Fun | Games for Picnics

A picnic isn’t complete without a run about and a bit of competition after your sausage rolls and strawberries. We’ve rounded up a few of our favourite games for a picnic

Tug of War

Best for: A gang of mates at the beach.

You’ll need: A long, thick rope.

How to play: You (literally) know the ropes. Mark a line in the sand or chuck a jumper down to be ‘the line’. Split into two equal teams, taking into account size, strength etc (you may need one extra person on one side to even it up). Line up on either side of the rope with the middle of the rope over the line. On the count of three, both teams should pull on the rope. The winning team is the first to pull one of the other team over the line. 

Capture the Flag

Best for: Family groups in the woods.

You’ll need: Two ‘flags’ (they can be t-shirts, napkins, toys or anything else).

How to play: Divide the space into two ‘territories’ (an invisible line between two trees will do) and nominate a space to be a ‘jail’. Split into two teams. Each team should hide the other team’s flag somewhere on their territory. Both teams then compete to find their flag and get it back to their own territory without being tagged and thrown in jail. You can only be tagged on the other team’s territory. A member of your team can release you from ‘jail’ by running to the jail to ‘untag’ you. 

French Cricket

Best for: Neighbours in the park.

You’ll need: A cricket bat and a tennis ball.

How to play: One person is the batter. Everyone else fields in a circle around them, taking turns to be bowler. The batter’s legs are the stumps. The bowler bowls at the ‘stumps’ and the batter must hit the ball away with the bat. If the ball is caught the batter is out and replaced by whoever caught them out. If the batter has hit the ball they may then turn to face the next bowler. If they didn’t hit it they must play the next bowl facing the same way, twisting to defend their stumps from whichever direction they choose to bowl. 

Cats or Dogs

Best for: Couples or anyone getting to know each other

You’ll need: Nothing!

How to play: You don’t even need to get up for this one. Simply sit back over a glass of something chilled and take it in turns to fire ‘choice’ questions at each other. Start with ‘cats or dogs?’ and move on to ‘sweets or chocolates?’, ‘oranges or lemons?’, ‘Piers Brosnan or Daniel Craig?’ and wherever your fancy takes you. 

This blog was inspired by our feature ‘Delicious, Fictitious Picnics’ in our June issue, in which we take a look at picnics from novels. Buy a copy of our June issue in shops or from our online store and join us on the picnic blanket.

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Tipple | Turmeric Gingerade

A refreshing tipple for grown-up fans of a Blytonesque picnic

You can make this gingerade in advance and keep it in the fridge ready to add to your picnic hamper just before you leave the house.

Serves 6–8

1.3 ltr fresh apple juice

1 tbsp fresh turmeric root, grated

1 tsp fresh ginger root, grated

Juice of 2 large lemons

1 bottle of sparkling water

1 fresh orange, sliced, to serve

Handful of fresh mint sprigs, to serve

1 Place the apple juice, turmeric, ginger and lemon juice into a blender and blitz until smooth (you may need to do this in two batches).

2 Pour into a glass bottle or Thermos flask and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

3 To serve, fill a glass two thirds full with the apple juice mix and top up with sparkling water to taste. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a slice of orange.

The Turmeric Gingerade is just one of the recipes from our feature ‘Take the Lead’ in our September issue, which is a menu and ideas for a picnic and dog walk with friends. The other recipes include Veggie Frittata, Late Summer Salad, Roasted Goats’ Cheese Stuffed Figs and Apple & Cinnamon Dark Chocolate Muffins. There’s even a recipe for some homemade dog treats! The recipes are by Kay Prestney and the photography by Rebecca Lewis.

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Recipe | Ginger & Orange Chocolate Biscuit Fridge Cake

This cool but sweet and sticky fridge cake is easy to make, ideal for sharing and better still, you don’t even need to put the oven on.

Makes 12

400g dark-chocolate digestive biscuits

400g orange-flavoured dark chocolate

200g unsalted butter

50g chopped crystalised ginger

50g white chocolate

1 Grease and line a 25cm-square baking tin.

2 Using a pestle and an aluminium baking bowl, break up the biscuits until they’re in small pieces, but not too finely crushed. Or place the biscuits in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin on them.

3 Break up the dark chocolate into small pieces and place into a bain-marie. Melt the dark chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.

4 In a large bowl, mix the crushed biscuits, the ginger and the melted butter and chocolate until combined.

5 Pour the mixture into the baking tin and use the back of a spoon to press the mixture into the tray, getting into all the corners and flattening the top. Allow to cool and then cover with foil or baking paper and place in the fridge overnight to harden.

6 Once hardened, grate the white chocolate over the top.

Cook’s note: This will store in the fridge for up to a fortnight and also freezes well.  

This recipe is just one of the ideas for a picnic in the park (with games!) from our July issue by Kay Prestney, with photography by Rebecca Lewis. The feature also includes recipes for Watermelon Slushies, Fennel & Poppy Seed Sausage Rolls and a Halloumi and Giant Couscous Salad. When you’ve finished your park picnic, let the games commence. We have lots of ideas, including DIY Coits, Football Skittles and ‘Foxes and Rabbits’. See you in the park!

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Recipe | Apple Cake Bake

Cake to round off a woodland wander

Cuts into 16 squares

2 sweet apples (we used Gala), peeled, cored and cut into rings
Juice of half a lemon
250g butter
250g golden caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder

For the topping:
2 tbsp demerara sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp chopped roasted hazelnuts

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180C/Gas 6 and line a 20x20cm tin with baking paper.

2 Prepare the apples by squeezing over the lemon juice and setting aside.

3 Add all the ingredients for the topping to a small bowl, mix together and set aside.

4 Meanwhile, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and light, then add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating before adding the next.

5 Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, flour and baking powder, and mix until you have a smooth batter.

6 Pour half the batter into the tin and push it into the corners with a spatula. Add half the apple rings in a single layer, then cover with the remaining batter and add a final layer of apples. Sprinkle over the topping mixture and bake on the middle shelf for 45-50mins, or until the top is golden and a skewer comes out clean.

7 Allow to cool for 5 mins in the tin before removing and cutting into squares. Wrap up individual squares to serve up before leaving for the woods.

The apple cake bake is just one of the recipes in our ‘Gathering’ feature from our March issue. It’s a menu for a woodland picnic that we’ve called ‘Down with the Daffodils’ and includes recipes for Trail Mix, Sweet Potato, Ginger and Coconut Soup, Easy Loaf, Chorizo Chilli and Speedy Jacket Potatoes, with Mint Mochas and Peanut Butter Hot Chocolates to wash it down.

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Recipe | Summer Veg Coleslaw with Coriander

We can’t get enough of this crispy, flavoursome coleslaw. It works as a side for a barbecue, a picnic dish to add zing to your sarnies and sausage rolls or as a filling veggie lunch served with crusty bread

Serves 6

1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
5 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
4 celery stems, finely chopped
1 apple, cored and finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Zest and juice of ½ a lime
150g natural yogurt

1 Add the chopped fennel, spring onions, coriander, celery and apple to a medium bowl.

2 In a separate small bowl, stir together the fennel seeds, mustard, vinegar, lime juice, zest and the natural yogurt until blended.

3 Pour the dressing over the chopped veg and stir thoroughly. Season with a pinch of rock salt and some freshly ground black pepper before serving.

This recipe is part of our ‘Gathering’ feature in our August issue, which we have called ‘Field Day’ and which includes lots of recipes for a Summer picnic in a meadow, including Peach Daiquiri cocktails, Courgette & Tomato Tart with Herby Pesto, Chipolatas wrapped in Parma Ham on Rosemary Skewers, Rocket, Pea & Mint Salad and Raspberry & Choc Chip Muffins.

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Recipe | Spinach & Feta Herby Quiche

Summer is definitely here when the first quiche exits the oven. Just add friends and a picnic rug

Serves 6

500g pack of ready-made shortcrust pastry
½ tbsp coconut oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
300g baby spinach leaves
4 eggs
200ml half fat crème fraîche
Zest of one medium unwaxed lemon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, roughly chopped
10 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
5 large fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
100g feta cheese
8 small edible flowers
3 large edible flowers, to decorate

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/ Gas 5 and roll out the pastry on a floured surface to make a circle around 5mm thick. Grease a 25cm tart tin and line it with the pastry, then add a sheet of greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins then remove the paper and beans. Use a fork to prod a few tiny holes in the pastry to stop it bubbling and return to the oven for 5 mins, or until golden brown.

2 In a large frying pan, gently heat half the coconut oil over a medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for around 15 mins, or until they start to soften.

3 Add the spinach to the pan and stir until it wilts. Tip the mixture into a sieve, pressing down with the back of a spoon to squeeze any excess water out, then set to one side.

4 Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the chopped herbs and spring onions then add the cooked spinach, onion and garlic. Crumble in the feta and evenly spread the mixture over the cooled pastry case, gently pressing in the smaller edible flowers on the top.

5 Bake for 35-40 mins, or until the top becomes golden and sets. Serve decorated with larger edible flowers.

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our Gathering feature in our June issue, which we’ve called ‘Salad Days’. It also includes recipes by Kay Prestney for Strawberry Mimosas, Asparagus, Goat’s Cheese and Pesto Puffs, Spring greens Floral Salad, Lemon Flower Biscuits and Honey, Orange and Cardamom Cake.

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Recipe | Hot Smoked Salmon, Caper and Dill Tart

A simple tart that will have everyone reaching across the picnic blanket for the biggest slice

A tasty and filling savoury tart that is ideal as the centrepiece of a spring picnic or a light lunch in the garden with friends. Serve with a big green salad or just cram it in with fingers and have cherry tomatoes on the side. Tastes as good sitting on the car boot with a view of the sea as it does out on the patio.

Serves 8

375g shortcrust pastry
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
180g ready-to-eat hot smoked salmon
35g capers, drained and rinsed
3 eggs 150ml single cream
50ml milk
15g fresh dill, fronds picked

1 On a lightly -floured surface, roll out the pastry and use it to line a 35cm x 13cm flan tin (alternatively, you can use a 26cm circular flan tin). Trim any overhanging pastry and prick the base with a fork. Chill in the fridge for 20 mins. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6.
2 Once chilled, remove from the fridge, line with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 mins, remove the foil and beans and bake for a further 10-12 mins, or until the pastry is crisp. Set aside to cool.
3 Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the onion for 5 mins, or until soft and golden. Spread over the pastry base, then flake over the salmon and capers.
4 In a bowl , beat the eggs, cream and milk together, then stir in the dill and season to taste. Pour into the pastry case and bake for 35-40 mins, or until firm and golden. Leave to cool before slicing into portions.

This recipe is just one of the picnic ideas by Louise Gorrod in our feature A Vintage Day Out. You can find all the recipes, including Rainbow Chard and Feta Borek, Herby Hoummous, Strawberry and Mint Shrub, Summer Wraps and more beginning on page 54.

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From our May issue…

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Recipe | a picnic pie for the garden

A delicious picnic pie tastes as good in the garden as it does on a blanket in the woods

This lovely layered veggie pie beats soggy sandwiches hands down. One slice is never enough. You can find the recipe for this and the rest of our outdoor menu in our April issue… Salad jars with peanut butter dressing, tomato, mozzarella and prosciutto skewers, homemade scotch eggs and berry cheesecake.

Serves 6-8

You will need:
400g butternut squash, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
Olive oil
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
50g soft goat’s cheese
2 large peppers
1 courgette, sliced
150g baby spinach
100g ricotta
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
500g shortcrust pastry
1 large egg, beaten

How to make:

1 Pre-heat the oven to 200C/ 180C Fan/Gas 6.
2 Peel and deseed the butternut squash and cut it into small cubes. Place on a baking tray with the sliced onion, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 30 mins, or until soft. After 20 mins, add the rosemary and sage.
3 Transfer to a bowl and, when cool, stir in the goat’s cheese and set aside. Place the peppers, whole, on a separate baking sheet and cook for 30 mins or until the skin blackens. Allow to cool before peeling the skin, deseeding and cutting into slices. Allow to drain in a sieve until ready to assemble. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil and add the sliced courgette. You may need to do this in batches. Cook each side until brown, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
4 In the same pan, add the spinach, allow to wilt in the heat for 2-3 mins, transfer to a colander and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess moisture. Chop up and place in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, sprinkle in the nutmeg, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.
5 Grease a 20cm spring-form tin. Lightly flour a surface and roll out two thirds of the pastry to cover the base and tin sides. Carefully press into the tin leaving some overhang, then trim the rest. With the remaining pastry, roll out a circle large enough to cover the top of the tin and set aside. Spread the base with the spinach mix, followed by the pepper slices, then a layer of courgettes and finally the butternut squash mix. Add the pastry top, crimp the edges to seal the pie and make a hole in the top for the steam to escape.
6 Brush the top with the beaten egg and bake for 50 mins or until the top is golden brown. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. Slice to serve. Cook’s note: This pie is good hot or cold. so, it’s great for a picnic. It can be made the day before, simply keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

You can find the rest of the outdoor recipes in this menu in our April issue, available in shops now or from our online shop.

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Recipe: The Picnic loaf

Planning to picnic this weekend? We love this fancy sandwich

Half sandwich, half pie, this picnic loaf crams the best of the local farm shop into one easy-to-carry meal. Prepare it the night before so the flavours have time to soak in. You can chop and change the ingredients according to what’s available. Find this and more in Pitch Up Eat Local by Ali Ray (£16.99, AA Publishing). 

The picnic loaf

Serves 6

1 cob loaf (the crusty round one)
1 garlic clove, halved
2 tbsp pesto (from a jar is fine)

For the filling:
2 courgettes, sliced lengthways
2 red and 2 yellow peppers, seeded and sliced in thick lengths
2 tbsp or so olive oil
200g cheese (whatever you can find locally – a soft-rind/mozzarella/goat’s cheese)
200g sliced charcuterie meats or ham
a good handful salad leaves
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper

1  Carefully cut the top off the cob loaf (save this for later) and hollow out the middle to leave a shell. Don’t make the walls too thin as it won’t stay crisp.

2  Toss the courgettes and peppers in the olive oil and put on a preheated griddle or BBQ grid. Cook for about 4–5 mins on each side until soft and lightly charred. Put to one side to cool.

3  Rub the cut garlic clove over the insides of the bread shell, then use a spoon to spread the pesto all around the inside walls and under the lid.

4  Blot the grilled veg with kitchen roll, then and slice the cheese.  Season both well with salt and pepper, then start building up layers of veg, cheese, meat and salad leaves. Finish with a layer of basil leaves. The hollow in the bread must be filled well.

5  Put the top of the bread back on, then wrap the whole thing tightly in clingfilm.  Put a plate on top and weigh down with something heavy to let the flavours fuse together for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, in a cool-box. 

6  Cut into thick, cake-style slices to eat now, or pack in your lunch-box and take on your adventures.

This recipe originally was published in June 2015 - and it tastes just as good, if not better, now.

More picnic inspiration…

From our May issue…

Recipe | Vegetable crisps

Sweet roots turned into a wonderfully crunchy snack

Serves 6
3 large parsnips
3 large beetroots
3 large sweet potatoes
Vegetable oil
Sea salt
1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 Preheat oven to 150C/Fan 130C/ 300F. Line 4 baking sheets with baking parchment (or if short of space or trays, cook crisps in batches). 
2 In a small bowl, mix 3–4 tbsp of vegetable oil, the fennel seeds and a good grind of salt. Lightly brush the baking parchment with the oil mixture. Set aside.
3 Use a mandolin or vegetable slicer attachment on a food processor or, failing that, slice all the vegetables as thinly as possible. Use kitchen towel to pat slices dry.
4 Place the vegetable slices on your baking sheets, making sure they don’t overlap. Then lightly brush the crisps with the oil mixture.
5 Bake for 1 hour; after an hour, remove the parsnips, returning the beetroot and potatoes to the oven for another 30 mins. Cool on a rack, and store in an airtight container.

Turn to page 24 of August's The Simple Things for more of our picnic in the park menu, including:

• Build-your-own bruschetta 
• Hummus Kale & basil pesto
• Jumbo apple sausage rolls 
• Summer salad & orange dressing
• White chocolate & raspberry traybake 

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View the sampler here.

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Recipe | Ciabatta bun camembert burgers

Burgers can be special, grilled outdoors and topped with crisp leaves, crunchy pickles and melting camembert

Serves 6
450g beef mince
1 camembert (approx 250g)
6 ciabatta buns
6 tbsp readymade aïoli
Handful of baby spinach
Gherkins

1 Shape the minced meat into 6 round patties, each roughly 1cm thick, and cut the camembert into slices.
2 Cook the patties on the barbecue,
3 mins on each side for medium rare (or cooked to your liking).
3 Cut the ciabatta buns in half, spread aïoli on one side of the bun, top with baby spinach leaves, a cooked patty, two slices of camembert and a few slices of gherkin.

Turn to page 24 for the rest of our beach barbecue menu, including: 
Green summer salad
Pesto and sun-dried tomato pasta
Prawn kebabs
Pineapple coconut juice
Fruit salad

More from the July issue:

More barbecue recipes:

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Recipe | Picnic Pies

These mini pork and apple pies are portable pockets for flavour, just right for a bank holiday picnic

Picnic Pies

Serves 6
220g pork loin, diced
110g pork belly, diced
3 rashers back bacon, diced
30g chicken livers
1 small onion, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Pinch of ground mace or nutmeg
1 red apple, peeled, cored and diced

for the pie crust
310g plain flour, plus extra to dust
11⁄2 tsp salt
50g vegetable shortening (such as Trex) 

for the glaze
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp milk

you will need
1 jam jar (approx 7cm diameter)
Kitchen twine
6 strips of wax paper, about 30x8cm each

1 Preheat oven to 190C/Fan 170C/375F. Put the pork loin, pork belly, bacon and chicken livers in a food processor and blitz to mince. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in onion, sage, garlic and mace, and season to taste.
2 To make the pie crust, sift flour and salt in
a bowl. Put the shortening and 120ml water into a saucepan and heat gently until the fat melts and the water comes to a boil. Pour the
liquid into the flour and, using a wooden spoon, gently bring together into a soft dough. Once the dough is cool enough to handle, knead lightly until smooth.
3 Divide dough into eight pieces and roll six of them into 12cm disks. Invert them, one at a time over an upturned jam jar. Wrap a strip of wax paper around the outside, and tie round the middle with twine (as above).
4 Turn the whole thing over so the dough sits flat. Carefully work the jar up out of the pie crust (you may need to slip a palette knife down between dough and jar). Divide pork filling into six portions and put one portion in each pie. Put the diced apple on top.
5 Roll out the last two pieces of dough and, with a cookie cutter, cut three disks from each piece the same size as the tops of the pies. Put a disk on each pie, press edges to seal, then turn edges in and over to form a rim. 6 Brush the pies with egg-milk glaze. Pierce each top with a fork to let the steam escape. On a large baking sheet, bake for 45–50 mins, or until golden. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack to cool, and serve cold.

Recipe by Louise Pickford from Traditional Pub Grub (Ryland Peters & Small)

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Recipe: Pea, mint, spinach and goat’s cheese quiche

This quiche is simple to make and packed with summery flavours

Turn to page 34 of August's The Simple Things for the full riverbank picnic menu: Pork and egg pie with a lattice top, Pea, mint, spinach and goat’s cheese quiche, Potato salad, and Meringue kisses. 

Pea, mint, spinach and goat’s cheese quiche

280g plain flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface
140g cold butter, cut into little pieces
6 tbsp cold water
300g frozen peas
handful of mint leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
284ml double cream
200g goat’s cheese
handful of baby spinach, wilted and water squeezed out in a tea towel

1 In a blender, combine the butter, water and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Roll up in to a ball and cover in clingfilm and rest in the fridge until ready*.

2 Cook the peas for 3 mins in boiling water, then drain and chill under the cold tap. In a hand blender, whizz together the peas, mint and olive oil, and season to taste.

3 Preheat oven to 200C/Fan 180C/400F.

4 Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to a circle about 3cm bigger than a 25cm tin. Drape the pastry over the tin and gently push the pastry into place using a little scrap of pastry. Leave a little pastry over the edge of the tin; this can be removed later. Chill in fridge for 10-15 mins.

5 Lightly prick the base of the tart and line with baking paper and ceramic baking beans. Blind bake for 20 mins, then carefully remove the beans and bake for a further 5-10 mins until lightly browned.

6 While the pastry is baking, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the cream and season.

7 When the case is ready, spread the pea mixture over the bottom of the tart case. Pour over the egg mixture. Scatter the crumbled goat’s cheese and wilted spinach over the top of the quiche.

8 Bake for 20-25 mins until set and the top is browned. Trim the edges of the pastry off and leave to cool on a wire rack. 

*Or buy shortcrust pastry readymade from the supermarket if you’re short on time or inclination. 

More from the August issue:

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Recipe: Pink lemonade

No August afternoon is complete without lemonade, and the pink variety is pretty as a picture.

Makes about 1.2 litres

grated zest and juice of six large unwaxed lemons
1 small punnet raspberries, crushed through a sieve 
150g caster sugar
1l boiling water
extra slices of lemon to serve

1 Place the lemon zest and juice in a large bowl, add the crushed raspberries and caster sugar and stir in the boiling water until the sugar has dissolved.

2 Leave the mixture to cool, then cover and place in the fridge overnight.

3 Sieve to remove the grated zest, pour into bottles and chill in the fridge. Serve over ice with extra slices of lemon.

4 To keep it cool for a picnic, pour over a handful of ice cubes in a thermos flask. Or you can freeze the lemonade in plastic bottles (filled three-quarters full). The frozen lemonade will gradually defrost, keeping everything else cool.

Recipe from Beside the Seaside by Carolyn Caldicott, photography by Chris Caldicott (Pimpernel Press) 

Read more:

• More from the August issue
• Drinks recipes
• Picnic ideas

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Recipe: Guacamole

As well as being the king of dips, guacamole is delicious in pitta pockets, burritos and wraps. Don’t even consider picnicking without it.

Serves 2

1 large ripe avocado (150g)
1 large tomato, deseeded and finely chopped (80g)
1 small red onion, finely chopped (80g)
1 red or green chilli (optional)
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1tsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lime, or to taste

1 Mash the avocado with a fork and mix in the tomato, red onion and chilli, if using.

2 Mix in the coriander and parsley (if using) and season with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and plenty of lime juice.

One to try: Place a flour tortilla in a dry frying pan, spread over the guacamole with a sprinkling of grated cheese and fold over to form a semi-circle. Fry on both sides for a couple of minutes until golden brown and the cheese has melted. 

Recipe from Thrive On Five by Nina & Jo Littler and Randi Glenn (Quadrille, £16.99)
Photography by Dan Jones

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Pack the perfect picnic

Recipe for fruity slaw plus picnic picks from The Simple Things shop

Try a Picnic Loaf

Recipe: Fruity 'slaw

There’s got to be ’slaw at a barbecue – and this one has extra fruit in the form of mango, raisins and sultanas. 

Fruity 'slaw

Serves 8

3⁄4 medium white cabbage, finely sliced
1⁄4 medium red cabbage, finely sliced
4 carrots, grated
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 mangos, sliced
Large handful mixed raisins and sultanas

For the dressing
3 tbsp sour cream
3 tbsp mayonnaise
21⁄2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper, to taste

1 Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
2 Combine the vegetables, mangos and dried fruit in a large bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3 Pour over the dressing and mix well. 

Need some bits and bobs for your next barbecue or picnic? Head over to The Simple Things shop for plenty to buy, including our Here comes the sun collection, for picnic days and for beach days. A few ideas below...

Hand-stamped wooden cutlery, from £3.50

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Whitstable BBQ, from £24.00

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Acrylic tumblers, from £4.95

Recipe: Baked thyme chips

It's National Chip Week and we're celebrating with a batch of these delicious baked thyme chips. Pass the ketchup...

Oh, Ladycakes'baked thyme chips have been a bit of a labour of love. Blogger Ashlae has been baking versions of these since she got together with her boyf Thom five whole years ago.

Much to-ing and fro-ing over email (the chips / fries / crisps language barrier proved confusing all round - note to US readers, we're talking about baked thyme fries here!) and Ashlae agreed to share the result of all her years of testing and tweaking with The Simple Things readers.

And we have to say we're very pleased that she has, because because these look close to perfect. We're also promised that these baked chips are '100 billion times' better for you than the regular, deep-fried version. That makes them pretty much a health food, right? Yum...

Recipe: Garlic potato salad with lemon creme fraiche

Reinvent the picnic for the modern world with made-to-be-mobile dishes, such as this potato salad recipe. A garlicky mustard kick rescue potatoes from potential blandness.

Recipe: Garlic potato salad with lemon crème fraiche

Serves 6

1.5kg mixed potatoes, cubed

3 tbsp olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

175ml crème fraîche

1 tbsp maille mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

to serve:


4 tbsp fresh chives, finely snipped

Fresh dill

Red onion pickle (for recipe, see page 29 of July’s The Simple Things for the perfect potato salad recipe accompaniment)

1. Preheat oven to 190c/fan 170c/ 350f. Toss the potato cubes in olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 45 mins–1 hour or until golden and crisped. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, place the lemon juice and zest, crème fraîche, mustard and garlic. Whisk together, then toss with potatoes, making sure to coat everything well. Top with fresh chives, dill and onion pickle.

Turn to page 26 of July’s The Simple Things for more al fresco picnic recipes.

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Pack the perfect picnic

No basket? No problem. Part of the picnic’s appeal is its ad hoc nature, so go with the flow and improvise with our top tips for perfect picnic accoutrements.

High summer. School’s out and the pavements are packed with hot office workers and gaggles of confused tourists. What you need to do is pack up the car, ditch the city and head for the hills: an afternoon spent amid fields and streams and under tree canopies and bright blue skies will restore your equilibrium. Lying on a picnic blanket with a glass of something cold in one hand, and a plateful of something delicious in the other, is a picture-perfect way to idle away the heady days of summer.

Take inspiration from Brideshead Revisited and feast on strawberries and champagne, or enjoy a boating picnic a la Rat and Mole in 'The Wind in the Willows':  The Mole begged to be allowed to unpack it all by himself. He took out all the mysterious packets one by one and arranged their contents, gasping 'Oh my! Oh my!' at each fresh surprise.'

It may be a little optimistic to believe we’ll be picnicking all summer long, but if rain does stop play, you can always eat your picnic on your knees in the car. There are certain British traditions that will never die.

No British summer would be complete without a picnic. Pack the perfect picnic with our top tips.

1. A wine crate makes a great container for packaging and transporting your picnic. Sturdy sides keep it upright in the car and, upturned, it’s the perfect little table.

2. Use mason jars to transport salads, chutneys, and desserts. As well as looking the part, they are easy to fill, pack and can even be used as crockery in times of need. Plus, you can re-seal and take home any leftovers – from fridge to field and back again.

3. A robust bread board or tray at the centre of your picnic rug makes for a mini table, meaning no more spilled drinks or squashed sandwiches.

4. Want to keep mess and waste to a minimum? Pack each picnicker their own meal in a cardboard food box, then hand them round when you reach your destination.

5. Ice packs are a picnic essential for keeping cool. Not got any? They are easy to make using just two simple supplies. Squeeze washing up liquid into a ziplock bag, place it flat and push out any bubbles, before sealing and placing into the freezer. Once frozen, use to keep your chilled picnic items nice and cool.

Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Heading to New York City this summer? Seek out Prospect Park in Brooklyn: a masterpiece of landscape architecture at the green heart of NYC's largest borough.

Photographer and stylist, Julia Gartland, decided to hold an informal, pot luck picnic in Prospect Park for July's The Simple Things.

And what a location it is. According to Adrian Benepe, "Olmsted and Vaux designed Central Park, learned from their mistakes, and then designed Prospect Park." Indeed, this 585-acre oasis is an ambitious feat of design, packed with attractions such as the Long Meadow, a 90-acre meadow; Prospect Park Zoo; The Boathouse; Brooklyn's only lake, covering 60 acres; and the Prospect Park Bandshell, which hosts free outdoor concerts in the summertime.

Over ten million visits each year prove the Prospect Park has something for everyone, locals and tourists, young and old, from skating to birding to pedal boating to picnicking on the Long Meadow on beautiful days. The Park also boasts a stunning variety of natural and geological features, such as Brooklyn’s only forest, rolling meadows and shaded hillsides.

Find out more about Prospect Park, and read an extract from Prospect Park: Olmsted & Vaux's Brooklyn Masterpiece by David P. Colley (cover pictured).

Turn to page 26 of July's The Simple Things for beautiful photographs and recipes to inspire your own portable feast - on sale 27 June 2014.