Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition

The ultimate picnic spread

- By David Tanis

Imagine a painting of a pastoral scene on a fair summer day, a splendid feast laid out, fine carpets for lounging and guests nibbling on carefully transporte­d morsels — a proverbial picnic in the grass, with dogs and children at the edges.

That’s one kind of picnic, but there are so many ways to picnic. Even the simple gesture of moving dinner outdoors on a balmy evening can feel picnicky, which is to say, nice.

That picnics are movable feasts adds to the experience. It’s the collecting and wrapping of the food, the carrying of the meal to a particular place and the anticipati­on of serving it that make picnics a kind of special event, be it a leisurely trip to the beach, an hourslong tailgate or a buffet lunch in a lush garden.

If I have to lug the basket, I want it to be filled with things I like. Sandwiches are my favorite picnic food, so I offer a couple of them here. I’ve had a thing for sardines out of the tin since I was a kid, but now I want them served atop thinly sliced dense, dark rye bread, generously spread with good butter, sprinkled with sea salt and black pepper, a few arugula sprigs and a tiny squeeze of lemon, no more. Some would add a little Dijon mustard, but not me. Take all the ingredient­s to the picnic site and build the sandwiches there, or pack them to go.

A simple and refreshing combinatio­n of a spicy, herbed cucumber salad and creamy ricotta, served on halved ciabatta rolls, is another option. Aside from good cucumbers, there are just two requiremen­ts: freshly baked bread, with a crisp crust and tender crumb, and the best ricotta you can find, preferably basket ricotta. (You could also use natural cream cheese or queso fresco.)

Next, I want a couple of substantia­l salads that are always nice to have on hand, picnic or not. For that, I packed white beans tossed with oven-charred cauliflowe­r and a zesty vinaigrett­e, flecked with celery hearts and ground fennel, and cherry tomatoes and olives dressed with olive oil, a little oregano, vinegar, garlic and chile flakes, and spooned over slices of fresh mozzarella.

Dessert at a picnic is always wanted, expected and deserved. Anything cookielike is a sure bet, especially if you’ll be crossing rough terrain, and pecan shortbread is my current favorite — crumbly, salty and buttery, with a touch of cardamom. Augment, if you wish, with a bowl of cherries, nectarines and peaches. And ice cream, if you’re clever enough to keep it frozen in your travels.

Then, wash it all down with a summery red hibiscus punch. Known in Mexico as agua de Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean as sorrel, the drink is made by simmering and steeping dried hibiscus blossoms with spices. The resultant ruby liquid, lightly sweetened, has a pleasant tannic quality and is deliciousl­y thirst-quenching over ice. If you want your punch to live up to its name, add your spirit of choice. Read: rum. It’s a picnic, after all.

 ?? KATE SEARS/THE NEW YORK TIMES PHOTOS ?? A picnic spread, clockwise from bottom left: white bean salad with roasted cauliflowe­r; caprese-style marinated mozzarella with cherry tomatoes and olives; open-faced cucumber-ricotta sandwiches; and sardines on buttered brown bread. It’s the collecting of the food and the anticipati­on of serving it that make picnics a special event.
KATE SEARS/THE NEW YORK TIMES PHOTOS A picnic spread, clockwise from bottom left: white bean salad with roasted cauliflowe­r; caprese-style marinated mozzarella with cherry tomatoes and olives; open-faced cucumber-ricotta sandwiches; and sardines on buttered brown bread. It’s the collecting of the food and the anticipati­on of serving it that make picnics a special event.

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