Claudia Roden, in her book Picnic: The Complete Guide to Outdoor Food, writes, “Everything tastes better outdoors. There is something about fresh air and the liberating effect of nature which sharpens the appetite and heightens the quality and intensity of sensations.”

Maybe this is because eating outdoors always seems to have a sense of adventure about it. Picnic food, since it is eaten away from the dining room, is by nature more relaxed. But it also brings an almost prehistoric sense of enjoyment that is perhaps hard-wired into us from the days when we ate with the clan around a fire. Contemporary picnics can simply be takeaways on the beach; a very Kiwi way to eat. However, if you want more elaborate home-cooked food, the following dishes should appeal. Like any good meal, a picnic needs organisation and
all of the following recipes can be made a day in advance, with some of the elements then assembled on site to keep the flavours fresh.



Picnic Menu
West Indies iced tea
Roasted onion, tomato & eggplant salad
Fried fish, green bean & pasta salad
Potato & cheese tart
Open steak sandwiches with walnut butter & horseradish cream
Stuffed sweet & sour chicken thighs
Custard & blackcurrant jam tarts