Peter Keith knows a lot of about picnics. The Top 40 Under 40 alumnus is the co-founder of Meuwly’s, a deli and grocery mainstay on 124th Street. He sees plenty of customers who looks for cured meats and cheeses for their picnic baskets.
He says that the most important thing about a picnic is that you enjoy it. It should be simple. And the person (or people) in charge of the food shouldn’t be spending a summer afternoon in the park fretting about preparation.
“We have people who come in that have a couple of different approaches to picnics,” says Keith. “There are those who want a conventional meal, with an entree and sides, and that can work. But it takes a little more coordination.
“And then there are those looking for shareable bites. The picnic is about snacking, some nice meats and cheeses.”
He’s clear that he prefers the snacking approach. It takes a lot of the prep work and hassle out of the day.
“The last thing you want is to be stressed about making the food perfect,” he says.
But, if you do want to fire up a portable cooker or use one of those City of Edmonton grills, Keith recommends going with pre-cooked wieners or sausages, rather than cooking a steak or a burger from raw.
Here are some other basket tips:
“The first question you should ask, is how hot is it going to be?” says Keith.
Yes, picnic baskets are designed to keep your food out of the sun, but if it gets to 30 Celsius out, there’s only so much you can do.
So, if the weather forecast is calling for a scorcher, Keith says you should steer away from chocolate and cheeses that will sweat.
“I’d go with a nice Brie, because it gets even creamier with the heat,” he says.
And, there are some snacks that are built to last. Keith says the bagged pretzels from Zwick’s — which come in a variety of flavours — will stand up to any temperature and are just a great outdoor snack.
Stop at the farmers’ market for some fresh fruit, because berries, cherries and stonefruit make for great, refreshing snacks.
Meuwly’s is seeing great success with canned wine and pre-made bottled cocktails. Don’t be a snob — they make for a much easier picnic. If you’ve got canned bubbles, whites or rosés, they can go in the cooler. And, you can pack a variety of them — so you’re not stuck with the one bottle. You can sip, share, and try something else. And they make for easy clean-up; just pitch the empties into the nearest blue bin.
“I think it’s a great trend that’s here to stay,” he says.
Of course, just check that you’re in a City of Edmonton park where alcohol consumption is allowed. And, drinking under the sun can pack a wallop — so make sure you’re getting to and from the park without having to drive yourself.
There are lots of jarred goodies that make for great picnic items. Pickles. Olives. Great mustards and jams. But, if you’ve got jars with lids, place some of your other picnic items in them before you go. Why? It makes unpacking and clean-up a heck of a lot easier. And, if you can easily seal and unseal your food, you make your site just a little less attractive to wasps.
As well, take your cutlery and wrap it in a tea towel, so sharp bits aren’t exposed when you open the basket. And, when you’re done, wrap the dirty cutlery in the tea towel so they all stay together and don’t rattle around in the basket, getting everything else dirty in the process.
