The school
holidays are here – bringing with them long, sunny days. Or at least that’s
what we hope. The days will definitely seem even longer if they’re rainy!
Hopefully the
summer will bring with it plenty of opportunities for picnics – nothing beats
eating al fresco, setting up the picnic blanket at the seaside, in the park, or
even in the garden.
But apparently, traditional
picnic favourites are being replaced by more ’modern’ food choices. A new
survey reveals that two-thirds of us have made a big effort to upgrade our
picnic game in recent times, and more than a third admitted to getting
competitive about their al fresco spreads. Oo-er.
In research
conducted by Flora with 2,000 Brits, it seems jam sandwiches, hard boiled eggs
and pork pies are out and hummus, sourdough bread and deli meats are in, all
washed down with an artisan lemonade.
No more are we
tucking into chicken drumsticks, quiche or cocktail sausages, it’s all about
the olives and the rare roast beef.
Now, we like to
think we’re a bit of an expert when it comes to picnics. And we think that’s a
load of rubbish! Sourdough bread, deli meats, hummus and olives are delicious –
and would be very welcome in any picnic we had. But so would quiche, sausage
rolls, and hard boiled eggs – which seem to be all the rage in the current
trend for high protein diets. You can’t beat a well made sandwich and a quality
sausage roll or quiche – we’re not talking about soggy bread, dry pastry and
stingy fillings here, we’re talking about the good stuff! Rare roast beef is
always a winner – especially in one of our deep filled sandwiches with a touch
of horseradish!
We have thousands
of day trippers, local lunch grabbers, families, walkers, cyclists and bikers
visit our shop every year, perusing our counters for the picnic lunch which
grabs their fancy. Everyone’s tastes are different, but for most people their
favourite sandwich or a pastry-based main, with maybe some salad sides and some
‘proper’ crisps, ticks all the boxes. Cheese and crackers is always a good one
if you’re going for a fancier picnic with plates and cutlery! Finish off with a
sweet treat (or maybe even start with one – you could always have an ice cream
first. Our locally made Brymor ice creams are amazing!) and your choice of soft
or hot drink (or even an alcoholic tipple if you’re not driving), and you’ve a
picnic fit for a King or Queen.
The survey did
show that whatever we’re eating, after food activities are still the same
though in the main - 43 per cent take a football and a third a frisbee. A
slightly more technologically-focused one in 10 take their laptop - presumably
for catching up on a spot of work, and the same number take a drone.
So, whatever your
favourite picnic treat, and wherever your favourite picnic spot – let’s hope
the weather is kind this summer for lots of opportunities to get out
there!
