Menu for a Picnic

When I was younger, I used to day dream about planning grand parties or gala events. I am a bit of a little organizer I'm afraid, and it was always fun to do when I wasn't questing for Aztec gold or playing Lieutenant in an underground federation of government rebels in my backyard.

I would often sit thinking about the sort of dishes I would serve or the decor or the guest list or the occasion itself. I've always been fond of formal events (not proms or dances like in High School, bleh... those aren't formal at all...). I enjoy awards dinners, and would have loved being a debutante or some such. I guess I like the pomp and circumstance of it all.... well that and the fact that I own some very elegant clothing I hardly ever get to wear and I often crave an excuse. I'll admit, dressing up in some classy black or red dress or even business wear makes me feel much better about my body image. Why? Well... It definitely gives me an air of extra confidence, expertise and authority along with the fact that I don't look half bad at all if I do say so myself.

But I suppose I'm getting off track. You see it's simply such beautiful weather I have the strong urge to make a picnic dinner for my friends. I know exactly what I'd make too. I have this strange domesticity to me, you see. I can sew, cook, clean and get just about any stain you mention out of your clothing. My mother combined with my experience in the 4-H program has taught me much about the culinary arts, not to mention the fact that my father hunts and I can prepare most game you care to mention. So for sure I'd make some honey chicken tenders, made in the oven but they taste like they've been fried because of the trick of adding 1/4 cup of vegetable oil to the breading. The breading itself is actually cornflakes, Italian bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons of honey. To go with that, I'd make my Aunt Hazel's clover leaf rolls (Shameless 4-H symbolism...) that are so fluffy and light its nearly a crime to put any butter on them, not that you'd want to anyway. Then I'd have havarti, amish cheddar (the only way to go), edam and gouda cheese with pieces of venison summer sausage set out with grape tomatoes and olives (black of course, who eats the green ones? Ick..) for people to just take as they please. Now, I also have a great fondness for spring greens in my salad. Baby spinach is good and all... but nothing can beat lots of baby argulua, baby butter lettuces, endive, radicchio with the off brand low fat italian dressing from Shop n' Save...mmmmmmmmm.... Don't ask. For dessert... well... I'm always partial to jonathon apples and loads of fresh apricots, grapes and cherry tomatoes (for my guests, I abhor tomatoes personally...) Of course, for those who prefer something with a little more weight to it.... I will of course provide my mother's famed devil's food creme cupcakes.

But where to have a picnic? Well, about two years ago my 4-H club went tubing on Lake Springfield (for those of you aqquainted with the... toxicity of our lovely local lake, ... you may understand the apprehension in such an act...) and had a picnic lunch. It was my first time ever swimming in a lake and my first time ever going tubing. It was very enjoyable, but I especially enjoyed the spot we had because there were many trees, a little point that jutted out into the water really. You could walk out onto the tip of the peninsula and look down and tell how deep it was from the dark color of the water. It would have been nice to go fishing too.

I would like very much to gather all those I consider a friend and give them a splendid picnic in this nice weather. I would like to feed them good food, play around until it gets dark and then jam on guitar around the fire at dusk.

That's so cliched.... good lord. But truth is, I haven't been able to do that much at all... in fact I can count the occasions where I've done such a thing on one finger. But I love doing things for people, and dash it all, that would be fun! Of course, it's no Charity Ball, or awards dinner, or business luncheon I like to dress up for on occasion, but I can honestly say it'd be just as memorable.


Feeding people is an amazing thing. The U.N sends food to third world countries and disaster zones all the time. Something about food is a bonding experience. That someone else, could give you something good to eat, merely because they wish to further strengthen and honor the bond they have with you. In the case of the U.N., that bond is the bond of a brotherhood of human beings(Mind you, that's a highly idealized reasoning). The desire to see someone else, simply because you share the same blood and bone beneath all that flesh of different color or mind of different thought. The dinner table is the great equalizer. Where all can come together and be filled, physically and mentally.

I have great admiration for the Chinese people. They never ask "How are you?" They ask "Fàn chī guò le ma? " which translates as "Have you eaten?" They want to know if you've eaten, so they can feed you more if they can. Food = happiness in many countries where food is scarce. And because of this, all the food is put in the middle of the table and shared. Shared sustenance and shared happiness, shared thoughts over food: politics, news of the day, musings and ideas.

I wonder if we made all the people in power, no matter whether it be government or a business or, heck... even school boards (!) I wonder if we made them eat dinner together while they hold their meetings if that would improve the communication or level of empathy between sides. Hmm... what if they held trials during dinner? Wow... the defense would always win if the defendant and his lawyer were talking to the jury while they were eating dessert... Just kidding!


Well I suppose that's enough musing for today. If you can't tell I was a little hungry while writing this myself, so I think it's time for some pretzels or something to tide me over.


Hey, Hey good lookin'
What ya got cookin'?
How's about cookin' something up with me?




See you later Space Cowboy...