Keep Cool Out-of-Doors

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 204, 17 November 1927, Page 9

Keep Cool Out-of-Doors

Hints on Picnicking Why are picnics always such happy events? Is it the glamour of the out-of-door sunshine, or is it the unconventional nature of the meals—the sit-as-you-please; forks or Angers, whichever' you prefer. For the children it is always an adventure. Picnics ought really to be divided into two classes: the sophisticated picnic with real plates, knives and forks, and daintily prepared dishes, each in its own container, and the picnic “that really is a picnic.” The Arst kind of picnic can be dismissed with a few words. It needs a motor-car to make it possible, for no one would care to carry one of those lovely Atted picnic baskets when out tramping. These art: for the car or yacht or launch. A real picnic, on country Aelds and in the bush, means as much to eat and as little to carry as possible. For the family party starting out early in the morning, one wants to pack so that there will be nothing left to carry after the meal is over. Nobody minds carrying a parcel when there is something worth while in it, and a lovely picnic lunch or tea to look forward to; but after the meal is over every parcel becomes a burden. Try to pack everything into one package. Usually a biscuit tin (half size), carefully packed, holds ample for a party of four or even Ave, as well as some of the “extras” for setting the “table” under the trees. And besides the tin keeps everything fresh and dainty. A well-packed canvas “rucksack” is still easier to carry, with its weight evenly distributed on the back. The more the menu is varied the better. One day it may be — Sardine Sandwiches. Tongue and Cress Sandwiches, and Hard-boiled Eggs. Lemon Cheese Tarts and Fresh Fruits. Another day take salmon and lettuce sandwiches for a Arst course, followed by cold chicken or rabbit, with brown bread and butter, fresh tomatoes, rock cake and fruit. Another attractive- menu, and an easy one to pack, is chopped ham and egg sandwiches, with hearts of lettuce, breaded iamb cutlets with tomatoes, followed by apple turnovers and fruit. It is rarely necessary to take any drinks because they make so much to carry. A picnic without tea would be a disappoitment. One may take tea in a couple of thermos Aasks, if the carrying of a “billy” is thought to be of too much trouble. It Is always a good plan to prepare something novel to take with you. Three-tier sandwiches are an excellent picnic idea, and can be varied in many ways. For instance, tongue and cucumber could be combined in this way. Similar combinations can be made with salmon and lettuce, or ham and egg, or beef and watercress, or cheese and nuts. Another good picnic idea is the sandwich sausage roll. Fry your sausages and then butter a fresh loaf and cut nice thin slices. Spread a little mustard on each, and then roll each slice round a sausage. Wrap each roll up . separately in grease-proof paper. A bunch of fresh watercress to go with these rolls, and hard-boiled eggs, make an excellent and tasty picnic course. Have all the accessories needful for your picnics in the house during the picnic season. A roll of grease-proof paper is one of the chief requisites; a picnic cloth in some gaily-covered check always looks bright for setting out a meal; cardboard plates which can be left behind are useful, and remember to cut rounds of grease-proof paper, one of which covers each plate for the “Arst course,” leaving the plate clean for what follows. Paper napkins are useful, and a little packet of salt should never be left at home. The little cardboard cups are handy because they need not be carried home after use. If there is fruit, then a couple of small knives should be packed for peeling, and a few teaspoons may also be added. All the food should be neatly wrapped in grease-proof paper. Packets of sandwiches separately, and lettuce, eggs, and tomatoes all separately. Pack as closely as possible in the tin, which should Arst be lined separatelv with paper. Neatly packed, it is astonishing how much can be got into a very small space.