Man Cannot Live by Bread Alone… or can he?
Tomorrow’s date will comprise the third picnic of my Great Date Experiment. Despite my evident experience with all things al fresco, I’m in a bit of a quandary about the logistics.
This is because I’ve volunteered to prepare our lunch. And while there are few things I enjoy more than packing a picnic lunch (seriously, I have a special bag with special “travel” wine glasses and everything), I’m stuck.
My initial plan was to head over to Whole Foods today and pick up a box of brown rice California rolls (as both The Wedding Date and I love sushi), whip up a little hummus-and-veggie crudités and finish everything off with some chocolate chip cookies and a thermos of hot chocolate.
But then I relayed this plan to my mother over dinner last night and she was aghast.
“You’ve forgotten the most important part!”
“Oh… wine. Yeah, I guess. But we’re having a picnic lunch. I don’t want him to think I’m a total lush.”
“I wasn’t talking about wine,” she replied. “I was talking about bread. And cheese. You can’t have a picnic without bread and cheese.”
Crap.
I’ve spent enough time Eurailing to know that she’s absolutely right. Man cannot live by bread alone— but he can if there’s cheese involved.
So maybe I should nix the sushi and go for a loaf of artisan bread and a portable cheese board instead?
I should mention that we’re also planning to go to the movies afterward, and possibly to dinner, and possibly to a coffee shop, so we’ll probably end up eating at 90 minute intervals throughout the course of afternoon (which is, quite frankly, perfecting fine by me).
Plus our “hike” is more “nature park stroll” than “Appalachian trail” so I’m really more concerned with ambiance than our actual caloric intake. (Which is why I’m not going to bother with trail mix. When I suggested we go hiking, I forgot that there aren’t actually any mountains in central New Jersey…)
So… to all the gourmands out there, any advice?
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15 Responses to “Man Cannot Live by Bread Alone… or can he?”
I’m a big fan of the flexibility of crescent rolls.
I found this recipe via Pinterest, and I’ve been looking for an excuse to try it: http://penniesonaplatter.com/2011/03/02/dijon-ham-asparagus-roll-ups-for-a-virtual-bridal-shower/. It looks like a very simple recipe — which is the only kind of recipe I bother with! The asparagus could be left out or replaced if you’re not an asparagus fan. Perhaps substitute a little strip of cheese! Mmm.
Hmmm… I should have specified that for this particular picnic, I have approximately 30 minutes of free time between now and then to pull EVERYTHING together– but I’ll definitely keep this recipe in mind for next time!
30 minutes? Oh yeah, that recipe’s out.
I’m looking forward to hearing the final menu choice and how the date went!
That sounds like so much fun! I’d mix some Kahlua into the hot chocolate.
So, sushi and bread are bad, but hummus/veggies and bread are okay? I’m confused. As a guy, I will eat just about anything that gets put in front of me. So far thanks to serial dating and Ms. D, I’ve had brussels sprouts, black bean burgers, northern (?) beans and a handful of other things I’d never tried.
One thing reality tv has taught me, stick with your original game plan! It usually works out best if you trust your own judgement than be swayed by someone who wants cheese for their lunch.
Haha, you’re talking to the woman who can’t buy a pair of socks without a second opinion!
Mmm I love everything on that menu! Though I’m confused why you’re nixing the sushi… I guess that might not travel well. It’d be seriously disappointing to settle down for the picnic only to find a seeweed/rice crumble in the container.
Make this hummus (you’ll only need like 1/4 of it so give the rest to the fam) and maybe some smoked salmon to go with the bread and cheese in lieu of the sushi? Maybe throw a couple meats in there to be honest — because even though you’re not hardcore hiking, he is a guy and he’ll probably be pretty hungry.
And I don’t care if it is just lunch. Bring wine. 😉
Wine bought 🙂
Considering that the picnic is in … NOVEMBER … I would have thought that a thermos of soup would be more appropriate fare, but maybe it is just my age!…
I actually thought of that– they had this really cute appetizer at Date #7’s brother’s wedding that consisted of shot glasses of tomato soup and grill cheese sandwich strips to dunk inside 🙂
I thought soup or something warm too, but I think she had said something about hot chocolate, and the sushi sounds good too, and as someone else pointed out, whatever you bring will be fine, as you’ll both be hungry anyway. Although the weather here this week is unusual, springlike, so who knows?
I actually like your sushi/crudite combo…it would pack well and be light enough for an active afternoon…I think of wine and cheese as being good for sitting in one place for a while. Plus, it’ll make any cheesy/fried/breadcrumbed appetizers available later at dinner that much more yummy after day outside.
Sorry can not imagine Sushi and hot chocolate in the same meal.
I would go for some nice french bread and some cheese. But as others have said that is my personal preference.
The other plus, french bread is also great dipped in to the hot chocolate.
very much approve of the hot chocolate thermos! My boyfriend always brings a mocha in a thermos when we go for picnics. Also: though they’re out of season: strawberries in the wild are a tasty and romantic addition.