Rules Of A Successful Picnic

Apparently, somewhere in the coils of human DNA is embedded the need to sit on the grass and drink bread and wine. A set of  picnic foods can be anything, but taking off your shoes, exposing your face to the good weather and concentrating on chewing, swallowing and licking your fingers - that's what really matters.

Why is unity with nature necessary?

Most likely, our love for picnics was inherited. This is a genetic memory of the joy that people felt in the evening of a hard day, stretching their legs under a tree and eating prey. How else to explain that the tradition of snacking on blankets is popular even in Norway or Scotland, where rain replaces snow more often than the sun?

However, scientists have another hypothesis why we like to sit on the grass so much. Grounding, aka close contact with the earth, is one of the most intuitive ways to feel better. Science has not yet reliably determined how exactly this works. Both sunlight and negatively charged electrons, which have an antioxidant effect when the skin is in contact with the earth, are suspected. However, there is evidence that 10-30 minutes in nature is enough to reduce the level of stress hormones and inflammatory biomarkers, improve mood and concentration, and cope with pain and loss of strength.

If you have not only stress, but also children, a picnic becomes twice as important. A joint holiday without gadgets, teamwork to save supplies from ants and fits of beastly appetite are guaranteed for everyone without exception. In a word, the British folk wisdom "The only reason to go on a picnic is the good weather" will have to be corrected. In fact, there are many good reasons for such a pastime.

How the picnic tradition appeared

The word " picnic " is considered French and was first recorded in the dictionary of the French Academy in 1740. But it seems that the British were simply too busy making up the rules and traditions of picnics , and did not have time to patent the idea. Since resting on the grass after a hunt while servants at arm's length serve refreshments was customary among lords long before this article appeared.

All the great things that people around the world now associate with picnics were also invented by the British. In 1760, Earl William Joseph Sandwich invented an elegant way to eat meat and vegetables without a fork and knife - by spreading them between slices of bread. In 1802, the Picnic club was founded for rich and noble young people with a serious list of rules and an equally serious entrance fee.

In the 1840s, special picnic baskets appeared : with compartments for utensils and glasses, comfortable leather straps and a place for snacks. Finally, in the 1880s, the famous "List of Secular Picnic Rules " was compiled. The voluminous document regulated even the number of elderly ladies who can be invited to the outing (no more than one), but most importantly - it clearly defined the laws of the genre.

• Picnics are friendly gatherings where there is no place for unpleasant and unfamiliar people. It wasn't enough to be nervous that strangers would see you with parsley stuck in your teeth.

• The menu should consist exclusively of cold snacks. Unfortunately, fans of grilled meat will have to arrange a barbecue, not a picnic .

• The meaning of a picnic is not to overcome problems, but to get simple human pleasure and as soon as possible. Why, if there is a choice - to go to the park across the city or to sit in the nearest park, you should choose a shorter way. The same applies to the menu. It's just great if you've made homemade sandwiches ahead of time and wrapped iced lemonade in foil. But even with store-bought snacks, a picnic can be the best decision of the day.

About tasty and healthy food

In the famous "Mrs Beaton's Book of Housekeeping", written in the 1860s, for a picnic for 40 people you need to prepare: cold boiled beef tenderloin, 2 portions of lamb ribs, 2 lamb shoulders, 2 roast roosters, 2 roast ducks, 1 pork ham, 1 tongue, 2 veal and ham pies, 2 pigeon pies, 6 medium lobsters, 18 heads of lettuce, 6 baskets of greens and 6 of cucumbers, 2 dozen fruit pies, 2 cold puddings, biscuits, compote and tea (list incomplete).

The "List of Secular Rules for a Picnic " also quite seriously prescribed laying out at least 35 different snacks on a white tablecloth. Fortunately, no one followed these rules, and already in the 20th century, the picnic became the embodiment of democracy and liberalism.

If you want to take a wicker basket with you, where there will be only wine, cheese and bread - go ahead. There is a mood to prepare more snacks - act. There is neither a basket nor a plaid blanket? You will definitely not be banned from Instagram for a yoga mat and an eco bag.

The main thing is to always mentally remind yourself when preparing that the picnic is meant for pleasure. And not at all in order to stand at the stove for half a day, and then, exhausted from the heat, carry kilograms of supplies. Fortunately, it is not necessary to invent the bicycle, that is, the menu for a picnic: everything ingenious and simple has long been tested, it remains only to remember simple tips.

Good food is one that you can take with your hands and eat without fear of getting your clothes dirty. It was not for nothing that various pies and buns, sandwiches, burgers and wraps, berries and small fruits, nuts and cookies became the hits of the picnic .

Proximity to nature , even if we are talking about the nearest park, encourages to eat more juicy, fresh and crunchy. For a picnic , vegetables and fruits that tolerate the road well and do not leak are great, for example, carrot sticks and cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, radishes, chopped bell peppers, celery, young peas, olives, berries. Of course, it is better to wash, dry and put everything in containers at home. You will be surprised with what fervor children can eat vegetables if you offer them to dip them in a jar with soft cheese or hummus.

One of the ingenious British inventions for a picnic is Scotch eggs. Boiled and peeled eggs are covered with minced meat and deep-fried. The snack turns out to be compact, but at the same time it is definitely tasty and filling. The idea is simple: if you can take something light, filling and ready to eat even chilled, you don't need to choose boring chips and cookies instead. Pie or tart with vegetables, cheese or ham, various focaccia, wraps with avocado or hummus sauce are a great alternative to sandwiches and snacks.

When thinking about the picnic menu , use "Rule 7", which will allow you to preserve diversity and make the diet complete and useful. The basket should contain: something crunchy, something salty, something sweet, something soft, something juicy, something hearty, something bright. Example:

• Carrot sticks or cucumbers.

• Cheddar cheese.

• Cookies.

• Bread.

• Merry.

• Boiled quail eggs.

• Roast beef.

Or another option:

• Crackers.

• Nuts.

• Buns with apple and cinnamon.

• Hummus

• Cherry tomatoes.

• Sandwiches with tuna and avocado.

• Vegetable plate or fresh berries.

The purpose of such a designer is to please the taste buds and at the same time feed the body not only with bread and cheese. A great source of inspiration, by the way, is street food from around the world.

• Boiled corn with a slice of hard cheese. A snack originally from Peru is easy to prepare in any part of the world. You just need to wrap hot boiled corn in foil along with a slice of spicy and salty cheese.

• Wrap Where and what else is wrapped in tortillas, pita, rice paper and pita bread. Delicious hearty options: avocado with greens and salt, omelette with vegetables, pieces of chicken or shrimp in tomato sauce, hummus with grilled vegetables and greens, packed in any edible wrapper.

• Flat pies-galettes. Italian pizza does not get used to various culinary modifications. Therefore, do not hesitate to take a layer of ready-made dough and prepare for a picnic a flat vegetable pie with mozzarella, a galette with peaches and soft cheese or simply bread with olive oil and Provencal herbs.