By Chef David Raines
When you think of a picnic, the visual of a blanket spread over a green lawn with a basket full of culinary delights is usually what comes to mind. But a “picnic” can take on a variety shapes, from a backyard barbecue to a tailgate party before the big game. Whatever form your picnic takes, know that the tradition is alive and well in the South. We simply love dining alfresco for a variety of reasons, or no reason at all.
The idea of what we view as a traditional picnic was born some 400 years ago. According writer Stephanie Butler, on www.history.com, “Historians agree that the English word “picnic” comes from the French term “pique-nique”, which was used from the mid-1600s on to describe gourmands who brought their own wine when dining out.”
From such humble beginnings as the first BYOB, the picnic evolved into a ritual for the well-healed of society during the Victorian era. That was short lived and eventually the tradition of a meal amongst the great outdoors crossed all social and economic boundaries.
As we move into the dog days of summer, we encourage you to find the shade of the perfect oak tree, a spot next to a babbling brook or a picnic table in a local park (we had our’s pictured here at Flora’s beautiful new Elise G. Anderson Walking Park, a stop on the Mississippi Wildflower Trail)
We hope you enjoy the various recipes include here. Many were a part of my boyhood growing up in Louisiana. The one exception is my twist on cold fried chicken with pineapple and lemons, a true delight from my years living in Hawaii.
Angel food cake
9 egg whites (room temp)
1 & 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cake flour
1 & 1/2 cup sugar
Soft together flour and 1/2 cup sugar.
In mixing bowl, add whites, extracts, salt and cream of tartar. Whisk on medium speed until soft/medium peaks. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 tbs at a time. Whisk until still peaks and glossy. Fold in flour mixture. Pour in cake increased cake pan. Bake at 350 for 20-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean:
Cream cheese frosting
2 c. Heavy cream
1/2 c. Powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
Whisk together until stiff peaks.
Set aside in mixing bowl.
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 & 1/2c powdered sugar
1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla.
Paddle until smooth and creamy.
Add chantilly cream in with cream cheese mix until well combined.
Bacon and Egg potato Salad
New potatoes (washed and diced)- 6lbs
Hard boiled eggs (chopped)- 7
Bacon (chopped)- 1c
Bacon fat- 1/4c
Celery (diced)- 2 ribs
Green onions (sliced)- 3/4 c
White wine vinegar- 1/2 oz
Mayo- 1.5 c
Creole mustard- 1/2 c
Salt- 1 tbs
Pepper- 1/2 tbs
Boil potatoes until soft, drain, and cool.
Whisk together mayo, mustard, vinegar, and bacon fat.
Add seasonings and whisk.
Fold in potatoes, eggs and bacon.
Smoked Chicken Salad
Chicken thighs (brined)- 5 lbs
Celery (small dice)- 1/2 c.
Red onion (small dice)- 1/2 c.
Candied pecans (coarse chop)- 1/2 c.
Lemon juice- 2 tbs.
Dill relish- 1/4 c.
Dijon mustard- 1/4 c.
Mayo- 2 and 3/4 c.
Worchestershire- 1 tbs.
Salt- To Taste
Pepper- To Taste
Granulated garlic- 1/2 tsp
Remove thighs from brine, smoke at 225 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let them cool and then thinly slice/shred the chicken.
Mix all ingredients together.
DEVILED EGGS
INGREDIENTS
•1 dozen eggs
•2 teaspoons dijon mustard
•1/3 cup mayonnaise
•1 Tbsp minced shallot or onion
•1 Tbsp finely chopped cooked bacon
•Salt and pepper
Hard boil eggs, peel and slice in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a bowl. Add all ingredients above with mashed yolks. Add more mayonnaise if you prefer a creamier consistency. Fill egg halves with mixture and chill.
The chicken with pineapple and lemon is significant to me because of my childhood memories of Hawaii. Cold fried chicken was an extremely common picnic food at the beach and we lived about 100 yards from Bellow's Beach. Eating it with pineapple and a squeeze of lemon was about as fancy as you could get in that setting but it's one of my fondest food memories as a little kid. I can still imagine myself eating that while leaning on a tree, looking at the pale blue water with the mountains across the bay.
