It may seem a strange subject to write about, just after the Christmas festivities, but, the remembrance of picnics past, bizarrely came to mind this week. Maybe it is the mild winter;
My earliest recollections takes me back to when I was about 7 or 8 (1955) and my Maternal grandparents used to organise a picnic on the outskirts of Chesterfield during the summer school holidays.
The picnic was usually proceeded by a long walk to Caldwell Valley, a well known beauty spot.
There we would devour all the food. The sandwiches miraculously prepared by my grandmother: take a large tin of pink salmon, bones and skin included (“a source do calcium” she would say), a large slab of margarine, several handfuls of white breadcrumbs and copious amounts of malt vinegar. Mash to a smooth paste, and serve several dozen of us, adults and kids alike, perhaps, a tad stretching of the truth, but, hey, the memory of a 7 year old ……….. Weirdly I remember the sandwiches tasting really good!
Afterwards of course the men would arrange a game of cricket and we would paddle in the sparkling brook ……………here again I think, another piece of poetic license, makes for a great picture though?
A good memory all the same.
Loads of Northern picnics have followed, the Derbyshire countryside cries out to be enjoyed this way, that is not to say that some may not have gone according to plan, setting up the cloth over a swarm of bees, another time we were surrounded by cows.
Moving down the years, another milestone picnic, was on the cliffs near Calais, over looking the channel, a perfect Summers day, the sea sparklingly blue and we watched the ferries sailing back and forth.
This simple picnic consisted of amazing French bread, great unsalted butter, a huge slice of fabulous Brie de Meaux AOC – Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (this “guarantees a product of quality has been produced within a specific region following established methods of production”), some saucisson sec, (which is similar to salami), several bottles of red wine, and, a bag of ripe peaches. Memorable!
A simple picnic made special by the quality of the food.
Picnics are a must for the French traveller, along the auto-routes there are numerous Aire-de-repos (service stations-not the brash, all singing and dancing English varieties) these are just picnic tables and public toilets. At lunch times you will invariably find most tables occupied by people with cool boxes enjoying their midday meal.
On the banks of rivers and lakes you will see picnic tables dotted about, the atmosphere is wonderful especially at weekends. Large parties of families and friends enjoying the food and ambience.
In our area we have two such places close by, which we visit regually through out the summer with our many guests. One is by the side of the river at Montreuil Bellay. A really pretty spot next to the river, set against the back drop of the chateau.
The other is along the Loire, near the village of Montsoreau, high above the confluence of the Loire and the Vienna, it sports spectacle views in all directions. One such picnic we spent with Sue and Dave. We were the only ones there, it being a unseasonable hot April, we were looking forward to a plasant day. So when a really scruffy looking campervan pulled up, we were a liittle “put out” and when an even scruffy looking young lad got out, we were prepared for the worse. Our minds were quickly changed. We sat memorised with his fastidiousness with his food, a lovely salad was washed and prepared, a dressing was made, a piece of cheese and a baguette. Complete. Did I not say the perfect picnic is a simple picnic. We started chatting and offered him a glass of wine, we discovered he was Dutch and was travelling round France doing odd jobs but, also making his own guitars.
He then started to work the wood, and we left him to it and fell into a dreamy snoozey afternoon. We were then treated to a guitar solo. A truly magical afternoon. There is nowt so true as the saying “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”;
A similar ambiance can be found in Australia, but, being Australians they go one step further and have coin operated Barbecues! Now that makes perfect sense.
So here we have a another great opportunity for enjoying each other’s company. Family or friends. Make the food simple or complicated, what could be better?
If you have enjoyed about my memories of food and drink why not visit The Wine Lady
I remember the day so well, it really was a magical picnic made all the more special by the young Dutchman, our picnic was wonderful, and I can still hear his music ..