Delicious UK - (08)August 2020

O

nceupona time,goingout

forlunchwasallabout

menus,tables,waitersand

nicetieslikecrockery,cutleryand

napkins.Notin2020.The

combinationofrestaurantclosures

duringlockdown,gloriousweather

andourembracingoffood

pleasuresfromhomebaking

tofarmshopssawmanyofus

rediscoveringthejoyofthepicnic.

Whatwasoncea raretreator

evenjusta memoryfromchildhood

tookonnewmeaning– especially

aswewereallrepeatedlyreminded

thatit’ssafertogatheroutdoors

thanin.MyhusbandandI regularly

packeduptreatsina backpackand

disappearedfora fewhourson

a longwalktoenjoylunch‘out’

• albeitontheground– with
  pastry-coveredgoods,coldmeats,
  saladsandsarniesinTupperware
  anddrinksoutofplasticcups.
  Wiltshire-basedfoodblogger
  MeganMcMahonmadea similar
  discovery.“Ilovea ‘pickytea’atthe
  bestoftimes,”shesays,“because
  yougettonibbleonloadsof
  differentfoodsatonce.I liveina
  flat,soassoonaswewereallowed
  outsideformorethanjustexercise
  duringlockdown,picnicsappealed
  becausetheymeanta changeof
  sceneryandbeingoutdoorsfor
  a bit.It was(andis)a greatway to
  sharea mealwithfriends.”
  Sopopularhavepicnicsbecome
  thatprivatechefandcookery
  teacherSophieHyam,fromthe
  West Midlands, started making

picnicboxesforpeopletobuy.The

venturewasa hugesuccess.

Sophiesaysthatpicnics,apartfrom

satisfyingthecontinuedneedfor

socialdistancingcombinedwith

a chancetogetoutinthefreshair,

hit the mark because they evoke

happychildhoodmemories,taking

youbacktothesimplethingsin

life.“Apicnicis a timetorelax,

enjoyhomemadefavouritesand

getbacktonature.Myboxesare

basedonseasonalityandholidays,

which we’re all reminiscing about

andlongingforatthemoment.”

Thecravingfornatureand

simplicitymaybenewfor2020,but

it’snotthatfarremovedfromthe

circumstancesthatledtotheBritish

customofeatingoutside,centuries

ago.FoodhistorianDrAnnieGray

tracesthepicnicbacktotwo

contrastingscenes:thetraditionof

workerseatingoutinthefieldsand

thearistocratichuntingbanquets

thatritualisedtheideaofeating

outsideandembracingnature–

albeitina controlled,lavish

environment.“Thatworkingclass

traditionofthenecessaryandthe

upperclasstraditionofmaking

somethingjollyandbeautiful

coalescedinthe18thcenturyand

cametogetherpartlybecause,atthe

time,therewasa newappreciation

oftherural– a movementtowards

thepicturesque,”explainsAnnie.

Thepicnicwasformalisedby

theVictorians,whointroduced

a traditionmoreliketheonewe

knowtoday,completewithknives,

forks,a hugespreadoffood

andthatessentialvehiclefor

transportingtea:theThermosflask

(inventedin1892).Now?It’sabout

thegathering– peopleofall

backgroundsandfromallwalksof

life– justforthepleasureofsitting

sidebyside,breakingbreadand

enjoyingthesimplethings.

Andthekeypartofanypicnic?

The sausage roll, of course.

NEXTMONTH

Easy choc and sour cherry cookies

It’sa greatBritishtradition:packingupa feasttogo,spreadingoutanold

blanketona beachorina parksomewhereandlayingouta feastfora few

(ormany)toshare.Theritualhasbecomeevenmoretreasuredinrecent

months, says Ellen Manning – and there’s one must-have item in the basket

Picnicsevoke

happychildhood

memories,taking

youbacktothe

simplethings

in life

RECIPE

AND

FOOD

STYLING:

JEN BEDLOE. PHOTOGRAPHS: MAJA SMEND.

STYLING: OLIVIA WARDLE

Picnic JOY

12 deliciousmagazine.co.uk