Finally there is a certain scent of spring in the air as the evenings get a little bit brighter and the frost and snow seems to be exiting stage left. It may still be a trying time for us all, but knowing that slightly better weather is around the corner is definitely an encouraging thought. As Springtime approaches with promises of a little more freedom and time outdoors, what better way to take advantage than eating alfresco with the perfect picnic?
With less options for eating out and a while before we can dine-in again, creating a family picnic is the perfect way to do something different whilst still keeping safe and following restrictions and guidelines. It's also really fun to prepare and all family members can get involved - whether there are one or two or many more of you in the household.
Location
Your picnic can be wherever you want it to be! If you are lucky enough to have a large and pretty outdoor space nearby such as a park or beach then this would be perfect. You could also choose to keep your picnic at home and make a space on the lawn or even use your garden furniture. There is also just as much fun to be had having a picnic in the car or even laying down the setting up in your front room! There are no rules when it comes to imagination...
Picnic Set
The perfect picnic set has got to be a vintage one! Vintage picnic hampers/sets are super collectable, excellently crafted and of course uber fun and stylish. There are many different types of vintage picnic sets available for purchase and most often these are 4 sitting/4 person sets. There are, however, also 2 person/2 sitting and 6 person/6 sitting picnic sets available.
Probably the most recognisable and collectable brand names are Brexton and Sirram when it comes to original vintage picnic sets but there are many other brands and manufacturers too. There are also three main types of picnic sets - wicker, hard case and plastic. The wicker picnic basket is undoubtedly to most quintessential British picnic aesthetic and sometimes these baskets can be bought empty as well as containing their full sets.
Many of the sets from the 1950s are hard cases and contain real china cups, plates and saucers as well as stainless steel cutlery and often Thermos branded flasks. The slightly later picnic sets of the 1960s and 1970s are more often made from plastic and can be lighter to carry and more compact. There is no right wrong; it's simply finding what appeals to your own personal style and requirements.
Most vintage sellers will of course clean the items before they put them up for sale, but these are obviously very old and will still need a more in-depth clean before you use them. All the stainless steel, glass, china and plastic items can be fully washed and sterilised but there are sometimes metal sandwich boxes and of course Thermos flasks included in vintage picnic sets. It is not advisable to use these due to the degradation of the metal over time, but they can still be great props and replaced for use by their modern plastic counterparts. A modern metal temperature control bottle can slot right in where your original vintage flask was and of course, any plastic tupperware or eco friendly bamboo receptacles can be used for your array of picnic goodies.
Food
So you have your location and your vintage picnic hamper all ready - all that remains is to prepare some amazing food for your afternoon treat. There are so many options in the supermarkets for easy, ready cooked and ready to serve items like salads, sandwiches, pies, cakes, pastries and platters so this is always an option and can be bought fresh on the day of the picnic, transported separately or decanted into your food boxes. But like with anything, there is so much more fun to be had making and creating the food from scratch yourself, or with the family. This can often be more economical too. It certainly doesn't have to be curled up cucumber sandwiches and jam tarts - there are so many delicious, interesting and easy to make picnic food recipes available. When I was searching for some of my favourites, I was thrilled to discover a truly wonderful selection from Olive Magazine, featuring such mouthwatering delights as:
Italian Picnic Loaf
Picnic Dip Jars
Mini Pork & Chorizo Picnic Pies
Prawn & Avocado Vietnamese Summer Rolls
Chicken Katsu Scotch Eggs
Lemon & Blueberry Bars
Butterscotch Pretzel Millionaire Shortbread
Custard Cream Blondies
Iced Mint & Apple Tea
Contessa Cocktail Bottles
You can find all these recipes and many more in this great article - Easy Picnic Food Ideas
Don't forget to tag us on social media if you get any photos of your vintage picnic sets in action this Spring and Summer. And of course if you have any questions or want to check any vintage picnic sets or accessories that we have in stock, you can drop me a line at emma@myvintage.co.uk
Until next time
Emma x
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