The 4th of July weekend is a time designed perfectly for picnics and cookouts. There's really no better way to celebrate the nation's independence than by firing up the grill and cooking up some burgers, dogs, chicken drumsticks or ribs. I personally don't have big plans to do much in the way of grilling (not having any outdoor space will do that to a person), I have been invited to a couple of picnics and will be throwing together a red potato salad with an olive oil and vinegar dressing, and a creamy coleslaw with purple and green cabbage.
I want to know what the rest of you are cooking this weekend. What's going on your grill, in your picnic baskets or out on the buffet? How do you handle vegetarian and gluten-intolerant guests? And most importantly, how are you ending the meal?
People who attended the annual Brantville Picnic in New Brunswick might want to read this.
Several people who attended the community picnic have become sick, with upset stomachs, nausea, and vomiting. But another thing that is worrying officials is that some of the possibly contaminated food wasn't eaten at the event, it was packaged so people who attended the picnic and people who didn't attend the picnic could take it home with them and eat it later. So you might have some of the food at home right now and not know it (though I would hope you would have eaten it by now since the event was last weekend).
Obviously, if you have any of that food you should get rid of it immediately. Full details here.
I have not been on what anyone would call a "picnic" in approximately 22 years. No joke. But it's June and that means many people will be heading out to parks and lawns and other places where they can spread out a blanket and eat various foods, so I'll start doing some posts on picnic-friendly recipes.
Today is Picnic Oven-Fried Chicken, over at AOL Food. It's from EatingWell, so you know it's not really fried, it's baked. The hot sauce, sesame seeds, and Dijon mustard in the recipe guarantee lots of flavor and kick.
What do you get when you throw together 60 people with a shared passion for food, a dash of Internet, a pinch of wit, and handful of colorful photos?
A Bay Area foodblogger's feast!
Held at the home of Tomatilla! and coordinated by Meathenge, it was a gathering of food blogstars. Here's a round-up of some the attendees' reviews of the fete, with photos and peeks at some of the faces behind the blogs' voices:
The UK is a touch on the warm side at the moment. [video details] Thoughts turn to out-door eating in such glorious conditions; which of course means picnics.
There is a guide to picnics on the screwpull website (which I have found a little late for the Slashfood Picnic Day). It has been compiled by some etiquette expert who has appeared on TV (on programs I wouldn't watch even if you paid me). Rules include such instructions as Check the Weather forcast, provide tables and chairs for your gran, pick a sheltered spot away from the sun and the rain, bring bags for the rubbish, and dont forget the silver sugar tongs.
The last one I made up. BUt I think you get the drift - basic common sense!
While it may seem like a "duh" moment when you hear that there are a lot of veggies that taste great at room temperature, it's a good thing to keep in mind for a picnic. I know that I tend to think of sandwiches and salads, as well as cookies and other treats, all of which can pack up nicely, but not of things that are usually served hot. At home, I usually cook and serve vegetables right away, but as I noshed on a leftover ear of grilled corn on the cob, I realized that it would be perfect picnic fare. With corn, you can grill it or boil it, tuck it into a ziploc bag (once it is cool) and bring it along. Once you hit the picnic table, you can still butter and salt it or, better yet, use some lime juice to really bring out the flavor.
Other cooked veggies that I like at room temperature are artichokes, which require a little more preparation than corn on the cob since you'll need a spoon to remove the choke, but are excellent even when chilled (try lemon juice and salt to avoid bringing heat-sensitive dips outdoors), asparagus (if they still have it at the markets in your area), zucchini/summer squash and any kind of beans. Of course, you can always add in some raw veggies, like tomatoes, cucumbers, celery and carrots, but you'll probably want some hummus or other dressing to make them a little more interesting since they're not as easy to simply spice up as cooked vegetables are.
Remember the saying, "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche" from the 1980's? Whoever said this -- I think it was comedian Lewis Grizzard -- didn't factor in one important consideration when it comes to both men and to quiche: men like picnics and picnics like quiche.
In my book, quiche is the perfect picnic food. It doesn't have to be kept warm. It's not messy. Best of all, it's more exciting and savory than sandwiches. My favorite quiche of all time has to be Quiche Lorraine. If you're really ambitious -- I'm not -- you can even make your own crumbly, delicious crust. Otherwise, you can travel the pre-made route and follow this recipe, which was adapted from Julia Child's original Quiche Lorraine.
All our bags are packed and we're ready to go... on a picnic (not an airplane). It's Slashfood's Picnic Day! We're excited to get out of the house and hit the road, and we're sure that many of you readers are eager to get away this summer, too. Whether you're going out to the beach for a long weekend or simply over to a friend's barbecue, we hope you'll like some of our favorite ideas, tips and recipes for foods that can be made ahead and taken along.
This space will be updated throughout the day with links to all of our posts, so feel free to bookmark it for a handy reference! You can also find all these posts and more summery things by looking under our Spirit of Summer tag all season long.
Food poisoning often occurs after eating a meal in a large, social setting such as a picnic, cookout, or cafeteria. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), foods in these settings are often prepared early and left unrefrigerated for long periods, allowing bacteria to form on the food. Food poisoning symptoms typically begin within two to six hours after eating the contaminated food. Signs of food poisoning are most often vomiting, fever, chills, headache, bloody diarrhea, weakness, and severe abdominal cramps. Treatment from a doctor is rarely necessary, unless dehydration occurs, says the NLM. To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids, but avoid milk or drinks with caffeine. You should also avoid solid foods while severely nauseated. And antibiotics aren't usually needed to manage food poisoning.
I'm sure most of us have experienced food poisoning at some sort of summer get-together. We likely pinpoint the sickness to something we ate, often that strange tasting potato salad that looked good on the outside. The association of our discomfort with eating certain foods may then last a lifetime. Just as important, however, we may experience some sort of generalized bad feeling toward an activity, such as future church socials or family reunions. I wonder if anyone can trace the loss of their religious faith to a rancid salad... Just thinking.
It's summertime, so that means barbecues and parties and drinks with umbrellas and foods on little sticks. Gourmet has a guide to the parties you'll throw or attend for the next three months.
In the print edition: Anthony Bourdain writes about food in Miami; Jane and Michael Stern hit the road to find the best pizza; the magazine tastes 125 different Zinfandels and gives their report; and an explanation on the difference between "premium" ice cream and "super premium." No, it's not just the price.
People who attended the annual Brantville Picnic in New Brunswick might want to read this.
I have not been on what anyone would call a "picnic" in approximately 22 years. No joke. But it's June and that means many people will be heading out to parks and lawns and other places where they can spread out a blanket and eat various foods, so I'll start doing some posts on picnic-friendly recipes.
Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven 
What do you get when you throw together 60 people with a shared passion for food, a dash of Internet, a pinch of wit, and handful of colorful photos?
The UK is a touch on the warm side at the moment. [
While it may seem like a "duh" moment when you hear that there are a lot of veggies that taste great at room temperature, it's a good thing to keep in mind for a picnic. I know that I tend to think of sandwiches and salads, as well as cookies and other treats, all of which can pack up nicely, but not of things that are usually served hot. At home, I usually cook and serve vegetables right away, but as I noshed on a leftover ear of grilled corn on the cob, I realized that it would be perfect picnic fare. With corn, 
All our bags are packed and we're ready to go... on a picnic (not an airplane). It's 
Food poisoning often occurs after eating a meal in a large, social setting such as a picnic, cookout, or cafeteria. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), foods in these settings are often prepared early and left unrefrigerated for long periods, allowing bacteria to form on the food. Food poisoning symptoms typically begin within two to six hours after eating the contaminated food. Signs of food poisoning are most often vomiting, fever, chills, headache, bloody diarrhea, weakness, and severe abdominal cramps. Treatment from a doctor is rarely necessary, unless dehydration occurs, says the NLM. To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids, but avoid milk or drinks with caffeine. You should also avoid solid foods while severely nauseated. And antibiotics aren't usually needed to manage food poisoning. 
It's summertime, so that means barbecues and parties and drinks with umbrellas and foods on little sticks. Gourmet has a 
DIY Foods: Making homemade sausage
Cakes so amazing they'd be hard to cut into
Fruit juice: An invitation to diabetes?
