The Food Junkie

Taste, texture & tales. Inside the mind of a chef.

Personal blog of The Food Junkie, Rebecca Clark. Discover stories of taste, texture and tales inside the mind of a chef that's travelled the globe in search of her next food hit. Bec sports a private cook book collection to rival the British Library and Harvard and shares her cooking wisdom with practical tips and humour. She's co-owner of Fish D'vine and The Rum Bar in Airlie Beach, Australia. An iconic award winning restaurant in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.

Picnic time

July 21, 2015  /  Bec Clark

One of my favourite picnics occasions is to head off for breakfast, well it can even be brunch but an early start, and it’s a winner. So when a very good friend, Lucy Hockham asked me to write about a picnic, this one came straight to mind. Fresh crisp morning air, park area to yourself, sense of freedom, walk before or after, swim if it’s warm enough or lazy around on the picnic rug reading a good cookbook. We have an amazing lagoon where I live, but the beach, river, creek, dam, forest, park all just perfect.

Ok so you can take a premade breakfast. Frittata, granola, Danish, egg and bacon sarnies, fruit and yoghurt jar, muffins, smoothies, waffles, slice, pancakes, rolled omelette, cereal, kedgeree, just to name a few. All easy, yummy and delish but for me the joy of cooking breakfast in the great outdoors on a BBQ, gas cooker, open fire if allowed,  whatever it is it does become a magical special occasion.

A grab and go picnic hamper is a must for any household. I really suggest to vamp it up though. You need more than just plates, cutlery and glasses. Fit it with salt and pepper, tongs, egg flip, good knife, tea towel, paper towel, chux wipes, oil and mine has chilli flakes. Can’t leave home without them. When the basics are in the hamper it makes a last minute impromptu picnic craving easy peasy for you to please. Grab your desired breaky produce and off you go. Can be simple or can be extravagant depends on how you roll. Pretty much comes down to being planned or not.

The early start, although early in the industry means at least double figures, even that for some that is very early, more pm style. Personally the older I get the earlier I rise, so early it is and so dam worth it. The crispness of the morning, the quietness of the morning, is, well, a magical picnic time.

So get the hamper ready, buy some breaky delights and plan a day. Set the alarm and have a bloody amazing time

PS. Banana and blueberry daiquiris, one of course, can make it even more special, pre made and then re-shaken I recommend.

Pss.  Mark, my partner recommends one of the eskies with blender attached. Well maybe on the Christmas list?

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