Since the time of Adam and Eve, lovers have had a special affinity for the charms of the picnic. Cleopatra seduced Marc Anthony while dining on roast pheasant on the banks of the Nile; George Washington proposed to Martha while munching on hard boiled eggs during a picnic as they overlooked the Potomac River; and Josephine Beauharnaise, the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, had a passion for seducing her husband's junior officers while dining on the lawn of her family estate at Limoges.

One should not think, however, that the joys of the picnic are confined to lovers. Lucrezia Borgia was accused (almost surely falsely) of having done away with a family enemy by putting a fatal dose of poison in a liver pate while picnicking in the hills near Ferrara; Ludwig the Mad of Bavaria stabbed his cousin to death while dining al fresco on a moutainside near Rosenheim; and Lucky Luciano machine-gunned three of his "competitors" after they had enjoyed a Fourth of July picnic in Hyde Park,New York.

While one will do well to avoid picnicking with enemies, a civilized picnic is a thing of joy. Whether in the company of lovers, loved ones or simply friends, picnics should be as carefree as possible, and for each of the following menus, everything can be made in advance. Each of the following picnics is designed to serve 6 - 8. Those dishes that should be served cooled or chilled should be packed together in a styrofoam or other insulated container. Dishes that are to be served at "room temperature" should be packed separately.

Picnic # 1 - In The Greek Style

Stuffed Grape Leaves
Dolmadakia

36 grape leaves
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 - 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
l small onion, chopped finely
1 - 2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. parsley, chopped
juice of 3 - 4 lemons
1/2 tsp. each dried mint and dill
1/4 tsp each
salt, pepper and allspice
2 tsp. pine nuts, lightly toasted

Put the vine leaves in a large amount of lightly salted water. Slowly bring to a boil and let boil gently for 2 - 3 minutes. Quickly plunge the leaves into cold water and then let the water drip off. Lay the leaves on a board, laying them flat with the outer side down.

In a small skillet with 1 tsp olive oil saute the onions and parsley until the onions are golden. Remove from the flame and mix in the rice, mint, salt, pepper, allspice and dill. If the mixture is overly dry, add a bit more olive oil.

On each leaf place a heaping teaspoon of the rice mixture and then roll the leaf, tucking in the ends as you roll. Squeeze the finished rolls gently in the hand and, when all of the leaves are ready place them, side by side, in a shallow pan. Squeeze over the lemon juice and add enough stock to come half way up the rolled leaves. Cover with a small plate which rests on top of the dolmadakia and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame, cover the pot and let simmer gently for about 1/2 hour.

With a slotted spoon remove the dolmadakia from the liquid and refrigerate, covered, until well chilled. Serve cold. (Yieldsabout 36 leaves).

Cheese Pastries
Tiropitakia

For the Pastry:
225 gr. philo dough leaves (strudle-leaf pastry), refrigerated
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 egg yolk

For the Filling:
1 cup Emmenthal or similar cheese, grated finely
1/2 cup feta or salty goat cheese
3 oz. (85 gr.) cream cheese
2 eggs, beaten lightly
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. each nutmeg and pepper

Remove the philo leaves from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature about 1 hour.

Make the filling by mashing the goat cheese until it crumbles. Add to this the eggs, Emmenthal cheese, cream cheese, nutmeg, parsley and pepper and blend well.

Cut each philo leaf into a strip 6 x 12" (15 x 30 cm). Brush each leaf with the melted butter. Fold the leaves in half lengthwise making strips 3 x l1" (6 x 30 cm). Again brush with butter and place 1 Tbsp. of the filling at the bottom of each leaf. Fold over to form a triangle and continue folding, buttering each fold, until the strip is completed. Repeat with each of thestrips and place the completed triangles on a well greased cookie tin. Brush the tops of each triangle with butter and then with a mixture of the egg yolk and 2 Tbsp. of water. Sprinkle over with the sesame seeds and bake in a medium oven until the pastries are golden brown and flaky (about 20 - 30 minutes). Serve hot or cool. Yields 16 - 24 pastries.

Bean Salad
Fassolia

2 cups dried lima beans
1/2 cup spring onions, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup onion, chopped finely
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. each wine vinegar and chopped parsely
salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste

Wash the beans under cold running water. Transfer to a largemixing bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand in the water hours. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan.

Bring the water to a boil and then simmer gently for 2 hours. Skim carefully, add salt to taste and let cook until the beans are tender (about 30 minutes longer). Drain the beans well and transfer to a salad bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate. Serve well chilled.

Almond Pears
Amigthalota

3 cups ground almonds
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 egg whites, beaten lightly
1/2 tsp. lemon rind, grated finely
2 - 3 drops almond extract
butter as required
whole cloves as required
about 2 cups additional confectioners' sugar for finishing

Blend together the almonds with the sifted confectioners' sugar and to these add the egg whites, lemon rind and almond extract. With the hands knead to make a firm dough.

Rub the hands with butter and break off walnut sized pieces of dough. Form these into pear-like shapes and into each insert a whole clove to resemble a stem. Place the "pears" on a buttered and floured baking tray and bake in a low oven for 20 minutes, covering the tops with foil if they begin to brown.

Sift about 2 cups of confectioners' sugar into a bowl and into this dip the hot almond pears. Stand on a rack to cool. Sift the remaining sugar from the bowl into the base of a rectangular storage container and on this arrange the pears when cool, in a single layer. Over the pears sift a bit more of the sugar and seal and store for 1 - 2 days before serving.

Picnic #2 - From the U.S.A.

Chicken Salad

4 cups chicken, cooked and diced
2 cups celery, diced
14 vinaigrette dressing (ideally home-made)
1 cup mayonnaise
salt, pepper and paprika to taste
lettuce leaves for serving
2 cups fatty bacon, cut in thin slices
green olives and capers for garnish (optional)

Combine the chicken, celery and vinaigrette dressing. Toss well and refrigerate, covered, for 2 - 3 hours.

In a skillet fry the pastrami until crisp, turning several times. When crisp, let cool and then crumble.

Just before serving combine the chicken mixture with the mayonnaise and season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika. Serve on lettuce leaves and sprinkle over with the pastrami crisps. If desired, garnish with olives and capers.

Potato Salad

1 1/2 kilos new potatoes
1 cup dry white wine
8 slices bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled
1 tsp. each salt, black pepper and black mustard
1 cup celery, diced finely
1 cup spring onion, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup carrot, chopped coarsely
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
juice of 1 large lemon
chives or greens or spring onions, chopped, for garnish

Wash the potatoes well and put them into a large amount of salted boiling water. Cook until the potatoes are just done when tested with a fork. Do not overcook. When done, drain and run quickly under cold water. Peel and slice the potatoes.

In a large mixing bowl put the potatoes and pour the white wine over. Add the pastrami, salt, pepper, mustard, celery and carrot. Do not toss. Cover and let cool overnight in the refrigerator. Several hours before serving add the remaining ingredients, toss well and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish with the chopped chives. Serve chilled.

Caesar Salad

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp. salt black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. powdered mustard
1 cup French bread, cut in small cubes
2 heads romaine lettuce
4 anchovy fillets, diced
1 egg
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

In a small container combine 6 tbs. of the olive oil and 1clove of the garlic with the salt, pepper, vinegar, vinegar and mustard. Shake well, cover tightly and let stand, refrigerated for 6 - 24 hours before using.

In a skillet heat together the remaining olive oil and garlic, sauteeing until the garlic is golden. With a slotted spoon remove and discard the garlic. In the oil fry the bread cubes until browned but not burned.

Wash the romaine well and dry on paper toweling. By hand, tear the lettuce into 2" (5 cm) strips and place these into a salad bowl. Over this sprinkle the anchovy bits, the salad dressing, the raw egg and the lemon juice. Toss well. Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and the fried bread cubes and toss again. Serve immediately.

Peanut Brittle

2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
2 cups raw peanuts
2 Tbsp. butter
¼ tsp. baking powder

In a large, heavy saucepan bring to the boil 1 cup of water. Remove from the flame and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Add and stir in the corn syrup, salt and peanuts. Return to a moderate flame and stirring occasionally cook until the mixture has attained a temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit (145 degrees Celsius). Remove from the flame and gently stir in the butter and baking soda.

Pour the mixture into a well greased cookie tin, taking care to scrape out the bottom of the pan. Spread the mixture with a spatula and then, using cotton gloves, turn the mass over and with the hands stretch and pull the brittle so that it is as thin as possible. When the mixture has cooled break into bite-sized pieces and store in a tightly covered container. Yields about 900 gr. of candies.

Picnic #3 - Doing It as The French Do It

Duck Pate with Calvados
Pate de Canard au Calvados

1 duck, about 2 kilos, boned
1/2 cup Calvados or other apple brandy
1/2 onion, chopped finely
3 shallots, chopped finely (can substitute greens of spring onions)
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped finely
1 Tbsp. butter
300 gr. spicy sausage meet, without casings and crumbled by hand
1 egg
salt, pepper, thyme and allspice to taste
6 prunes, pitted and cut in quarters
1 bay leaf the
skin of the duck breast, cut into three broad strips

Cut one half of the duck breast into 1/2 cm. strips and cut the rest of the meat into convenient chunks. Pour the Calvados over the duck and let marinate for 1 - 2 hours.

In a saucepan melt the butter and in this saute the onion, shallots and apple until the onions are just beginning to brown. In a mixing bowl combine these with the duck meat and sausage. Add the egg, seasonings and Calvados, mixing well. By hand form a small patty and fry this to check the seasoning.

Transfer 1/3 of the mixture to the bottom of a well greased 3 1/2 cup loaf pan. On this place half of the strips of duck meat and 1/2 of the prunes. Cover with another third of the mixture and again cover with duck strips and prunes. Cover with the remaining meat mixture and over all place the bay leaves. Over this lay the chicken skin and then cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Preheat the oven to 330degrees Fahrenheit (170 Celsius). On a middle shelf of the oven place a large saucepan with about 1" (2 1/2 cm.) of water and place the loaf pan in the center. The terrine will be done in about 1 1/2 hours (a sharp knife plunged into the center will come out clean when the terrine is done).

Remove from the oven and place a heavy weight on the foil Let cool and then refrigerate for 1 - 2 days before serving. Serve cold.

Deviled Eggs
Oeufs Durs Farcis

8 eggs
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. capers
3 anchovy fillets
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. sweet cream
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
several drops Tabasco sauce (optional)
pepper to taste
2 tsp. chives or greens of spring onions, chopped finely
lemon juice to taste
parsley, chopped finely, for garnich

In a saucepan bring about 3 cups of water to a rapid boil. Add the vinegar and then the eggs. Let the eggs boil for 10 minutes. Run the cooked eggs under cold water, crack the shells in several places and let cool in cold water.

Peel and half the eggs and carefully remove the yolks. In a mixing bowl combine the egg yolks, capers and anchovy fillets and mash together well. Mix in the mayonnaise and cream, adding moremayonnaise if desired. Season to taste with mustard, pepper, Tabasco sauce (if desired), chives and lemon juice.

Spoon the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Refrigerate until ready for use and just before serving, sprinkle over the parsley.

Spinach Salad with Oranges
Salade d'Epinards Crus

For the Salad:
1/2 kilo fresh spinach, picked over, washed and dried on paper toweling
1/2 small red cabbage, shredded finely
1/2 large celery root, peeled and cut into matchsticks
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 oranges, peeled and separated into sections
1 grapefruit, peeled and spearated into sections
4 spring onions, sliced
1 avocado, peeled and sliced

For the sauce:
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice, strained
1/2 tsp. paprika
6 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped finely

In a saucepan bring a large amount of lightly salted water to a boil and in this cook the celery root with the lemon juice for 4 - 5 minutes. Drain, run under cold water and drain again.

In a salad bowl combine the spinach, cabbage and celery root. Add the orange and grapefruit sections and spring onions and toss lightly. For picnicking, place the avocado slices in a sealed glass or plastic container for later use.

Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a tightly sealed jar.

Just before serving add the avocado slices. Mix the dressing well, pour over the salad and serve at once.

Four Fruit Sorbet
Sorbet aux Quatre Fruits

8 - 10 ripe bananas
1 large pineapple or 1 large can pineapple chunks (drained)
2 oranges
2 lemons
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg white

Peel the bananas and pineapple and cut into chunks. Peel and section the oranges and lemons and save the juice. Combine all of the fruits in a blender and puree together with the sugar, adding more sugar if desired.

Transfer the fruit mixture to a large metal dish and freeze until nearly frozen. Beat the mixture well, add the egg white and beat 1 minute longer. Return to the freezer. Leave in the freezer until nearly frozen again and then remove and beat again. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze solid. To transport to the picnic site, pack in ice and insulate well.

© Daniel Rogov