As I mentioned, our friend Louie cooked fantastic "Fried Chicken" and "Cornmeal Rosemary Lemon Cake" He kept the menu for 3rd time by our requests.
He almost always asks me to make some vegetable side dishes. It was easy for me to come up with some vegetable dishes to accompany "Fried Chicken" Even though the dishes would be determined by what I could find at the Farmers' Market on Saturday Morning.
The other couples who joined us at the party each showed up with "Picnic Food"
M & D made Penne-Putanesca and very sweet bite-sized pineapples,
Y & B showed up with tons of Fresh Fruit, include my very first Sweet Cherries of the season. There is no such thing as "Too Much Fruit for the Picnic"
Let me put it this way, once we put the food on the blanket, we could find things to munch all afternoon. And I must say, we had the best spread at the party.
As Jonathan puts it, we ate ourselves silly all day long....
It is better to keep vegetables in the fridge until you're ready to start chopping & slicing. You just can't keep vegetable on the kitchen counter in summertime.
And if you want to taste the freshness of vegetables, you have to make traveling time short as possible in the ice box. I also sprinkled juice of Lemons or Limes on vegetables much as I can for the hot weather. Then I packed them as pretty as I could make them.
When I'm having picnic in the hot summer days I try to make vegetable dishes colorful and appetizing. Otherwise people at the picnic will not touch foods. They would rather have cold drinks than veggies for sure. So,I had to make sure my vegetable side dishes will be looked good enough to reach at the picnic.
After all, you don't want to taking foods back home after the party !
Many friends always tell me that I make dishes pretty. That is the first thing they tell me about my dishes when I have friends over for meals.
My motto is "Make the Plates Pretty !" That will make people want to find out how they taste. That is my trick for cooking.
That is how I make people want to try my dishes.
That is my way of serving foods for any occasions.
Making Picnic Food is nothing less. Maybe more, since you have no control over for the surroundings.
A few weeks ago when I was visiting "Future Perfect", one of my favorite shops in New York I found Paper Plates& Cups, and individually packed Utensil-Sets.
So, I had to have them for that Saturday afternoon.
Paper Plates & Cups happen to coming from Japan. They are made from sugarcane fiber, molded to have gracious organic curves for easy handling.
Wooden Fork & Spoon & Knife Sets are sewn into a brown paper envelope, even came with a cotton square as a napkin.
For great picnic foods, I thought I should have special servings not ordinary plastic ones. Somehow having foods with those Plates, Folks & Spoons made them taste even better.
"Crudite" were companied by "Cannellini Bean Dip"
My "Japanese Turnip Quick Pickle" is always a hit at any party.
"Ribbon Salad" was made with Yellow & Green Baby Squashes and Radishes.
Blanched Green Beans & Pepers were simply dressed with Pesto.
I don't know how he does, but Louie's Fried Chicken is always So Juicy !
Putanesca Sauce is one of my repertoire as well.
It is good as hot pasta sauces, but it works for Cold Pasta.
D told me that he omitted "Anchovy" for the hot weather.
Fresh Lichees are so much better than from cans.
It goes very well with Ice Cold Green Tea.
The Basket for Fried Chicken became serving table for First course of Desserts.
Fresh Fruits are the best things for picnic.
"Cornmeal Rosemary Lemon Cake"
Is this the reason we are keep going to that Party ?
Since I don't bake, I never asked him to give me the recipe.
But I wonder if he will, if I ask ?
It is light and very refreshing specially in the Summer.
This maybe my favorite cake after "Lady M"s Crepe Cake....
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