Picnic ideas for two... Help!

[politicat]

So I think I'm going to drag the DH up the hill to try to catch sight of Mercury tonight. That means a stop at Whole Foods before I pick him up for picnic supplies (the basket, fortunately, is in the trunk because I had to replace one of the plates yesterday).

What would you put in your picnic basket for a somewhat romantic dinner for two before stargazing?

Ideas on the list so far:

Good cheddar
grapes and/or apples (depends on which look better)
grape tomatoes
Soups from the soup bar (cream of tomato-basil for me, and whatever it looks like he'll eat for him)
a bread of some sort (I could use a suggestion here...)

for me, that will be plenty, but DH has the appetite and metabolism of a hummingbird. Any ideas??

Pcat

[merci_me]

1. If I was going to Whole Foods

I'd hit the deli area. I love the grilled eggplant sandwiches and almost all the prepared dishes there. The falafel sandwiches are great but your teeth won't look so romantic, LOL. That would take care of all my healthy foods. Then I'd hot-foot it over to the bakery section and get CAKE!! Italian cream and carrot cakes (hey there'd be TWO picnickers, right?)

How long is the drive? The veggie snack chips are good, some dark grapes and Dr. Brown's cream soda.

Geez, and now I'm starved and leaving for the Library's annual booksale. I won't get to eat til we close the place, IF we have a dime left to our names, by then.

Mary

[politicat]

2. Got TWO cooler bags in the car, so the drive is not that big of a deal.

It'll be about 1.5 hours to get to where I think I need to go to get away from the light and to get up high enough to see the western horizon, but since we've got a bag to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, that's not a huge problem.

Cake was DEFINITELY on the list; they have a raspberry cheesecake he loves and a chocolate sin thing I find irresistible.

Hm. I'll check the deli; he's so finicky about some of that "froofy" food, and Eggplant is right out, but he likes their wraps.

Pcat

[eyesroll]

3. This may be a little too late, but for future reference...

I made this as an indoor picnic for two on Valentines Day. It can easily be transported. (I posted this before, but I've edited it for transport.)

1. Salad of hearts of palm and olives
Take one 14-ounce can of hearts of palm. Drain, and slice into 1/2-inch rounds. Slice 1/2-cup mixed good olives. Mix together.
Toss with dressing made from 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 3/4 tsp dried oregano, 1 clove garlic (if you're OK with garlic on a date) and 3 tbsp olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve on a bed of Boston lettuce -- if it's possible, I'd suggest packing the lettuce and topping separately, then plating them when you get to the picnic destination.

2. Prosciutto and mozzarella sandwiches
Put two slices of Italian bread side by side on a board. Layer the following:
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 large roma tomato, seeded and chopped
3 oz. prosciutto
1 bunch arugula, trimmed, chopped and tossed with olive oil (S&P to taste)
4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly
Two more slices of bread to top
Cut sandwiches in half diagonally, wrap tightly in plastic, chill at least one hour, up to a day.
This goes well with citrus segments and a bottle of Prosecco, should your picnic locale allow alcohol/glass bottles.

3. Chocolate pot au creme
Bring 2/3 cup whole milk to a boil, slowly over medium heat.
Meanwhile, combine one egg, 2 tbsp sugar, pinch salt, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2 tbsp hazelnut liquor in a blender. Pour in 1/3rd of the boiling milk, blend for 30 seconds, repeat until milk is gone. (This cooks the egg -- although if you're at all worried, use pasteurized eggs -- and melts the chocolate.) Blend until smooth. Pour into four small transportable cups (those little Gladware ones work nicely) and chill until firm (about an hour, but you can do this a day in advance too).

Bring 2 to the picnic spot, and you'll have 2 for leftovers. There's no good way to halve this, because of the egg.

If you want to go all out -- bring a squirt bottle (the type you use for ketchup and mustard on picnics -- they're less than $1 apiece and available at cooking, grocery and craft stores) filled with raspberry sauce (1 cup unsweetened frozen raspberries, thawed slightly; 1/2 shot Chambord, 1/2 tbsp confectioner's sugar, pureed and strained)

Also, bring whipped cream and fresh raspberries. I'd normally say whip the cream fresh, but it'll lose its volume in transit. Canned stuff is fine. But use the sort-of real stuff, not Cool Whip or some artificial dairy-like puffy substance.

Top with the sauce, cream and raspberries.

[housewolf]

4. Your Chocolate pot au creme recipe...

I'm just curious, because I've never had Chocolate pot au creme - how is this different from pudding? Is it a difference in texture or???

Thanks - I've been curious to try pot au creme, but haven't ventured there yet. Maybe I'll be inspired now.

[eyesroll]

5. I have no idea what makes it different from a pudding

Maybe it is a pudding?
I know it's a custard -- pretty much any egg-thickened dairy dessert can be called a custard.

It's just what the recipe was called when I found it and modified it a bit.

:shrug:

[grasswire]

6. one time.....

....I made a picnic for two that included a grilled, seasoned filet mignon (rare) sliced thin, some roasted redskin potatos tossed with sweet onions and herbs and a bit of vinaigrette, chilled asparagus with a bit of orange zest grated over and a bit of butter, and sugary peach turnovers. The result was gratifying. :-X