What do you do when it’s lashing rain outside but too hot, heavy and humid to cook? You have an in-door picnic. It couldn’t be easier. You’re at home so there’s no danger of a forgotten corkscrew although on this occasion one wasn’t required as a bottle of bubbles had waited long enough for an excuse to be popped open.
Normally for a picnic I’d have a rummage in the fridge or I might make sausage rolls, coleslaw or potato salad but last Saturday we had been out so I bought everything. We had been to a friend’s birthday lunch and dropped into ‘On The Pig’s Back’ in Douglas on the way home. With six coca-cola fuelled kids bouncing around in the car I didn’t have much time for perusing. The driver was also anxious that we’d be back home in time to see the build-up to ‘The Match’ (Cork V Waterford) so it was a case of casting an envious glance at those enjoying a chat and a coffee and then quickly grabbing the old reliables – a round of gubbeen cheese, a large hunk of comte, a loaf of white crusty bread, a jar of Breheny’s Bellish red onion relish, gubbeen smoked salami, semi sundried tomatoes, cous cous with peppers and some chocolate.
When the half-time whistle blew at home we all gathered around the table. Let me not try to fool you into thinking that this was a dainty “excuse me, would you mind passing the ….” affair. Far from it, elbows jostled and hands grabbed as bread was quickly scoffed, smeared thickly with the red onion relish and topped with cheese and tomatoes. Watching the second half of ‘The Match’ through rose-tinted champagne glasses naturally softened the blow of losing though of course disappointed we all know the rebels will be back to whip Waterford another day.
p.s. I used the left over comte instead of parmesan to make pesto and it was deliciously nutty and rich.
Til next time, Sheila
