Picnic in French style. A fabulous picnic in French style. How to cook baby carrots with sesame seeds
Go out on a picnic with a basket filled with great food and you'll discover why the French prefer to eat this way.
The French do everything with their usual panache, especially when it comes to dining en plein air. These days, adding a little Gaelic panache to your picnic isn't hard to do. Modern French cuisine is light and simple - it suits the modern lifestyle perfectly. When going on a picnic, French gourmets prefer not only fresh vegetables and fruits, but also an assortment of smoked sausages, delicious homemade cheeses, crispy village bread - everything generously seasoned with herbs (mainly chives and tarragon. Now all this can be easily bought in some supermarket or specialty store, but if you prefer homemade, we've provided all the recipes you need below. Choose any ideas from these four menus and create your own unforgettable dejeuner sur l"herbe.
FIRST MENU
Tomatoes in Pravan style- whole, ripe tomatoes, scraped inside and deseeded, filled with a mixture of crushed garlic, parsley and toasted bread crumbs and olive oil.
Green salad- green salad leaves with boiled green beans, dressed with vinaigrette made from olive oil, lemon juice and tarragon.
Baked small new potatoes with aioli (garlic mayonnaise) (just crushed garlic with high-quality, thick mayonnaise).
Whole, ripe, juicy apricots, peaches, nectarines and slices of fragrant melon.
WINE Alsatian Pinot Blanc
SECOND MENU
Country pate generously spread on fresh crusty walnut bread.
Pieces of Comte cheese with pickled gherkins (pickled cucumbers).
Salad "Frise" with crispy pieces of fried bacon and vinaigrette dressing.
Range almond cakes.
WINE Red Cotes du Rhone.
THIRD MENU
Dish with smoked trout and boiled shrimp, served with dill and lemon wedges. Serve with a great sauce (great for seafood), just mix chopped capers, tarragon and dill with mayonnaise.
Pickled fennel salad- simply mix finely chopped fennel with lemon juice and olive oil; season. You can leave it to marinate until you arrive for a picnic.
Baguette with unsalted French butter.
Lemon tarts "tartes au citron" with lemon whipped cream - just add lemon zest to it.
WINE Pink from Anjou or Provence
FOURTH MENU
Assortment of smoked sausages with pickled artichokes.
Chicory leaves, seasoned with aromatic olive oil, spinach and a drop of white wine vinegar.
French bread with salted French butter.
Chocolate mousse with orange shortbread.
WINE White Brugunda.
Recipes to note
If you have arrived, then it’s time to join the traditions of the French. And one of the most interesting traditions of the French is the tradition of having frequent and interesting vacations. It must be said that in general, in this sense, the French have a lot to learn. They try not to stress over unimportant matters, and this gives them the opportunity to truly live 100 percent. The French look leisurely, and sometimes simply and sluggishly. But in reality this is not the case, they just know how to relax well like no other nation. And they don’t wait for a vacation for this, but use almost every convenient opportunity to properly relax and unwind. Even while working, most French people manage to find a couple of minutes to drink a cup of coffee. And even more so, they do not agree with just wasting the weekend and not getting a full rest. The French, by the way, are an active nation; they are not inclined to just lie on the couch on their day off, but will definitely try to find a more interesting use for this day. We'll talk about how the French most often relax on their days off.
One of the simplest ideas that comes to a Frenchman's mind is to go on a picnic. This vacation option costs relatively little money and at the same time provides the opportunity to get real pleasure. The French are actually big picnic fans, and if after you arrive... live in France for permanent residence, If you are offered to go on a picnic, then agree. This is a rare opportunity to see a truly French holiday option, and besides, just get the most out of it.
Well, we’ll now tell you how to prepare for a picnic in France.
Picnic time and place
If a really high-quality picnic is planned, then its place is determined in advance. Without acting on the principle of “let’s get on the highway and then we’ll see.” In fact, the French never do this. Almost every Frenchman has his own favorite places, including favorite cafes and restaurants, favorite shops whose sellers he is familiar with. There are also favorite places for picnics, and no other place is simply suitable for a Frenchman. In this regard, you can be sure that you will receive a lot of positive emotions. Usually the place for a picnic is some picturesque clearing not far from Paris, or it may be that such a place is located in Paris itself. Yes, don’t be surprised, this is quite possible! Because there are a large number of parks in which you can find wonderful places for your holiday. In many parks you can not only eat delicious food that you bring with you, but also light barbecues and cook barbecue. It is only advisable to find out in advance where this is allowed and where it is not.
As for time, usually a French family goes out of town on Friday evening, if we are talking about picnics lasting several days, or on Saturday/Sunday morning, when they plan to return back on the same day. The French are big fans of multi-day events of this type; they believe that it is much better to spend the entire weekend outside the city on a picnic rather than on your own sofa. But at the same time, they still love comfort, and even their picnics outside the city are still associated with a large number of amenities and benefits that are provided by modern civilization.
Popular dishes for a French picnic
If a Frenchman is going on a picnic, he will definitely take a pie with him. Moreover, the pie is usually cold. But, one way or another, this is the main dish for a picnic, and it is simply unthinkable without pie. A very popular option is tarte tatin. This pie is a pie with apples, but its peculiarity is that the apples are not baked inside, but placed on top. If you want to make an apple pie with the filling facing out, then this is practically a French dish. However, this pie also has some other secrets, such as shortcrust pastry. You can make tarte tatin pie yourself if you have the necessary skills, or you can buy it in one of the French pastry shops, which is in demand among those who come live in France for permanent residence and plans to go on a picnic soon. You will be able to choose from a large number of apple pies, because every chef and every pastry shop prepares such pies according to their own special recipes. However, the pie does not have to be exactly apple; other options are possible, for example with brisket. By and large, tarte tatin is a universal form for a pie with any filling, so if you are going to go on a picnic in France and show your own culinary talents, then you can make a pie with almost any filling, and your French will definitely like it friends and acquaintances to whom you will offer it.
In addition, a Frenchman almost never goes on vacation without having a bottle of wine with him. Typically, the French always drink their own domestic wine, and this is not surprising. Because in France they make the highest quality wine from natural grapes, and this is truly the best product, especially when compared with what the word “wine” is usually understood in other countries. Moreover, it is in France that you can buy high-quality wine for only 5 euros per bottle, and for the price of one euro you can still find a decent product. Real grape wine is the best France has to offer and if you're going live in France for permanent residence, then be sure to try it.
Also, any cheese dishes are popular among the French. Compared to the Russian options for using cheese for picnics, the French, on the one hand, have not gone far, but on the other, they have gone very far. They take cheese to a picnic not in the form of one piece cut into slices or in the form of sandwiches, they usually take sliced cheese, but at the same time, this slice can have many different varieties of cheese. It’s worth saying here that the French have a large number of types of cheese that they eat and love. As for the variety of cheese, here other nations are also extremely far from the French nation. At a picnic, you may be offered cheese made from cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk, although different types of cheese also require special preparation and a unique bouquet of seasonings. Once you try French cheese, you are unlikely to want any other.
The French also love fresh vegetables. Therefore, there is no doubt that fresh vegetables will also be taken for a picnic. The French can eat many vegetables almost in their pure form, for example tomatoes, cucumbers and a huge number of types of lettuce. All this can be eaten plain or with cheese and wine, or you can make a salad. There are no difficulties here; there are a large number of different types of salads that can be prepared from fresh vegetables. And have no doubt that such a salad will be an excellent breakfast or lunch for you, as well as an excellent snack with wine.
By and large, the French love salads just as much as the Russians. The only difference is that instead of a fatty Olivier salad seasoned with mayonnaise, the French would rather eat something much lighter and nutritious, for which the stomach will definitely thank you.
What not to forget on a picnic in France
For most of those who come live in France for permanent residence, It’s also important not to forget anything when going on a picnic. Therefore, some recommendations in this regard would also be appropriate.
Firstly, about what to put everything you take on a picnic in. As practice shows, special baskets are best suited for this purpose. It is preferable to use baskets with a closing lid; this is generally the best option, so that you can not only put everything you need in a convenient way into the baskets, but also take it out at the right time, and be sure that all your dishes will be in full safety.
Secondly, you need to think through and build something like a table. Most often in France, the role of a table is played by a tablecloth spread on the grass. You can put everything you took with you on it and conveniently have lunch or breakfast. If you are planning a long picnic, that is, one that can last for several days, then in this situation the tablecloth is usually not removed; there are always baskets of food on it, so that anyone who is hungry can come up and eat. But at the same time, for a Frenchman, any meal is a very important event, so everyone tries to get together and eat together, and not separately. Even at home, the French usually get together with the whole family in the evenings to have dinner. As a result, dinner turns into the largest meal, because you don’t want to go away quickly. This is not entirely healthy, but it gives you the opportunity to have dinner in a warm family or friendly company, and this is really worth a lot.
In case of rain, it is better to roll up such a tablecloth after each meal. Or - nothing prevents you from installing an additional tent and eating in it. This is a very good option, especially since the French usually take everything they need for a picnic and they are not limited in the number of tents.
Of course, you need to take everything you need for cooking if you plan to cook and not just eat what you already brought with you. As a rule, if a picnic lasts one day, then in this case they eat everything that was taken from home. If this is a long picnic, then you need to cook food. Usually, it is not a fire that is used, but a barbecue. This is a more civilized option, and it is also more convenient and safer.
If you decide to go on a picnic in France near Paris or another large city, then in many cases there is no need to prepare specially at all, since all the necessary food will be delivered to you directly to the picnic site. This is also a good option, because it guarantees the absence of unnecessary hassle, and at the same time that you will get delicious food right on vacation.
About safety at a picnic
If you're visiting and going on a picnic with your French friends, there are some things you'd better not forget.
The French are raised to pay attention to the environment. And this is fully noticeable when the French go out into nature. Since the representatives of this nation have cleanliness and care in their blood about how their picnic place will look after them. The French do not leave any papers or garbage behind. In this sense, you need to take great care of yourself when in company with them, because Russians, frankly speaking, have different standards, so all kinds of leftover food and candy wrappers are often thrown anywhere. For the French, all this is highly unacceptable, which is why it is better to prepare garbage bags in advance and put everything in them. In this case, the picnic will be successful, and the place where you spent it will be waiting for you next time just as beautiful and picturesque. Taking into account the fact that the French are accustomed, as a rule, to go on a picnic to the same places every year, it becomes even more understandable that they try to preserve the pristine beauty, including for themselves.
In addition, you need to take care of protection from insects. This is as true in France as it is in any other country. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent cream. In this case, your vacation will not be ruined.
In case of adverse weather conditions, it is better to take tents that are insulated from water. In this case, you can get a high level of comfort even when it rains. France is a fairly warm country, where even in winter it rarely gets colder than +10, and in the summer you can even count on the fact that your outdoor recreation will go well and be remembered only from the best side.
Picnic fun in France
Naturally, if you want to fully relax, then you need to think about entertainment. The picnic itself is usually an opportunity to take a break from the household routine and spend time actively. And from these positions, it is best to move more. Therefore, it is better to take with you:
- everything you need for active games. For example, such as football, basketball, tennis. The “equipment” for such games is minimal and does not take up much space, and at the same time, thanks to this, it is possible to really relax in the fresh air.
- if there is a body of water nearby, you can also take everything for swimming. Relaxing on the water is one of the best vacation options, so bringing a swimsuit during the warm season is a very good step.
- at the same time, do not forget about quiet recreation options. For example, board games or crossword puzzles. This will make your vacation more comprehensive, and therefore joyful.
If you are going to come live in France for permanent residence, then go on a picnic as often as possible, this will allow you to have a lot of fun and better understand the French.
Finally, we have waited for real spring and warm days! The weather is so wonderful, which means our favorite time for outdoor picnics has arrived! How great it is to go to the park or out of town with a basket of snacks, when there is beautiful nature around and there is no need to rush anywhere... You know, how many interesting and funny ideas for picnics we found in European blogs, we will soon tell you about them all. Today we have a Parisian picnic, organized by Magdalena and Liz from Germany.
Allow yourself to arrange a little France in nature, and also treat yourself to homemade ice cream.
We have already tried making homemade ice cream according to Magdalena and Liz’s recipe and we must admit that it is not only healthy, but also tastes delicious! Moreover, it’s quite simple to prepare, and the best part is that you don’t need an ice cream maker. To enjoy a cold dessert in nature, as always, a cooler bag will help us out.
Ice cream with Oreo cookies or fresh strawberries and raspberries.
Ingredients:
- 4-5 ripe bananas (sliced and frozen)
- 1-2 tbsp. mascarpone
- 100 ml milk or cream
- a little sugar or honey
- 4-5 Oreo cookies or a handful of raspberries and strawberries (to taste)
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 vanilla pod
Cooking method:
To make ice cream, just mix all the ingredients in a blender until the consistency of puree and cool.
Incredibly simple, isn't it?
You can find even more photos from the Parisian picnic on the Fein&Fabelhaft blog.
And the dishes and decor for sweets from Miss Etoile, which Magdalena and Liz used, are in our
There are a million ways to spend a weekend in nature - you can go to the park, set up a barbecue, grill kebabs and drink beer, these are the types of companies I mostly encounter outdoors in Moscow. If you use a little imagination, you can arrange something more sophisticated for yourself and your loved ones, for example, in the French style. So, here are my 10 ideas for a French picnic.
1. No plastic!
Forget about plastic dishes, remember the French aesthetes and arm yourself with a wicker basket with the most beautiful and favorite dishes.
Let them be crystal glasses for rosé - they are not so heavy that they save energy at the expense of incredible sensations.
Be sure to bring nice towels and cloth napkins, no cheap paper napkins, and cutlery - only the best! After all, even at a picnic you can arrange a small celebration for yourself.
2. Yes to beautiful dresses!
Since we have agreed that a picnic is a holiday, choose the appropriate outfit. Let it be a dress, a hat, or a flying sundress and a lace sun umbrella.
Treat yourself to a game, just don’t let it be sweatpants, even the most comfortable ones, or sneakers. Only your favorite sandals!
3. Gourmet quiche for yourself
Think about the menu in advance. It should consist of something that is convenient to take with you. Kishi is an ideal option and will appeal to all girls without exception! I wrote about how to cook French quiche with cherry tomatoes and soft cheese.
4. Brutal burger for him
A burger is something that is convenient to take with you. And if you cook it at home, taking into account everything he loves, it’s a real holiday for your man. I talked about how to cook a burger according to Isaac Correa's recipe.
5. The secret is in the details
Don't bother with complex dishes, remember the French and their love for small culinary joys. Make some tapenade and buy a nice crispy baguette. And there are also many different cheeses. And you don’t need to invent anything complicated! Read about how to prepare olive tapenade.
6. Pink is trending
What drink? Of course, rosé! What could be more enjoyable in the fresh air?
7. Be original
Do you want to spend an unforgettable weekend? Change your habits - go to the park not by car, but by bicycle. New emotions are guaranteed!
8. Add sound
Don't forget to bring your favorite music to soundtrack your picnic. Ideally, it should be combined with nature!
9. Sweeten your life!
What's a French picnic without something sweet? Croissants or macarons - it's your choice. But without the little sweet joys of life, no real picnic can take place!
10. Fresh on fresh
And definitely berries - their season is very short. So please yourself! 
What makes a picnic French? A clear plan and lists, a basket, entertainment, colorful blankets, the right dishes? Of course not. What makes a picnic French is the food and drink.
LE VIN - WINE
We advise you to create the mood with light conversations, funny stories and, of course, French wine. The wine can be white or red, preferably dry. By the way, in France, the majority of people produce dry wines.
Source: ebelllosangeles.wordpress.com
LE FROMAGE - CHEESE
Cheese can be a real treat if served correctly. To add variety to your cheese plate, we recommend choosing the following cheeses: Camembert or Brie, Parmesan or Cheddar, one of the blue cheeses, mozzarella, edam or Gouda, and goat or sheep cheese. This way, you will have cheeses of different spiciness and softness on your plate. Don't forget to garnish the cheese with honey, nuts, grapes, strawberries, figs, crackers or baguette pieces.
Source: angelesfinefoods.com
FRUITS ET LEGUMES - FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Be sure to bring lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and your favorite greens. We also advise you not to forget about red-sided apples, bananas and juicy oranges. It’s better to wash and cut everything in advance, so that you don’t have to worry about various little things in nature, but just enjoy it.
