Creating the Perfect Picnic

The Perfect Picnic
The perfect picnic feast includes fruit, cheese, salumi, and pecan cayenne bark. Don’t forget the wine.

 

Despite it being after Labor Day, it’s still not too late to have a wonderful fall picnic. Delysia Chocolatier is happy to share some ideas on how to plan the perfect picnic. From blankets to baskets to the decadent sweet finish, here is our go-to guide for dining alfresco:

Blanket. A brightly-colored blanket is a must-have to set the scene of your delectable feast. We love the stripes of this one from World Market. Plus, it’s on sale. If you live in a part of the world with frequent rain, a waterproof ground cover is a requirement. This chevron-patterned, triple-layered blanket from Etsy is perfect.

Basket. Nothing says “picnic” like an adorable picnic basket. Pottery Barn carries the ultimate basket for two, including flatware and an ever-important wine opener. If you’re bringing the kids or another couple along, here is a collapsible basket with four place settings. It’s also insulated so you can carry your perishables. For the more pragmatic, how about an insulated tote? It includes everything you need to make packing a cinch, including salt & pepper shakers, a cheese board & knife, and place settings for four.

Feast. There are tons of great ideas online for picnic food. But we believe simple is best. How about some gourmet cheese, delicious crusty bread, charcuterie, fresh fruit, wine … and, of course, artisan chocolate from Delysia. Our truffles are handmade using only the freshest ingredients and we use local products whenever possible. Our Texas collection – prickly pear, lavender, and honey – offers the unique flavors of Delysia’s home state. To invoke the memories of a more carefree time in your life, we suggest the Childhood collection with the nostalgic flavors of peanut butter & jelly, s’mores and ice cream. For a truly unique marriage of sweetness and spice, our Indian collection has curry, ginger, and garam masala truffles with just the right amount of intensity. Or try our award-winning Wine collection, featured in Wine Spectator magazine. For a taste of chocolate different than truffles, may we suggest one of our delicious barks? Our Pecan Cayenne bark just competed in the International Chocolate Salon awards where we won silver medals. And our dark or white chocolate coffee bark is just what you need for the ultimate jolt at the end of your feast.

Setting. You can set up a picnic anywhere, even in your own backyard. The delicious food you’ve packed and the company you keep will make your picnic extraordinary, no matter where you are.

Nicole Patel

Nicole Patel is the proprietor of and chocolatier for Delysia Chocolatier. In 2006 while pregnant with her first son, Nicole made a batch of chocolate truffles as holiday gifts. To the delight of friends and family, she continued to create chocolates as a way to relieve stress from her corporate engineering job. In 2008, a chance trip to Becker Vineyards led to Nicole being the first in Texas to make truffles using local wines. Within five years, what started as a hobby turned Delysia into one of the Top Ten Chocolatiers in the Americas, as selected by the International Chocolate Salon.