Picnic!

Fantastic weather today. When They covered (the portuguese painters) all the dining room with plastic, the only decent room in this house, that was still looking like a room before this morning, I decided it would be better to eat somewhere else tonight. Why not a picnic on the banks of the Seine river! Good idea, summer is here, and the time is right....

I always dreamed to prepare one of Mrs Beeton's simple recipe for a picnic. Here are the ingredents you will need for an impromptu picnic:

A joint of cold roast beef

a joint of cold boiled beef

2 ribs of lamb

two shoulers of lamb

4 roast fowls

2 roast ducks

one ham

one tongue

2 veal and ham pies

2 pigeons pies

6 medium sized lobsters

1 piece of collared calf's head

18 lettuces

6 baskets of salads

6 cucumbers

stewed fruit

4 dozens of pastry biscuits

2 dozen of fruit turnover

4 dozen cheesecakes

2 cold cabinet pudding in moulds

2 blancmanges in moulds

a few jam puffs

1 large cold plum-pudding

a few baskets of fresh fruits

3 dozen of plain biscuits

a piece of cheese

6 lbs. of butter

4 quartern loaves of household bread

3 dozen rolls

6 loaves of tin bread (for tea)

2 plain plum cakes

2 pound cakes

2 sponge cakes

a tin of mixed biscuits

1/2 lb. of tea. Coffee is not suitable for a picnic, being difficult to make.

A stick of horseradish

a bottle of mint sauce

a bottle of salad dressing

made mustard

pepper and salt

good oil

pounded sugar

Beverages

3 dozen quart bottles of ale

2 dozen bottles of ginger-beer

2 dozen bottles of soda-water

Two dozen bottles of lemonade

6 bottles of sherry

6 bottles of claret

champagne à la discrétion

other light wine that may be preferd

 2 bottles of brandy

Water can usually be obtained; so it is useless to take it.