Last week we told you about a must-have product of the summer, the Canterbury picnic basket from the Pacific Basket Co. This week we want to share with you some unique picnic ideas that are sure to transform your usual summer weekends into memorable stay-cations. These fun and indulgent picnic ideas made just for young professionals are inspired by some of our favourite muses: Europe and beer!
Skip the vin, pack some biere.
When imagining a romantic French picnic at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the scene would surely seem incomplete without a bottle of wine. To underestimate French beer, however, is a great misstep, especially when planning your own Parisian-style picnic. Specialty beers are becoming more and more popular in France, especially amongst the young professional crowd. In particular, seasonal brews like Biere De Mars, a limited edition beer sold only in the spring, makes a clever addition to any early-season picnic. For late summer fetes, specialty beer Trois Monts is the perfect mate for those pungent French cheeses, unique terrines and, of course, the pastries. With a slightly fruity taste and a fairly strong alcohol content (8.5%), we think Trois Monts beer compliments bleu cheese-slathered baguettes and pear tarts just as well, if not better, than any Chardonnay.
Picnic on the go
If exploring the great outdoors – rather than lounging about them – is more your weekend forte, then a Swiss-inspired picnic may be more your style. Young professionals in Switzerland are known for taking full advantage of their weekends by spending much of their time in the country’s exceptional landscape, hiking along the shores of crystal blue lakes and biking up the pristine peaks of the Alps. To sustain them in their activities, Swiss YPs pack picnics with easily transportable foods, and refreshing beverages such as the light and sweet Panache. Made with a low-alcohol lager, such as the popular Feldschlossen, and a lemon lime soda, the Panache is an ideal beverage for an active outdoor afternoon. This beer cocktail pairs perfectly with typical Swiss picnic foods like bindenfleisch, a dried beef similar to prosciutto, Emmentaller cheese, crunchy pickles, twisted wurzelbrot bread, and fresh Italian grapes.
Prost to picnics!
Home to Oktoberfest, Germany is well known for their heavy foods, hearty beers, and good times. Along the banks of the Rhein River, German YPs enjoy lively picnics while seated upon staircases of grand churches and old castle ruins. A typical German Sunday picnic often includes just what you might expect: a variety of wursts, potent mustards, served atop slices of dark bread, accompanied by the age-old picnic staple: potato salad. The most important item in a German picnic, however, is the ever-popular Weissbier (also known as Weizenbier). Weissbier is a thick wheat beer that is slightly sweet, and includes delicious hints of banana. When including Weissbier in your German picnic basket, packing the appropriate Weissbier glass is absolutely crucial. The slender glass with a broad top holds half a liter and is designed specifically to allow for just the right amount of rich foam. Pouring the perfect Weissbier is a challenging endeavor and is sure to provide you with much amusement at your own German-style picnic.
Try a Scotch egg, mate!
The name of one of their most popular ales says all you need to know about the reputation of beer in England; Fuller’s London Pride is a medium bodied brew with a unique biscuity flavour. While the popular beverage may be the center of attention at most English picnics, typical English picnic fare is also just as notable. Scotch eggs, a traditional picnic dish of hardboiled eggs covered in a layer of sausage and a layer of bread crumbs, are easily transportable and work well before a serving of cress sandwiches and Coronation chicken salad. To cap off your own royal summer picnic, indulge in the simplicity of the perfectly summery English dessert of strawberries and cream.
Whether you are planning a trip to the banks of Lake Zurich, or simply wish to recreate the spirit of a European picnic in your own backyard, packing just the right foods and brews will help transport you far away from your busy work week, and into a culturally-rich and deliciously indulgent time…wherever you are!