Of Course July is National Picnic Month! What Are You Packing?
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BYOB (B stands for Blanket!) No, you do not need a reason to pack a picnic, but! July is National Picnic month and who are we to argue? Area restaurants and markets are packing up everything you need - snacks, salads, wine, etc - to help you better enjoy these lazy summer days. All you need to do is pick the location and lay out your blanket ~
(Pro-tip: Don't forget the corkscrew)
Blue Rock
Blue Rock, a unique wine and spirits tasting room located in Rapahannock County is offering a new to-go picnic basket program. Each picnic basket, designed to feed two people, includes chef’s choice of cheese & charcuterie, lavash, antipasti, spiced nuts, granola, water and coffee. 12567 Lee Highway, Washington, Virginia; 540.987.3388; bluerockva.com
Central Farm Markets
Today's picnics are more than just hot dogs and paper plates. From mason jar drinks to lawn games, your meal can be inspiring and fun to make. Central Farm Markets have some picnic suggestions to make your picnics great. To start, the book "The Picnic: Recipes and Inspirations From Basket to Blanket" by Marnie Hanel, Annie Slonecker, and Jen Stevenson. All three women are award winning authors and we love the way their book guides you through picnics in a creative and festive way. When planning your picnic consider using light weight enamel or melamine dishes. They are practical and won't wilt under the weight of food. Design your meal to include foods that can be easily eaten by picking them up. Add colorful and delicious salads. Think grains and greens and don't forget to add in fresh fruit to your greens. Bring your favorite cocktails or lemonades in mason jars for quick easy drinking. Easy to transport, easy to eat is the name of the game. Take a walk around the markets and see how many foods you will be able to take with you on your picnic adventure. From charcuterie, to ready made salads, to cool drinks, Central Farm Markets is Picnic Central. centralfarmmarkets.com
Cork Wine Bar & Market
It's a wine bar, yes, but for your picnic needs, it is a market. Peruse the aisles for terrific bottles of Rosé from Provence and plan on picking up Cork's famous fried chicken and a batch of house-made biscuits. Cheese-lovers, there's the cheesemonger box to go with 3 cheese varieties, house-made jam, local honey, and crackers. Other faves that should be brought along, are the Ibizia Salt and Sherry Vinegar Chips, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit Cheese Crisps, Q Nuts Orange and Ginger Almonds and Cashews, and for dessert, plenty of cookies and chocolates. (corkdc.com)
Dawson's Market Dupont & Rockville
Whether you are going for a stroll around Rock Creek Park or planning on lazing away on the shores of the Potomac it's easy to fill your basket with everything you need at Dawson's Market. In either location, you will find a bevy of local craft artisan products, locally produced beers and wines, and a counter full of house-made prepared items that feature plenty of plant-based offerings.. Don't miss the in-house bakery for your bread and dessert needs (including gluten-free). dawsonsmarket.com
Lebanese Taverna
It's back! Lebanese Taverna's beach box packages to take the hassle out of feeding the beach week crowd. Out of their Market location, the Lebanese Taverna crew works with guests to build a menu for beach week, prepping lunches, dinners, snacks, and drinks for parties of four to 40. You can even bring your coolers right to the restaurant to have it packed and ready to hit the road. Contact Lebanese Taverna here to start building the perfect vacation menu. 4400 Old Dominion Drive, Arlington, VA.
Officina
Officina Georgetown is offering picnic baskets for a perfect to-go lunch or dinner. Each picnic kit feeds two people and includes: prosciutto crudo, cacciatorini salame, robiolina cheese, candied walnuts, bergamot jam, eggplant alla norma spread, marinated olives, fusilli pasta salad and focaccia barese (basket not included). 1525 Wisconsin Avenue NW; 1525 Wisconsin Avenue NW; 202.629.2202;officinadc.co
Salty Pork Bits
Salty Pork Bits, the Pittsburgh-based charcuterie and cured-meats company from chef Justin Severino, offers multiple options for picnic-ready charcuterie that can be shipped right to your door. A few fan favorites include: The Ultimate Charcuterie Board - This package is a Justin Severino-curated selection of whole muscles, salami, and essential accompaniments. It’s the perfect entertaining package for the pork lover in your life. Serves 8-12. Salty Pork Bits Exclusives - Enjoy four not-so-traditional flavors of salami in this box, including Negroni, Fernet, Leek Ash and Porcini, and Lamb Harissa. No Pork, No Problem - If your diet is sans pork, you can still enjoy cured meats with this delicious package featuring duck and lamb salami. For more information, visit their website.
Sticky Fingers Diner
Pack your picnic basket with all of your vegan favorites from Sticky Fingers Diner. Alongside a never ending array of sweets like cakes, cookies, brownies, and more; Sticky Fingers Diner offers a la carte vegan charcuterie board options like capicollo, chorizo, pepperoni, cashew mozzarella, herby cashew chèvre and fig jam. Check out all of the options right here.
