Tuesday, March 5, 2013

What You Should Put In Your Wine Picnic Basket

By Ava Hudson


Picnics can be really great alternatives to date night outs and candlelight dinners. They do not just emphasize sharing of meals prepared deliciously while on a relaxed seating arrangement, but also provide partners a chance to enjoy and commune with nature. Bringing quite the sophisticated twist in traditional picnics are wines. Couples planning to enjoy extraordinary dates out the parks might want to consider upgrading and bring with them a nice wine picnic basket.

Casual picnics during afternoons and evenings will not necessarily require heavy meal sets. Oftentimes, a few snacks will do. Cheese has been considered the traditional accompaniment of wine but it suffers under unfavorable climates. It is recommended that varieties of hard or semi-soft cheeses as Parmesan and cheddar be packed. Soft cheeses like brie will most likely melt under scorching heat.

Pieces of bread toast and crackers will also be great considerations. They can be topped with cheese slices or dipped in soft cheese spreads like goat cheese. People who desire more hearty meals may want to go for salads and sandwiches. Egg and chicken sandwiches will work well as long as they will be consumed promptly.

If you are planning to have with you richer wines, then you might want to consider preparing sandwiches made with Prosciutto, pastrami and roast beef. For your salad to have a lingering flavor, add in some cucumbers, grapes, feta cheese and melons. You can have these marinated in vinaigrette or simple oil dressing.

Wines to be packed should be those that will complement the food as well as the mood for the day. Sunny days, when the weather is all warm and cozy, will feel great with cool, light foods paired with white wines. Chardonnays, pinot gris and rieslings will work really well. Sparkling wines or champagnes may complement such days as well. For heavy meal sets or if darker wines are preferred, rose will be a great consideration. It is important to keep the wines secured in ice buckets, chilled plastics or fabric gel wraps.

Red wines can also be considered for picnics especially if these are preferred by the couple. Merlots as well as pinot noirs are mild options. Those planning to simply relax at a comfortable spot may pack along with them desserts like brownies and chocolate truffles. Dark red wines or even sweet dessert wines such as cabernet sauvignon are great pairs for such.

Couples also need to prepare other items for their picnics. They need to secure tools or utensils needed for their meals. Cheese cutting boards, knives and corkscrews are important. The same goes for glasses, plates and forks. Those who are preparing salads should bring along serving utensils. Napkins, tablecloths and even blankets are essentials as well.

Tablecloths or fabric to be brought along should be elegant-looking. These should very well fit the whole theme of a romantic wine tasting date out. Doing so is one way to enjoy the whole feel of romanticism and sophistication as emphasized by the presence of wine.

Stuffing along the right items into the wine picnic basket can mean the difference between an enjoyable date and a ruined day. Forgetting to bring important tools can lead to spoiling the fun time. Couples may also want to learn about how to properly arrange or lay out the items they have brought along.




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