Adulthood means summer vacations become day-cations. And day-cations mean a regular day of errands become a gorgeous day in the summer sun — preferably with people you love and food you adore. And on that note…Ladies and gentlemen, it’s picnic season. You better believe you’ll be seeing us with our basket and blanket every weekend for the next month.
Here’s our absolute favorite picnic menu. It’s full of simple, delicious picnic recipes that travel well and taste even better.
Fizzy Rhubarb Cocktail
Sparkling drinks are on the rise, and with drinks like this fizzy rhubarb concoction, we understand why. Tangy and sweet, this is a bubbly mix that fulfills all your teetotaler dreams. It’s the perfect mocktail for family gatherings and relaxing in the sun — made for floating in the clouds.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb rhubarb, sliced into ¼ inch semicircles
- 2 cups light agave nectar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- Sparkling water
- Sprigs of fresh thyme and kumquat slices for garnish
HOW-TO
- To make syrup, combine sliced rhubarb and agave in a medium mixing bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 48-72 hours.
- Strain. Then, add apple cider vinegar to the liquid.
- Store in fridge.
- Combine 3-4 portions sparkling water to 1 portion of syrup and serve over ice.
- Garnish with kumquat slices and thyme and enjoy!
Melon Proscuitto Skewers
It’s a skewer, so it’s gotta be casual. But is there anything more posh than melon and prosciutto? With a little fresh basil and mozzarella, these kebabs are appetizers that your kids will love and your foodie friends will covet. Picnic win.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cantaloupe
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- 4 oz. mozzarella balls
- 6 slices prosciutto
- Balsamic glaze, for drizzling
HOW-TO
- Cut cantaloupe in half and scoop out seeds.
- Using a melon baller, scoop out 12 balls.
- To assemble skewers, layer cantaloupe, basil leaves, mozzarella, prosciutto, and another piece of cantaloupe. You should make about 6 skewers.
- Finish off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Tomato Avocado Sandwich
Everyone’s agreed on one thing: tomatoes and avocados are good apart, but they’re better together. This veggie sandwich is the freshest we’ve found in a long time.
With unique texture and vibrant flavor with every bite, you’ll be happy to have them in your basket.
P.S. They look even more delicious served atop these modern pine sandwich boards!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 slices ripe tomato
- ½ avocado
- 1-2 Tbsp hummus
- Handful of sprouts
- 2 slices rye or multigrain bread
HOW-TO
- Spread hummus on one slice of bread.
- Layer sliced avocado, sliced tomato, and sprouts.
- Then, top with the second slice of bread and pin with a sandwich skewer for transport.
Blueberry Brownies
No one can really agree for sure when brownies came into existence (sometime in the late 20th century), but everyone can agree they’re very American and very delicious.
This delicious recipe adds sweet blueberries to the mix to upgrade your dessert. (Feeling lazy? Add blueberries to any store-bought brownie mix. We promise we won’t tell.)
INGREDIENTS
- 5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 + ½ cup fresh blueberries
HOW-TO
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a double boiler, melt the bittersweet chocolate and unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In an electric mixer, add the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy — about 5 minutes. Lower speed to the lowest setting. Add vanilla extract and cooled melted butter and chocolate mixture and mix until just combined.
- Sprinkle ¾ cup all-purpose flour and salt over the surface of the batter and fold into the mix, being careful to not overmix.
- In a separate bowl, toss 1 cup fresh blueberries with remaining 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour. Add this mixture to the brownie batter and fold fruit evenly into batter.
- Transfer batter into baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Take out of the oven and gently press remaining ½ cup blueberries on to the top of the brownies.
- Let cool completely.
Any sunny Saturday morning or warm Sunday afternoon, we’ll be picnicking in nature with these fresh eats. What’s your picnicking pleasure?