It's Picnic time!

The sun is shining,(brillando) the days are long, and you want to escape from the city. What can you do? Go for a picnic of course! You can visit some monuments or museums, or go for a walk, but the most important part of the day (as all civilized people know) is the eating and drinking. Organizing the food and drink the day before you go is essential if you want to have an exquisite summer banquet. Here are some ideas to put in you hamper.(cesto)

         

Cutlery (cubiertos) and Crockery (vajilla)

To be really stylish,(estiloso) you can buy a large hamper that contains all the essentials for the perfect picnic. It needs to contain plates, glasses, knives, forks and spoons, and also a cheese knife, a corkscrew (sacacorchos) and a bottle opener. Take a tablecloth (mantel) to put all the food on, and some napkins.(servilletas) If the hamper is very large, you can include a wine cooler.(champañera) If not, you need to have your picnic close to a river, and leave the white wine and champagne in the water.

Something Savoury (salado)

You can take any food you like on a picnic. Do not be boring and pack only ham sandwiches and an apple! The picnic can be an excuse for gastronomic creativity, and a few hours in the kitchen the day before you go will make it a more enjoyable occasion. A selection of quiches and pies (tartas) are perfect for eating cold. Salads are refreshing, but there are more ingredients than iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. Try using different varieties of lettuce, marinated vegetables or couscous. To accompany the dishes, bring a selection of sauces and relishes.(salsas de guarnición)

Something Sweet

Ensure (asegúrate) you leave some room for your desserts.(postres) Chocolate is not a good idea if it is a hot day. A carrot and walnut (nuez) cake is probably a better option. Take lots of fresh fruit, like peaches,(melocotones) cherries,(cerezas) pineapple (piña) and strawberries.(fresas) You can serve the fruit separately or mix everything in a fruit salad. A perfect combination for the strawberries is a large plate of whipped cream.(nata montada)

Something to Drink

If you want to be like an English rambler,(excursionista) take a flask (termo) of tea with you. If, on the other hand, you prefer to imitate the English aristocracy, you have to drink Pimm’s. A few bottles of wine are essential, and at least one bottle of champagne to drink with the strawberries. If you drink too much, you can close your eyes and go to sleep. In the countryside (campo) you do not have to observe the same dinner party etiquette. Snoring (roncar) is definitely allowed!