Weather permitting it’s the perfect time to pack the cool bag for a picnic

Weather permitting it’s the perfect time to pack up the cool bag and head for somewhere scenic for a picnic.

If the weather isn’t so good use the kitchen table, imagine it is outside and enjoy the time off. Picnics are one of those things that are often better in your imagination than they are in reality.

There are people who do it professionally and I’ve seen families wheel up, produce a tables, chairs, set the table fully and produce umpteen Tupperware containers full of salads and all manner of food.

Personally I think it’s better to have food that you can eat with your hands, rather than messing around with plates and cutlery. Piadina is an Italian flatbread ideal for filling and rolling up – no plate required.

The dough is unusual in that it’s not a yeast one but uses baking powder and is kneaded for 10 minutes. The resulting bread is soft and delicious.

Here it’s filled with slow roast tomatoes and a herb and scallion cream cheese. You could add sliced salami or cold cuts to the sandwich. What I like about is the neatness – it’s folded over and ready to enjoy.

Smoked salmon is one of those foods that really implies celebration.

Find a good quality local one like Ewings in Belfast who’ve been producing it since 1911. Here it’s paired with stout crackers, pickled radish and a horseradish and dill dressing.

Pack everything into separate tubs and let everyone help themselves. The fillings would all work well in a piadina also if you just wanted to concentrate on one element in your picnic.

Again you don’t need lots of different dishes – a couple works well leaving you limited dishes and more time to cherish the free time.

When I was growing up I often went on picnics with my grandparents. The savoury side was usually sandwiches and the sweet side of things was covered by the addition of fig rolls. To this day they transport me back to that time and I still love the taste and sense of nostalgia about them.

For the recipe here though I’ve added one for a citrus posset. This came about because I had some limes, lemons and a pink grapefruit knocking around in the salad part of the fridge.

Simmer cream and sugar for a couple of minutes and add the citrus juice. For a picnic pour the mixture into empty jam jars and allow to cool and then chill.

Top with some berries, I find frozen defrosted berries work well at this time of year just before they come into season locally. Place the lid on top and put in a cool bag. They can be transported safely without the risk of spilling all over the place. You could of course have a fig roll on the side.