Let The Al Fresco Adventures Begin!

The sun is shining, the temperatures are rising, and with all apologies to another favourite season of ours, summer truly feels like the most wonderful time of the year.

Inspired by the blue skies above and by the sun-dappled days ahead, the spirit of adventure has kicked in and we’re feeling fuller than a picnic-ready Fortnum’s wicker. We’re ready to make it rain Scotch Eggs from sunrise to sunset.

Because whether it’s an impromptu al fresco feast, a lazy afternoon in the Great Outdoors, or a long, golden evening with fizz and friends for company, summertime is Fortnum’s time, and the world is our picnic table.

So here at Piccadilly, the hampers are all packed with delicious things. The picnic rug is furled and ready, and the Champagne is on ice. That long-promised, too-often-rescheduled BBQ is finally inked into the diary, too.

To whet your appetite for the happy hours and sunny day hi-jinks just around the corner, discover some essential morsels of picnicking advice from Fortnum’s.

Summer’s for sipping

A glorious day, some excellent company, a hamper filled with delicious things, and a glass of something refreshing in hand: if that’s not summertime perfection, we don’t know what is.

If you’re brunching al fresco, we recommend tea, of course – either a hot cup of a suitably refreshing, summer-ready Fortnum’s Tea; a surprisingly simple-to-make Iced Tea; or a chilled bottle of our non-alcoholic Sparkling Tea. And if the midday mark has been passed, Champagne is always in season, our Sparkling Rose is a guaranteed crowd pleaser – and if you’re feeling bold, a cocktail or two is very much encouraged. Tchin-tchin, santé, bottom’s up.

More is more!

Summer is the time for delicious extravagance, not culinary restraint – so when you’re packing your picnic basket or cool bag, think bigger. After all, anything that isn’t devoured by the hungry hordes at your open air get-together can be taken home and eaten later. On the journey home, even. And in the spirit of our next piece of advice, you could even do a spot of sharing with any fellow picnickers in the vicinity…

Be a good neighbour

Whether you’re in your own garden or out in a picturesque public spot somewhere, chances are there’ll be fellow revellers enjoying their own al fresco outing nearby.  Our advice? Wave a jaunty hello, keep any over-excited pups (or human guests) from venturing uninvited onto their picnic patch, and if the chance presents itself, offer them a glass or a bite of something. We don’t have the exact numbers, but many a friendship’s been started by the passing of a glass of Fortnum's Champagne...

Leave no crumb behind

Park, beach, forest, garden, wherever – if you’re setting your picnic rug down somewhere, it’s only proper to leave it looking flawless for the next lot of al fresco adventurers who arrive. That means no popped corks, crumpled napkins or half-eaten lunches left behind. And definitely no snoozing stragglers from your party…

Pick a perfect spot

The bags are packed, the guests are in attendance, and all that remains is to choose where to park your picnic blanket. Centuries of experience have taught us that, if possible, your picnic blanket should sit within a little stretch of shade and a larger swathe of sunshine – an overhanging tree or well-placed parasol can provide the former, while Mother Nature can sort the latter. That shady corner of your picnic patch is perfect for chilled drinks and food, and a comfortable respite for any overheating guests, too.

Always pack a ‘parasol’ (and a little positivity)

We know they’re technically very different things, but during the summer season, we prefer to think of our umbrellas as parasols-in-waiting. Call it looking on the brightside.

As anyone who’s experienced the predictably unpredictable British summer climate will attest, the weather in good old Blighty can turn faster than a speeding Champagne cork – so whatever the forecast, always, always pack something umbrella-shaped to keep the elements at bay. Your best-laid plans may be altered by the weather, but a picnic under greying skies doesn’t need to be anti-climactic – a picnic in the mizzle is still a picnic worth having.

Accessories are necessities

Napkins. Corkscrews. Cutlery. Cups. Champagne glasses. A Champagne stopper. A Cheese Board for your cheeseboard. A cheese knife, to cut the cheeses in your cheeseboard on your Cheese Board. Cool bags. Bottle bags. Condiment bags. Bags for Life.

After the food and drink and the company you keep, it’s the accessories that make a picnic or BBQ perfect – so be sure to remember the details. Did we mention the napkins?

Don’t grill the cook

If you’re enjoying a BBQ, nominate a single chef and leave them to the cooking. Help with the prep, by all means, but once the cooking begins in earnest, don’t crowd the grill. Ask the chef if they’d like a drink at regular intervals, but otherwise, leave them be. Why? Because impatient spectators asking whether ‘anything is ready yet’ has never made a single sausage cook quicker. Patience is a virtue, and all that.

Seize the daylight

The sunny months are a rare chance to venture outside with friends, fizz and food in tow, so we suggest you grab every opportunity going. Not every picnic or BBQ needs to be expertly-orchestrated and planned in advance – sometimes the most enjoyable al fresco feasts are the most impromptu, so hop to it. Just please don’t forget the Scotch Eggs…