Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well with Candace Carrie and the Carrie Connection

This is the time of year when you can't be outdoors enough. Even if it means cutting the grass or washing the car, these are the months to enjoy life outside the house  and that includes dining.

One of the more enjoyable ways to spend a lazy weekend with friends is to have a picnic. Take a nice blanket, a basket packed to the brim with yummy foods, your favorite drinks and sinful desserts. And don't forget the camera.

Make sure you keep your foods chilled as long as possible.

Remember, food-borne bacteria flourish between 40 and 140 degrees, so keep your picnic items chilled as long as possible. Ice packs sold at the hardware store can be frozen ahead of time and packed with your foods to keep them nice and chilly. A space-saving shortcut: those plastic bottles of mineral water you're planning on taking can be frozen ahead and double for a cooling agent in your basket. Simply drink them later as they thaw.

Make dishes which are as portable as your basket: sandwiches and other "hand-held" items.

Remember to pack a plastic garbage bag in your basket so you can leave your picnic site at least as tidy as you found it; an additional plastic grocery bag will hold your dirty plates and flatware for the ride home. Also, pack some moist towelettes for easy clean up.

Keep the breakables to a minimum. Most party-supply stores carry a nice array of plastic glasses, serving platters, dishes and flatware. Besides, some of these brightly colored items can enhance your menu.

Don't forget to take along some fun: pack your book of poems or short stores for reading aloud or take a favorite game. Take a battery-operated radio for music  and the weather report!

Does your picnic cooler need freshening? Wash the inside with a solution of >-cup bleach per gallon of hot water. Then saturate a clean cloth with vanilla extract and wipe the storage area thoroughly.