Know What You’re Going For

Outdoor dining exists on a spectrum and the mistake is treating all of it the same way. At one end, the picnic; casual, portable, eaten on a blanket with whatever fits in a bag. At the other, the al fresco evening meal; a proper table outside, candles when the sun goes down, food that deserves a plate. Both and anything in between are worth doing well, but they all require different thinking.

The Italian approach is useful here. A pranzo fuori, lunch eaten outside, can be as simple as bread, cheese and wine on a wall. A cena al fresco is a full evening, just moved outdoors. The setting changes; the effort and intention don’t.

 

The Picnic

The picnic lives or dies by what you pack. The British version tends toward sandwiches and crisps; the Italian version more about things that travel well, and taste better at room temperature.

Whichever culture you’re from, you will probably pack the food in foil or a plastic box. But if you can visualise your spread in terms of boards rather than boxes it might be easier to think about.

Cured meats travel well; mortadella, prosciutto, salami. A wedge of hard cheese, good bread, olives, a handful of cherry tomatoes. A small jar of good olive oil takes up almost no space and transforms most things. Although we won’t complain if you feel the need to shove in some crisps or a packet of sausage rolls!

For drinks, cold is everything. A cool bag with ice packs is non-negotiable; warm lager on a warm day is nobody’s idea of a good time. Menabrea travels well and, served as cold as the Alpine air it’s brewed in, is exactly the kind of drink a picnic deserves.

Plates matter more than people admit. Enamel or melamine over paper. They are sturdier, easier to eat from, reusable and look considerably better on a blanket.

 

The Al Fresco Supper

Moving dinner outside is one of the simplest upgrades to any summer evening, and it needs less preparation than it sounds.

The table is the foundation. Whatever table you’re using, dress it simply. Think about how the space works as much as how the table looks. Where does the sun sit at the time you’re eating? Is there natural shade or do you need to create some? Are guests going to be moving around or settled for the evening?

Pre-prepared food for an al fresco supper makes more sense than running a kitchen in real-time. Cold dishes work well; a vitello tonnato, a big bowl of panzanella, grilled vegetables at room temperature with plenty of good olive oil. One warm element is enough; grilled fish or chicken, done simply with garlic, oil, seasoned, and served immediately. It means you can keep up with the conversation, and not keep disappearing to rescue the grill.

Keep the drinks cold and accessible. A bucket of ice with cans of soft drinks, bottles of Menabrea, some water on the table. Having this ready to go means nobody has to ask and nobody has to get up.

No Garden? No Problem

A balcony or terrace is all you need. Two or three chairs, a small table and a cold drink with some nuts or bread sticks on the side; it’s a perfectly valid form of al fresco dining and the Italians have been doing it from tiny apartment balconies for decades.

Just keep it simple; a board of something good to eat, Menabrea from the fridge, and whatever view you’ve got. Even a second floor flat overlooking a railway track feels different with the door open, some music and something cold in your hand.

 

The Practical Bits

Weather: Check the forecast and have a loose plan for rain; if you’re in a park, know where the nearest shelter is. If you’re at home, moving inside takes five minutes. Either way, don’t let the possibility of rain stop you from going outside in the first place.

Keeping things cold: A cool bag with ice packs, or just as good, an ice bucket; wherever you are, it’s the one thing worth the extra carrying.

Lighting: Only relevant once the sun goes down, but worth thinking about if you’re staying outside. Candles if you’re at home. If you’re away from home maybe a lantern to help find your way back.

Insects: A fact of outdoor life in summer. Citronella candles are effective. Cover the food when you’re not eating. Anything to keep the wasps and mosquitos off the scent.

Surfaces: Grass is harder to eat on than it looks and if you’ve ever tried to balance a beer bottle on the lawn, you’ve also knocked it over. A low folding table or wooden crate for drinks keeps bottles upright and keeps waste to a minimum.

 

One Last Thought

The best outdoor meals aren’t the most elaborate ones. They’re the ones where the setting does the heavy lifting; good light, warm air, cold drinks and food that doesn’t require too much attention. Everything else takes care of itself.

Eating outside, the Italians will tell you, is not a special occasion. Some meals just taste better outside.

Buon appetito.