Heavy, soft blanket to sit on (thick enough so the wet grass doesn’t leak through)
Sturdy plastic cups & plates (disposable OK, but I prefer to reuse, reduce & recycle)
Deck of cards
Wet wipes (good for washing your hands after hiking in to your favorite picnic spot)
Cloth napkins
Extra plastic bag/Large Ziploc for trash
Utensils

Suggested Food Items:

Chilled white wine (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc), sparkling water, or champagne
Fruit (whole peaches, tupperware of grapes, or my favorites - berries and figs)
Assortment of cheeses (try aged gouda, camembert, brie or knots of mozzarella)
Pre-sliced baguette (you can pre-toast and coat with olive oil)
Tomato bruschetta - see recipe below
Sliced deli meat (salami, turkey, smoked ham)
Marinated olives
Pre-made Italian pasta salad
Hummus
Marinated heirloom tomatoes (soaked in extra virgin olive oil, finely sliced basil, and a dash of fresh pepper & sea salt)
Grilled eggplant & portobella mushroom sandwiches with sliced mozarella, basil, cucumbers & tomatoes (if you’re not vegetarian - throw in a few slices of bacon!)

For an ethnic flare:

Cooked sushi (NOT raw!) - try teriyaki salmon on top of a ball of rice, wrapped in seasoned seaweed
Rice balls rolled in furikake or wrapped in seasoned seaweed
Gyoza w/ dipping sauce (equal parts soy sauce & rice vinegar with a touch of sesame oil, lemon juice and chilli oil)
Chilled Thai noodle salad (vermicelli noodles, sauteed bell peppers, basil, green onions, & chicken - tossed in a peanut butter sauce - you can buy the sauce at the supermarket)

Easy Bruschetta Recipe

2-3 cloves of garlic
5-6 tomatoes
small bunch of basil
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

Finely chop & gently warm cloves of garlic over low heat with extra virgin olive oil, do not burn or toast. Slice & remove seeds from tomatoes, chop into small pieces. Roll basil leaves from stem to tip, and finely slice to create long, thin slivers. Mix all ingredients together and drizzle with olive oil. Season with fresh ground pepper and salt.

Tip: throw the sliced basil in the mixture with olive oil as soon as possible - if left out on the counter too long, it’ll brown. Also, experiment with different spices and herbs - but keeping things simple allows you to enjoy the flavors of each of the few ingredients.

By Mie Nakayama