Thank goodness the weather has come good, as it’s National Picnic Week from 17th to 25th June so get that tartan blanket and basket at the ready and take some time to prepare some mouth-watering food. Whether you’re heading to the park, beach, a nearby field or even just your own back garden, Rangemaster has you covered with the most delicious recipes.
What is National Picnic Week?
National Picnic Week is an annual event celebrated in the UK to promote and encourage people to enjoy the outdoors and indulge in the classic British activity of picnics. The event aims to celebrate the tradition of picnicking, which involves packing meals and snacks and enjoying them in scenic outdoor settings such as parks, gardens, beaches, or countryside locations.
During National Picnic Week, individuals, families, and friends are encouraged to gather together, embrace nature, and create memorable experiences by sharing food, laughter, and relaxation. It promotes the idea of taking a break from daily routines, connecting with loved ones, and appreciating the beauty of the natural environment.
Various activities and initiatives are organised during National Picnic Week, such as themed picnics, picnicking competitions, recipe sharing, picnic etiquette tips, and suggestions for picnic-friendly foods and drinks.
It also serves as an opportunity for businesses and organisations to showcase picnic-related products, outdoor accessories, and food and beverage offerings.
National Picnic Week aims to highlight the joy and simplicity of picnicking while emphasising the importance of outdoor recreation, appreciating nature, and fostering social connections. It encourages people of all ages to embrace the concept of a picnic as a way to relax, have fun, and enjoy quality time with others in picturesque surroundings.
According to the experts behind National Picnic Week, more of us are choosing to spend quality time away from our phones and gadgets, breathing in fresh air, getting back to nature and enjoying homemade dishes than ever before.
Here are some fun facts to get you in the mood:
- The average person picnics at least three times a year
- The average family spends £26 per picnic
- The French started the modern fashion for picnics when they opened their royal parks to the public after the revolution of 1789
- The most popular picnic snack 50 years ago was the cheese sandwich. Now it’s a bag of crisps
- Fortnum & Mason claims to have invented the Scotch egg in 1738
Inspirational recipes for your picnic
Rangemaster not only has all the appliances you need to prepare healthy and homemade dishes for your picnic but it also has plenty of recipes to inspire you, too. Click here for its many picnic recipes, which include Mini Pork & Pickle Pies, Sausage Rolls with Onion Chutney, Scotch Eggs and Dijon Mustard and Gherkin Potato Salad.
1. Mini pork and pickle pies
Indulge in the delectable combination of savoury pork and tangy pickles with our irresistible mini pork and pickle pies recipe.
These delicious bite-sized treats are a perfect blend of flavours, encased in a golden pastry crust that melts in your mouth. Each bite offers a symphony of tender, seasoned pork complemented by the zesty crunch of pickles, creating a delightful explosion of taste and texture.
2. Sausage rolls with onion chutney
Elevate your picnic game with our tantalising recipe for sausage rolls with onion chutney.
These delectable bites are a mouthwatering marriage of succulent sausage meat wrapped in flaky, buttery pastry, and accompanied by the sweet and tangy goodness of homemade onion chutney.With each bite, you'll experience a heavenly combination of savoury flavours and a delightful contrast of textures, from the crispy pastry to the juicy sausage and the burst of aromatic chutney.
3. Scotch eggs
Embark on a culinary adventure with our irresistible scotch eggs recipe that will transport you straight to the heart of traditional British cuisine. Imagine biting into a golden, crispy exterior, revealing a perfectly cooked hard-boiled egg nestled within a flavorful blanket of seasoned sausage meat.
Each mouthwatering bite offers a harmonious fusion of textures and tastes, from the savoury sausage to the creamy yolk centre. Whether you're planning a brunch, a picnic, or simply seeking a satisfying snack, our scotch eggs will captivate your taste buds and leave you craving more.
4. Dijon mustard and gherkin potato salad
Take your potato salad to the next level with a touch of sophistication and tangy zest in our extraordinary Dijon mustard and gherkin potato salad recipe.
Picture a bowl filled with tender, perfectly cooked potatoes tossed in a creamy dressing infused with the bold flavours of Dijon mustard and the delightful crunch of chopped gherkins. Each forkful delivers a harmonious symphony of creamy, tangy, and slightly briny notes, creating a taste sensation that will awaken your palate.
A range cooker for every chef
For expertly oven-cooked dishes, Rangemaster has a range cooker for every culinary need and every kitchen style.
The Kitchener
The Kitchener is the original Rangemaster and it’s still going strong today. First launched in 1830, today’s model comes in 90cm, 100cm and 110cm widths as well as three colours – stainless steel, black or cream.
You can also select from dual fuel or ceramic and enjoy the professional results you get from the double electric fan oven, Handyrack, storage drawer (on the 110cm) and dual circuit glide-out grill.
The Eclipse collection
If you prefer built-in or your kitchen is designed around a built-in oven, the Eclipse collection is sleek and stylish. The Eclipse 13 Function Touch Control Oven and Eclipse 13 Function Touch Control With Pyrolytic Oven are top-of-the-range designs that offer 13 cooking functions to cook all your picnic goodies with ease, as well as a meat probe, rotisserie, telescopic runners, grill insert and baking tray.
The black glass finish with black stainless steel trim is also great for giving your kitchen a premium look with touch controls and soft-close triple glazed door for ease of use and safety. If you hate oven cleaning as much as I do, then the pyrolytic self-cleaning version is a must.
SXS fridge freezer
To keep all those salads and quiches cool before your picnic, Rangemaster’s SXS fridge freezer includes food preservation technology to keep contents fresh for longer.
There’s Vseal feature, which is a vacuum seal for food and sous vide cooking, as well as a COOLPAC removable chiller caddy for drinks and an Odour Seal Box for ingredients with strong smells such as smelly cheese for that ploughman’s.
Kitting out your picnic
Now you’ve got the recipes and appliances to cook and chill them in, here’s our pick of the perfect picnic kit to see you through summer and beyond.
Outdoor blankets
Weaver Green’s Dove Grey Herringbone Blanket is a great eco option, as it’s made from up to 300 recycled plastic bottles yet is soft and cosy to sit and lie on.
The heavyweight design is stain, UV, water and moth resistant as well as easy to clean in the washing machine and perfect for inside and out.
Picnic basket
This classic Picnic Basket from ProCook is another must. Ideal for two, it’s fully insulated to keep food and drinks chilled and comes with cutlery, plates, glasses and corkscrew.
For something a bit more casual that you can use at the farmer’s market, Garden Trading’s Brading Picnic Basket is woven from natural seagrass and is large enough for a leisurely lunch.
Garden cushions
Set the scene in the back garden with a blanket, plenty of comfy cushions and some improvised shade.
Weaver Green has a great selection of outdoor cushions, which are stain, water and UV resistant as well as machine washable and eco-friendly, as they are made from recycled plastic bottles (including the cushion inner).
Outdoor chairs
We love these Cottage Deckchairs from Perkins & Morley, inspired by Mediaeval repeat patterns and the art of block printing.
There are two designs in four colours to choose from as well as handmade cushions to match.
Final thoughts
As National Picnic Week approaches, we embrace the joyous celebration of outdoor dining, the appreciation for nature's beauty, and the cherished moments spent with loved ones. This dedicated week will remind us of the simple pleasures that lie in packing a basket, finding a picturesque spot, and relishing in the delights of a picnic.
National Picnic Week has not only served as a platform for sharing knowledge and inspiration; it has also ignited a collective passion for picnics. It has encouraged us to step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to pause and savour the beauty of nature, and to connect with our loved ones in a relaxed and joyful setting.
But let us not confine the spirit of picnicking to just one week. Let us carry it forward, making every day an opportunity to embrace the outdoors, to gather with friends and family, and to nourish both body and soul. Let us continue to explore new locations, try new recipes, and create lasting memories.
