Picnic Drinking
What to drink when it's bright and sunny outside
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When the sun's out and the birds are singing. that can only mean one thing: it's time to whack out that tartan rug, steal a wicker basket off some unsuspecting old lady, and head out for a picnic.
But what to drink with those mini sausages, crustless sarnies and crisp type snacks? Here are a few tips to get you started.
Non alcoholic
Ice Tea
A drink that simply screams English picnic, Ice Tea is an old classic. That doesn't mean it has to boring though – try this recipe out for size:
*Apple & Honey Iced Tea
•Grab yourself four teabags and leave them to brew for five mins in three cups of boiling water
•Strain the tea bags and stir in 1/3 of a cup of honey and three cups of apple juice
•Stir well until all the honey is dissolved, then leave to cool and serve over ice with a slice of apple or two
Old Fashioned Lemonade
An oldy but a goody, this is one of those things that just makes Itchy's mouth water with greedy anticipation - even if it does leave us with stickier mitts than a kid let loose in a sweet factory.
*Old Fashioned Lemonade
•Pour 1420ml of boiling water over 200g of white sugar and stir until all the grains are fully dissolved
•Once the sugar syrup has cooled, add the juice of six lemons and some mashed up lemon rind for extra flavour.
•Dilute further to taste and serve chilled over ice
(for added originality you could also try dropping some fresh raspberries, strawberries or even crushed lavender petals into your glass to give it a different flavour)
Ginger Beer
There's something very exciting about ginger beer - all those memories of reading the famous five and wishing we were on adventures, drinking this delectable fizzy pop. No picnic would be complete without it, so try the homemade route for extra kudos.
*Jamie Oliver's Ginger Beer
•Grate 140g of bruised fresh ginger into a bowl and sprinkle on four tablespoons of muscovado sugar
•Place the rind of two lemons in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and bash them all together (for about 10 seconds) with the end of a rolling pin
•Squeeze the juice of three lemons into the bowl with everything else, mix together, and then pour into a jug containing a litre of sparkling water.
•Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes, then stir and taste. If it's too sweet add a bit more lemon juice, if it's too sour add a bit more sugar
•Pass liquid through a strainer and serve over lots of ice
Alcoholic
Cider
The idea of fooling around in the haystacks with the heady smell of apples hanging in the air makes Itchy dream of living in the countryside. And the best way of getting that country fix without leaving the comforting smog of the city is by adding some cider treats to your picnic. It's a must for summer days.
*Cider on the Rocks
•Open Cider
•Pour over ice
•Launch massive advertising campaign that makes it seem like you've invented this concept, watch sales rise enormously, then plummet as other beverage companies realise that cider with ice is not a copyrightable idea – oh, hold on, Magners have already done all that, so don't bother
*Cider with a Kick
•Mix together one part bourbon to two parts cider
•Pour over ice and serve with a slice of lemon
*Mexican Cider Cocktail
•Pour equal amounts of tequila and cider in a shaker
•Add a dash of crème de cassis and a dash of lemon juice to the mix
•Shake and pour over ice.
Pimms
What's that you say? What's the time? Er, it's about 11 o'clock. Oh... my mistake. It's Pimms o'clock. Nothing says summer like a nice glass of Pimms. Mix it with this, that, or the other - this taste of sunshine goes with most things you can think of.
*Classic Pimms
•Put roughly one part Pimms to three parts lemonade in a large jug
•Add ice, cucumber and lemon slices and mix
•Garnish with strawberries and fresh mint leaves
*Scarlet Pimpernel i.e. Pimms Cocktails
•Mix together a shot of Pimms with a shot of triple sec
• Add four shots of apple juice, four shots of cranberry juice and a dash of lime to the Pimms mix
•Mix well and serve on ice
Sangria
Summer is all about sun, sea, sand and holidays. But just because you're stuck in a caravan in rainy England doesn't mean you can't get in the foreign holiday spirit. Just mix up this beachside classic and you'll feel all continental in no time.
*Cheat's Sangria
•Pour a bottle of red wine into a jug and stir in half a cup of sugar
•Add a can of fizzy orange and a can of fizzy lemon, then stir
•Throw in some chopped apples, oranges and lemons, and a tray of ice cubes
• Mix again, and you're done
