pesto on the bottom piece of bread.
- Place a row of slow roasted roma tomatoes on the pesto.
- Add several layers of soppressata and mild capicollo, followed by slices of provolone cheese.
- Top with iceberg lettuce (it doesn’t bruise like spinach, or brown like basil overnight) and the upper crust of ciabatta.
- Wrap the long sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, pressing down as you go to get a firm wrap.Place on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Balance a tray or baking sheet on top of the sandwich and fill the tray with heavy items from the fridge – or a big cast iron pan.
- Leave sandwich for at least four hours or overnight.
To serve. Unwrap sandwich and slice into 1½ inch pieces. Skewer with a decorative toothpick and an olive if desired. Serve.
A Virtual Picnic For the Planet Round-Up
I’m happy to link up with these lovely bloggers for a virtual picnic event! Won’t you join us? Sangria, cheesecake, homemade potato chips – this obviously isn’t their first picnic.
My Baking Addiction | Mixed Berry Cheesecakes in a Jar
Bluebonnets & Brownies | Nanny’s Potato Salad
Gourmande in the Kitchen | Honey Ginger Lemonade
Dine & Dish | Sangria
Add A Pinch | Herbed Tortellini Salad
Bakers Royale | Fruit Recipe Roundup
Three Many Cooks | Black and White Caviar
Food for My Family | Homemade Potato Chips and Avocado Ranch Dip
Sugarcrafter |Apple Hand Pies
Tickled Red | Tangy Potato Salad
What’s Cooking with Kids | Kale Chips
Confessions of a Cookbook Queen | Mini Lemonade Cakes
TidyMom | Picnic Pies in a Jar
Fried Chicken? Brownies? What is your favorite picnic fare?
About Aimee
oooh, these look SO good Aimee! we are big sandwich eaters at my house, I can’t wait to try these!
TidyMom’s last post: Earth Day Virtual Picnic – Pie in a Jar
Okay I am up for having your sandwich for breakfast never mind a picnic
It looks amazing! Wish we were all closer today 
Tickled Red’s last post: Tangy Potato Salad & A Virtual Picnic for the Planet
What an absolutely fabulous idea! Bookmarked all these recipes for when it’s picnc weather here (raining and cold still – boo!). Happy Earth Day!
Mardi@eatlivetravelwrite’s last post: French Fridays with Dorie- Mustard bâtons
Sending some sunshine your way…Happy Earth Day to you, too!
Love pressed sandwiches- these look wonderful!
Blog is the New Black’s last post: Thai-Inspired Salad with Chicken
This sandwich looks scrumptious! Happy Earth Day!
Robyn | Add a Pinch’s last post: National Parks- A Treasure
Basically what you described is my picnic food. I think your sandwich is a little tastier looking though.
Happy Earth Day!
I have never made a pressed sandwich – can’t wait to try this! It looks delish!
Katie | GoodLife Eats’s last post: Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Calzone Recipe
So easy, Katie, and a great do ahead for Sunday lunch after church or something.
What a lovely story about your birthday. I celebrated my 27th birthday in the park with a picnic last year
So fun! Way better than a crowded restaurant or bar! And this sandwich looks absolutely delicious. Will have to make this next time!
Fun! I agree, much better than a crowded bar.
What a delicious sandwich and lovely picnic fare. Enjoy your day!
Uh, the fruit salad in a cone?! GENIUS!!! I’ll be stealing that for afternoon snacks all summer long!
Mandi @ Life…Your Way’s last post: Getting Ready for Next Year’s Tax Season…Today
Yay! Whatever makes food fun, right?
Oh Aimee, I adore a pressed sandwich. Your favorite picnic foods and mine are right in sync. So glad we did this virtual picnic together!
Amber | Bluebonnets & Brownies’s last post: Virtual Picnic – Nanny’s Potato Salad
love the look of that pressed sandwhich… growing up. we used to have those on Sunday after church… not made in advance like you show, but my parents would stop at the fruit and veg (toit rouge) and pick up fresh bread, a bunch of veggies and cold meats… and then my mom only had to throw together one gigantic sandwhich to feed her 3 ravenous children
Andrea’s last post: Shopping Therapy
Love this idea…this is my version of the perfect sandwich! Happy Earth Day!
Jamie | My Baking Addiction’s last post: Virtual Picnic- Cheesecake in a Jar
Boy would I love to wrap my mouth around that sandwich! It is just lovely!
Wenderly’s last post: Sweet Lion & Lamb Cupcakes
I’m bringing chips to the picnic. I *need* one of your sandwiches. Trade?
Shaina’s last post: Homemade Potato Chips and Avocado Ranch Dip for an Earth Day Virtual Picnic for the Planet
These look absolutely perfect! I’ll give you some of my pies for one of your sandwiches!
Wonderful picnic fare. And pressed sandwiches are not only great because you can make them ahead–they have so much flavor. Happy Earth Day!
Oh boy, my husband is going to love you Aimee, this is one of his favorite kinds of sandwiches! I loved your story about your 19th Birthday, much more civilized than the ones I attended, wish I could go back in time now, lol.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen’s last post: honey ginger lemonade a virtual picnic for the planet
These posts have me longing for a day in the park with a picnic basket! I love your pressed sandwich, and am thinking soon as we get a beautiful, sunshiney day I’m packing us a picnic lunch!
patsy’s last post: Happy Passover! Decadence in a Flourless Chocolate Cake
Would love to snag a spot on your picnic blanket. Are we too late to link up to your virtual picnic? We have our Earth day fare spread out at http://tadkapasta.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/an-earthy-eat-in/
I L-O-V-E sandwiches. They are one of my favorites! I equally love picnics and my son and I picnic under our tree quite often. Fresh fruit, cheese crackers and a sandwich of course!
Melissa’s last post: What to do with Easter Ham leftovers Bow-ties with peas and ham
What a lovely thoughtful gesture for your sister to have done! Loved this post and love the look of your sandwich.
I made your Potato Rosemary Strudel. What a fantastic dish, we all loved it and will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Paula’s last post: Bunnies on the fly
This looks so tasty. I want those roasted tomatoes right now!!!
Thanks for bringing me back to days gone by trekking through Europe with hunks of cheese and baguettes! Such great memories. And what a feast this is. Makes me want to get out to the shop and make this for our little trip to Banff planned this week! Thanks for this post.
I cannot wait to make these, sandwich looks so yummy!!
Adam’s last post: How to Get Free Olive Garden Coupons
That looks so scrumptious! I can’t wait for those warm and sunny winter days when I can pack a picnic lunch and go to the park or the beach to savour it all
Maria @ Scandifoodie’s last post: Home-made quinoa milk and Chocoatl
This might have to be the fare for my birthday at the end of May! I always hope it is warm enough here for a birthday picnic.
Great looking sandwich, Aimee. And thank you for organizing this for all of us! What great way to celebrate other day.
I love your ideas. I just said, I was not a picnic snob on my latest picnic post, where I shared make ahead grilled sweet potato fries. Down in the south where I’m from, two women asked for a sample of our food
Of course, I said, sure why not? Glad to know we both enjoy a great picnic, cold or hot. I enjoy your blog!
jackie brown’s last post: What’s a Cook and Play?
That sandwich look AH-mazing!!! Just spied it on Pinterest.
bridget {bake at 350}’s last post: How I spend my free time : Pinterest . . . . Works for Me Wednesday
Where have you been all my life. I love your site! Thank you.