Planing an Upscale Romantic Picnic Dinner

When couples think of a special romantic dinner more likely they think of a costly affair at an upscale restaurant than a picnic dinner. Choose a night, make reservations and hope your table is not near the kitchen, the bathrooms or next to an obnoxiously loud group who thinks everybody is interested in what they have to say.

But couples do not have to plan to the extend a bride does for an outdoor wedding reception which is, in the literal sense, a picnic, to have an elegant, yet inexpensive, romantic picnic dinner.

The first thing is getting something to carry the dinner service, tablecloth, napkins and glasses. You probably have containers around the house that would work, or, you could make a one time expenditure for a romantic picnic basket that contains all the above listed items.

Unlike a dinner at an upscale restaurant, a good picnic basket is reusable for a lifetime, not just a one time event. In any case, it is important to have an insulated container for food safety which is a part of good picnic baskets.

Besides food, the only other items needed for your upscale romantic picnic is a small folding table and two folding chairs.

Your picnic can be at a park, a wayside by the river, or a spot in a lovely yard. When living in an apartment I asked friends if I could use a corner of their beautiful yard for a picnic with my boyfriend (who later became my husband).

They were very gracious, even said we could use their bathroom, and stayed out of sight while we were there. The advantage was, I could set up my table ahead of time. Still, you can ask your partner to wait in the car while you set up the table and chairs in a open to the public spot.

If this is a surprise, heighten the drama by asking your partner to wear a blindfold while you set the scene, then lead him or her to the picnic spot.

Now for the food. Keep it simple, easy to eat yet something a step above everyday fare.

* Start with crackers (something besides soda crackers) and a couple of spreads such as wine cheese, pate, vegetable or something else that catches your eye.
* Quiche is good as a main course because it is not an everyday food yet can be eaten at room temperature. You can buy it in the frozen food section, bake it and cut it up before packing as many pieces as needed. Or buy individual portions.
* Small fruit, such as grapes or larger fruit cut into bite size pieces.
* For dessert: cheesecake with whipped cream. For ease, use the real whip cream in a can. Use a squeeze bottle of chocolate to swirl on the plate and put strawberries next to the cheesecake. The idea is to dip the strawberries into the chocolate and feed them to your partner.
* Beverages: Wine (non-alcoholic if preferred) with dinner and coffee with dessert.

Dress as you would for any special romantic outing and enjoy your private exclusive table.
By : Fabe van Zanten