Lovers Love Wine: Planning Your Romantic Picnic
Aug 29th, 2008 by BasketGirl
A perfect date requires a perfect setting to mix atmosphere, taste and romance. The warmth of summer or a cooler autumn with its romantic golden trees presents the best backdrop for an amorous picnic. Not to be left are the delectable wines to spice up the occasion. A luscious Sauvignon Blanc, the fruity aroma of Pinot Grigio or a lighter and citrus Chardonnay is a perfect blend for any wispy and healthy sunny delicacy.
Think of the classic checked tablecloth carefully placed on a patch of grassy hillside overlooking a waterfall, or a wooded setting surrounded by tall spruce trees prevalent along the Maine coast, their fresh scent sparking your appetite for the delicious food and wine and the company of your loved one. Choose some salty nuts from gift baskets you have for a healthy snack.
But summer isn’t the only good time for a picnic. A crisp day in the fall is also a wonderful time for you to be alone outdoors with your sweetheart. Find a wooded area where there is an explosion of reds, oranges, and yellows in the treetops and on the ground. Being surrounded by so much color will literally take your breath away.
A weekend, country drive to view all the beautiful fall foliage with a prepared picnic and a lovely wine gift basket is a great way to spend a lazy Sunday with a special person in your life. The cooler autumn days call for wines with a bit more body such as a delicious cherry colored Pinot Noir, a hearty Merlot or Shiraz and perhaps, a rich, ruby red Port.
The pleasurable dish creates an even more perfect and romantic date. That may depend on the time you have to prepare. Are you worried that you only have a short period to plan? Well, think simplicity. Oftentimes the most enjoyable and stress-free moments with your loved ones are those when you have less preparation and when you have simpler setting. However, a good cheese, several fruit in season, fresh bread and surely a sumptuous wine are essential must haves.
Now is the time to delve into those lovely gift baskets you may have received and take them along. Chocolate gift baskets are always welcome for a perfect end of the meal treat. Strawberries dipped in melted white and dark Belgian chocolate always make a delicious menu addition.
If a more sophisticated menu is what you had in mind, toss a fresh garden salad complete with in-season fruits and vegetables. Excellent additions to your salad would be foods like round tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, organic basil leaves, and a dressing of flavorful extra-virgin olive oil. It’s easy to take along a cheese or vegetable tart for a perfect complement for the fruit and cheese that follows the meal. And of course you can’t leave out the savory crackers and dip!
