So, I'm hot and heavy into researching the content for another one of the potential pilot episodes of the Food & Kisses show -- the focus is on that grand summer tradition, the picnic.
As we know, I'm a little geeky in a glitzy kind of way (I did the wash tonight and I cannot believe how much GLITTER there was in my laundry after a weekend of three straight days of glittering it up for a dance performance) and I like to share my glitzy, kitchen geek ways here on this blog. I know I would be remiss in my duties if I did not dish a little about some of the back story of the Picnic Episode.
For starters, the picnic was popularized during the Victorian age in England. It's not completely clear how the word "picnic" evolved. There is some speculation that it originally indicated a hodgepodge of anything and came to mean a party to which all guests contributed a share of the provisions.
There is a terrific quote from "Chamber's Journal", dated June 6, 1857 that goes like this: "A picnic should be composed principally of young men and women; but two or three old male folks may be admitted, if very good-humoured; a few pleasant children; and one -- and only one, dear old lady: to her the whole comissariate department be intrusted by the entire assembly beforehand, and give her the utmost powers of a dictatress for so shall nothing we want be left at home."
Why, I wonder, only one old lady? Was Chambers concerned that there would be a power struggle for control of the comissariate department? Did he fear there would be too much gossiping? Or was he concerned about the health of the old gals...afterall, back in those days one never knew when a dear old lady might come down with the ague, apoplexy or the dreaded vapors!!!
For inspiration on this subject, I turned to one of my favorite cookbook authors, Claudia Roden and her book, "Everything Tastes Better Outdoors". I was not disappointed when I read the following: "The leisurely atmosphere of vacation cooking is the best time to learn to trust your own taste and common sense, to weigh with eyes and hands, to feel and taste and dream a little." So true...
In the middle of all of this research, dropped into my email box was a link for 25 No-Cook Recipes from the dear folks at Recipezaar -- many of these would be perfect for your next picnic: click here.
Researching this topic has been quite fun and we look forward to bringing this to life for you!
Food & Kisses, GiGi
No comments:
Post a Comment