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Pack & Go: The Pure Pleasures Of A Picnic
July 11, 2012
With so many months where al fresco dining just isn’t that comfortable, Canadians grab hold of summer with gusto. In urban green spaces and rural beauty spots, the picnic is a Canadian tradition. There’s room for kids to play and adults to either join in with the young ones or relax with a cool drink and warm conversation.
I’ll never forget one great picnic at Southern Ontario’s gorgeous Elora Gorge. My wife and I had enjoyed a nice hike, followed by a leisurely picnic of cheeses, pâtés and salads. We enjoyed it so much that we both felt a little sleepy. We each picked a picnic table and lay down for a few minutes of rest.
Next thing we knew, we were awakened by a howling wind and the first big drops of rain as a summer thunderstorm rolled in. Amazingly, two hours had passed, and while somewhat embarrassed at the thought of people witnessing us ‘passed out’ on picnic tables, we both felt refreshed and relaxed (as we packed up and ran to our car).
The best picnics are when everything is made ahead of time and you can simply sit down and enjoy. Sandwich and wrap fixings can be assembled on the spot, and cold salads are a perfect accompaniment. Or make it even more simple, with cold salads, cold meats, fruits and a selection of cheeses cut into chunks.
Here are a few salad suggestions from the more than 350 kitchen-tested recipes at trestelle.ca to inspire your next picnic outing.
Fetalicious Couscous Salad: Simple, hearty and healthy – and it tastes great too. Couscous is paired with parsley, green onions, mint, diced plum tomatoes and Tre Stelle® Feta. Olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and hot pepper sauce is the simple, zesty dressing.
Lentil Salad: This easy salad is nutritious and tasty. Simply cook the green lentils, toss with a simple dressing and stir in garnishes of sliced black olives, red and yellow peppers, fresh oregano and Tre Stelle® Feta, crumbled.
Reggiano Salad: Another simple salad that lets the flavour shine. Olive oil, lemon juice and white wine vinegar dresses curly endive leaves, with savoury additions including pancetta, toasted baguette pieces broken into chunks, and small chunks of flavour-packed Tre Stelle® Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese.
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