South Africans love the outdoors and eating al fresco. This makes packing a picnic basket the perfect solution for time spent with family and friends. Except for a couple of months of freezing winter rains in the Western Cape, picnic time can take place any time of the year.
“A picnic is more than eating a meal, it is a pleasurable state of mind.”
– DeeDee Stovel
A picnic basket is like a treasure chest, just waiting to be explored and enjoyed, no matter the occasion – from a romantic tête-à-tête for two, to a birthday celebration, a gender reveal party or an outdoor concert in the park.
Childhood nostalgia
Certain foods are your quintessential picnic basket staples – we’re talking packets of chips, hard boiled eggs, potato salad, chicken mayo sandwiches or ham cheese and tomato rolls wrapped in wax paper and stuffed into a Tupperware container alongside homemade chocolate brownies. (Just what nostalgic childhood memories are made of).
Enid Blyton captures this perfectly for us in her novel, ‘Five go off in a caravan’:
“Soon they were all sitting on the rocky ledge, which was still warm, watching the sun go down into the lake. It was the most beautiful evening, with the lake as blue as a cornflower and the sky flecked with rosy clouds. They held their hard-boiled eggs in one hand and a piece of bread and butter in the other, munching happily. There was a dish of salt for everyone to dip their eggs into. ‘I don’t know why, but the meals we have on picnics always taste so much nicer than the ones we have indoors,’ said George.”
Grown-up sophistication
Of course, as we grow up, our picnic baskets may take on a more sophisticated story – we’re talking Chardonnay, a selection of cheeses, sundried tomato or basil pesto, a french loaf, some Turkish figs, a bunch of seedless grapes and bottles of sparkling water. This is where you might want to consult with Jamie Oliver who has picnic inspiration to make your mouth water.
Adventure types
Then we get the more adventurous sorts whose idea of a picnic is a welcome culinary interruption to a day’s hike. These outdoorsy types swap the picnic basket for a picnic backpack, stuffed full of energy bars, energy drinks and a flask of instant coffee.
The simple essence and joy of a picnic is that it doesn’t have to be a formal planned event – it can be impromptu; just fill a picnic basket or backpack with a few of your favourite treats, grab your kids or a few friends and head outdoors.
At bidorbuy, we hold to the philosophy that life can certainly be a picnic. And no matter what your picnic personality may be, you will find picnic baskets, picnic backpacks and picnic blankets to suit our preference and your budget.
