Kidlit Picnic Time!
May 24th, 2012 by Karen
The official first day of summer may be a month away, but the bright sun, blue skies, and warm temperatures sure indicate otherwise! So why wait until June for a picnic?
We here at Kidsmomo are strong believers in seizing the day and taking the plunge — er, actually, not really. But we DO believe in seizing the danish and taking the punch… and putting it in a basket and eating it outdoors!
If you’re looking for menu-planning inspiration, search no further than your favorite books! For yummy outdoor fare, I always think of the massive number of sandwiches that Mary Anne and Logan pack for their picnic date (in The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin), plus the seemingly endless and magical basket that always dispenses just the right treats to Kirby and Betsy (in The Pink Motel by Carol Ryrie Brink).
But when talking about the ultimate kidlit picnic, one tale comes to mind right away:
From The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame…
‘What’s inside it?’ asked the Mole, wriggling with curiosity.
‘There’s cold chicken inside it,’ replied the Rat briefly; ‘coldtonguecoldhamcoldbeef
pickledgherkinssaladfrenchrolls cresssandwidgespottedmeatginger
beerlemonadesodawater—’‘O stop, stop,’ cried Mole in ecstasies: ‘This is too much!’
(Btw, that’s: cold chicken, cold tongue, cold ham, cold beef, pickled gherkins, salad, french rolls, cress sandwidges, potted meat, ginger beer, lemonade, soda water.)
I’m sorry, Mole, but can there ever be too much picnic food? No, I do not think so. Mole, you are very very wrong.
However, I think a true kidlit picnic requires a very special menu, so I’ve come up with some goodies inspired by books we all know and love:
- Clifford bars and Clementine oranges (for the hike out there)
- Lost Hero sandwiches
- Magic Pickles
- Ivy and Bean salad
- Unfinished Angelhair pasta salad
- Cheese plate: Geronimo Stilton, Ricky Ricotta, and Touch Blue
- To drink: SugarKane Chronicles juice
- For dessert: Ginger Pye and Superfudge
Nom nom nom!
— Karen
Karen’s best picnic contribution was a batch of red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and blue star sprinkles — for a Fourth of July picnic, of course!