6 Steps to The Perfect Picnic

One or more of these basic steps have been used to plan all my picnics through the years. Every single picnic is unique, but for me that is the best part. Different people, different locations, different menu all add up to a new adventure each and every time. I hope these tips inspire you to get out and picnic more:

1. Keep your picnic basket packed and ready to go at all times. Nothing discourages picnicking more than having to hunt for necessities like dishes, silverware, napkins, tablecloth and all the other basics. For a complete list of items to pack in your picnic basket, check my Blog dated May 3, 2008.
2. Pick a location. I like to combine a picnic with some sort of activity, whether it is a tourist attraction similar to those found in Cruising Connecticut with a Picnic Basket, or something more passive, like watching your kids play ball at the park, or enjoying a romantic sunset.
3. Decide who to invite -- a friend, relative, neighbor? Anyone would be thrilled to be invited to go on a picnic. But, what if it is spontaneous and everyone in your circle is busy? Well, I hope you will agree that you are the best company you know and go anyway.
4. Choose your menu. First, take into consideration the location and picnic facilities since the menu for a picnic at a state park with tables and grills might be very different than for a picnic on a blanket at the beach. Also, think about the safety and ease of transporting the food. For ideas on getting a head start on picnic foods see my Blog dated April 27, 2008.
5. Be flexible. If the weather decides not to cooperate, you may have to pick another destination, one that has an overhead covering. Or, in the extreme, spread your picnic cloth on the living floor. Hey, it's not as bad as you might think ~ all your favorite foods, background music and no ants. Story telling or board games may be the perfect activity to complement your home picnic.
6. It's okay to ignore Steps 1-5. Let's say you wake up to a beautiful day and some rare leisure time to get outdoors and play, which of course, will include a picnic. You don't have a plan, you can 't think of where to go, you don't know if anyone is free on the spur-of-the-moment and don't feel like calling around. More importantly, your picnic basket is definitely not ready to go, in fact, you can't even find your picnic basket, and you certainly don't have anything interesting in the fridge because you haven't been grocery shopping in a while, but even if you do have food you don't feel like taking the time to get it ready.

What to do? SIMPLE!

Walk out the door empty-handed, well, except for maybe a table or ground cover. Stop at the nearest market and buy the fixings for a grand French picnic: a loaf of crusty bread, some good hard cheese, and a bunch of grapes. Oh, and a bottle of fizzy water. And, then let your car guide you to the perfect picnic spot. The key is not to get so caught up or overwhelmed by the details of picnicking that you give up the idea altogether.

I like to think that when we have an open and willing heart, and an adventuresome spirit, all our picnics will be perfect!

Cruising Connecticut has success in Florida!

I was intrigued with a series of programs at the Venice (Florida) library called "Booked for Lunch", where every Friday at noon, a different author talks about and signs their book. Without any forewarning, the marketer in me came out of vacation mode long enough to inquire about being part of the program, and next thing I knew, I was booked. Cruising Connecticut with a Picnic Basket by Jan Mann was listed in the February calendar.

Because I was pretty sure a Florida audience would not be interested in hearing about all the great things there are to do in Connecticut, I chose a new topic, "7 Steps to a Perfect Picnic" including exciting new recipes to take home. And, what a surprise to learn that of the 35 attendees, slightly more than one-half had ties to Connecticut.

Best of all, everyone seemed to enjoy hearing about the different ways to plan and enjoy a picnic, along with tales about some of the more unique recipes and how they tied into the destinations in my book. For example, Joe's Jambalaya contributed by the Commission of Tailgating" featured in my Football Tailgating chapter, and Almond Macaroons, an 1873 recipe featured at Roseland Cottage during Henry Bowen's reign as "Mr. 4th of July." But, the ultimate joy for me was the amount of audience participation, a sure sign that people were not only paying attention, but interested in what I had to say.

My 7 steps are simple enough, well, at least the first six:

1. Keep Your Picnic Basket Ready to Go at all Times
2. Have a Plan
3. Pick a Location
4. Decide Who to Invite
5. Choose your Menu
6. Be Flexible

The most important step is No. 7: IT'S OKAY TO IGNORE STEPS 1-6. The point is this: Let's say you are lucky enough to wake up to a beautiful day and have the opportunity to get out and play. Of course, you don't have a plan, you can't think of where to go, you don't know if anyone is free, your picnic basket is not organized, and in fact, you can't even find your picnic basket. You don't have anything interesting to eat because you haven't been grocery shopping in a while, and even if you do have food in the house you don't feel like preparing it. We've all been there!

What to do? First of all, do not let any of the above details deter you. Simply make a sandwich and walk out the door, or stop at the market for a prepared sandwich, or the makings of a french picnic: a loaf of crusty bread, some good, hard cheese, and a bunch of grapes. Then, get in your car and drive. Keep an open, positive mind and chances are your car will take you to the best place for you to relax, enjoy a casual activity, or experience an over-the-top adventure, whatever you need to get rejuvenated at that particular time. Never get caught up in the details of the picnic if you don't have the time or inclination.

Remember, the simplest picnics are often the most perfect.