A Romantic Picnic
A romantic picnic is for you and your loved one alone. You should choose a seductive setting and prepare some sensuous food.
It can be a delightful way to show you care, whether you’re embarking on a brand new relationship, or you’ve been together for decades.
Maybe you want time to talk, to say or discuss something special. I don't just mean a proposal. You might need to say you're sorry about something or you might have an important piece of news to announce to your other half and don't want any interruptions. A romantic picnic is a great way to be able to do this - if you turn your mobile phone off!
Where?
It's usually a good idea to pick a venue you know – one where you’re certain you can be alone. I guess you wouldn't want to share your picnic spot with a herd of cows, a plague of midges or a crowd of fruit-pickers!
If you cannot escape far from the house because you have children to watch out for, why not have a picnic in the garden under a canopy or in a tent? The children can be in bed or at an age where the garden is “out of bounds” for a while, but you are available in case of emergencies.
On
the other hand, if a short journey is no problem, choose somewhere you
know your partner would like, a hidden recess with a pretty view or the
gurgle of running water for example. Find somewhere secluded, where you will have privacy - wide open spaces are not very conducive to being lovey-dovey!
You have something more dramatic in mind? How about a picnic in a boat on a slow-moving river or after a horseback ride along a sandy beach? If you don’t own horses, you might be able to hire them and if you can’t ride animals, how about bicycles? The ones with picnic baskets in the front of course!
Time of day?
Sunrise or sunset are good times for romantic picnics. A night-time picnic under a full moon is also very romantic. If you have a cozy blanket to snuggle under if it gets chilly, and some torches, candles, or glow sticks pushed into the grass, sand or soil, so much the better.
To add to the romantic ambience, little tea-lights can be concealed inside coloured glass tumblers and, especially if they have a citronella fragrance, they have the advantage of keeping bugs away too.
Don’t kill the passion by forgetting to pack a waterproof blanket, a cosy rug and perhaps some pretty cushions. You might be advised to put in an umbrella too - preferably a large, golfing one! Many a romance has been signed, sealed and delivered under raindrops!
Food for two
The food should be different to the normal meals you share together but it doesn’t have to be extravagant. Keep things simple, delicate and tasty. Make the food look attractive and think in terms of nibbles rather than a big nosh!
“A jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou” Omar Khayyam
In warmer weather, wine, cheese and fruit is often the most indulgent and sexy. Take some fresh bread and food that you can share by eating off a single plate.
If your lover has savoury tastes, then whisper your sweet nothings over a piece of runny Brie or nutty Manchego cheese with a crisp apple or pear, or a handful of bright red cherries.
Add a paté, thin slices of prosciutto or parma ham, sliced sausage, prawns, smoked salmon, anchovy fillets and other tidbits if you wish.
If the sun is not going to be warming your back on your romantic picnic, then choose warming food instead. I suggest a heart-warming flask of soup with fresh rolls stuffed with ripe figs, goats cheese and honey, or tiny sausages, kept warm in foil if possible, with a red tomato and chilli salsa.
Make it an aphrodisiac experience by feeding each other. Keep your eyes closed while your lover feeds you. A much more sensuous way of eating and you’ll savor the taste more! And, (need I say it?) - avoid garlic in the food, unless you both love it.
As a last temptation, how about some really ripe strawberries, apricots or even chocolate covered peppermint creams? - and then lick each other’s fingers . . . .
Champagne is often viewed as romantic but it’s inappropriate if you’re driving or even riding on horseback.
If you do decide on this, then take unbreakable, or even real glass, flutes or champagne saucers, well wrapped in white linen napkins. It's not romantic to drink it out of plastic cups!
