GCC - Summer Picnic

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And all my stuff was going to be homemade--no store bought stuff! You mean I don't have to master making cheese by July 9th?!!! (As if it would age by then !!!) Oh--I'm up way too late to make a 4:00 a.m. conf call. NIGHT.
 
And all my stuff was going to be homemade--no store bought stuff! You mean I don't have to master making cheese by July 9th?!!! (As if it would age by then !!!) Oh--I'm up way too late to make a 4:00 a.m. conf call. NIGHT.

Only if it will be brie...then you MUST master it...I have a fork and knife ready!
 
I have had so much on my mind lately that I haven't even given this a thought. I will try to participate, but I can't guarantee anything. Thanks for the reminders here! :cool:
 
The challenge I'm facing are that we are going canoeing...so, the food has to fit in the cooler, AND it has to be food that travels well in a cooler because we'll be on the water for about 2-3 hours before we go ashore (if we can find a place--if not, it will be a picnic served in the canoe...). So the presentation may be somewhat of a challenge as well...it might have to stage it in the backyard and then pack it in the cooler...would that be cheating? I have a hard enough time taking pictures as it is--not sure how I'd do in the confines of a canoe on water...
 
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This sounds like a blast. I'd love to join but I don't have a good camera and have no idea how to post them so I'll sit back and see what you all come up with hands over mouth so as not to give hints that might not be wanted or needed.
kades
 
The challenge I'm facing are that we are going canoeing...so, the food has to fit in the cooler, AND it has to be food that travels well in a cooler because we'll be on the water for about 2-3 hours before we go ashore (if we can find a place--if not, it will be a picnic served in the canoe...). So the presentation may be somewhat of a challenge as well...it might have to stage it in the backyard and then pack it in the cooler...would that be cheating? I have a hard enough time taking pictures as it is--not sure how I'd do in the confines of a canoe on water...

I like your idea of staging and taking pix before packing the cooler. It just makes more sense.

After your trip you can do the critique.
 
In the winter, when we have really suffered from cabin fever, we've done an indoor picnic...complete with an inflatable palm tree, travel video from someplace warm, and tropical drinks...a blanket spread on the floor...assuming there's AC there, you could pretend you are hosting a picnic someplace where the weather isn't so unbearably hot.

Or, do it this week and post on the 9th? I assume there is Internet access in CA?
 
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I have nothing to contribute other than I cannot wait to see what people make! I'm always interested in things that you can pack for a picnic/beach trip!
 
The challenge I'm facing are that we are going canoeing...so, the food has to fit in the cooler, AND it has to be food that travels well in a cooler because we'll be on the water for about 2-3 hours before we go ashore (if we can find a place--if not, it will be a picnic served in the canoe...). So the presentation may be somewhat of a challenge as well...it might have to stage it in the backyard and then pack it in the cooler...would that be cheating? I have a hard enough time taking pictures as it is--not sure how I'd do in the confines of a canoe on water...
It is great that you are using your canoe trip as the basis for this challenge! It is a perfect example of a place where all the food needs to be done ahead and is the ultimate picnic....just go downstream and find a nice place to eat! :)

But CWS, this does not have to be taken literally. Of course you can take the pictures in your back yard. I had hoped to make this before we left for the weekend and use it as "road food", but I didn't get to it. So don't stress yourself on this, have fun making the food, take the pictures before you pack it all up and then right down your critiques when you eat it! Pictures of your chosen picnic site would be great! (but not necessary to the contest....I just love scenery! ;))

EDIT Note to Zahzara, sorry, friend. I didn't see your answer when I wrote mine! You said the same thing, just in better words!
 
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The DH's birthday is coming up--we always take a day off from all the chores, work (for me) and put the canoe in and spend the day on the Cass River. My DH made the canoe--it is a cedar canoe and light enough one person can carry it. I'll definitely take a picture of the canoe! Don't know if we'll find a picnic spot on land...we're going to put in at another location and canoe back to where we usually put in...there is a picnic area there. My DH actually made three of canoes that year--one lives at the farm and the other is at one of the houses in Ottawa. He gave one to his cousin as a wedding gift. Found out last year that his cousin sold it...I thought he should have asked if the DH wanted it back or if he wanted to buy it back...but that was just me. A lot of hours went into each of those canoes.
 
One of the visiting Saint Bernards has a vet visit today--so I'm venturing off the farm to take her in and stop at the grocery store to pick up the few things I'm missing for the picnic. The weather on Saturday is supposed to be sunny and warm. I've been working extra hours so that I can deliver what I need to deliver by Friday a.m. instead of Monday. I have figured out things that will keep in the cooler, and things I can make ahead starting Thursday afternoon. Now the challenge is to find room in the fridge! My DH was a hummingbird in another life--he eats his weight (160#) in food every day. So although the recipes would normally serve 6-8, they will all serve 2. I think this will be fun. I'm still figuring out how to stage the photos since I don't plan on taking photos of us eating in the canoe...and, being a rudimentary cook, I am definitely not a photographer.

And, I promise, I'll measure everything and time everything too--although my oven is funky.
 
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Dad is coming home next Tuesday and there is a lot to prepare before he does. I think I will have to back out of this one, even though I have everything ready to go. On top of that, I also am helping out with a wedding this week - the couple left all the food decisions to the last minute and my friend who is doing it really could use the help.

Is there any chance, Dave, we could extend it a week or two for people like CWS and me? I mean if you can't you can't, I am not asking for special favours.....:whistling
 
Dad is coming home next Tuesday and there is a lot to prepare before he does. I think I will have to back out of this one, even though I have everything ready to go. On top of that, I also am helping out with a wedding this week - the couple left all the food decisions to the last minute and my friend who is doing it really could use the help.

Is there any chance, Dave, we could extend it a week or two for people like CWS and me? I mean if you can't you can't, I am not asking for special favours.....:whistling

Sure. The way things are looking this week my participation was up in the air too.

Shall we extend to two weeks to the 23rd of July? Would that work for everyone?

Remember you can post at anytime...no need to wait. :)
 
CWS - don't worry, do what you can, it is supposed to be fun!!! You don't have to stage the meal, why not take the pictures as you are packing the food or as it is cooked??
 
Works for me! I am booked off the 20-21, so I can cook those days (and the 20th is the DH's b'day).

How about this--if people have stuff ready this weekend, they can go ahead for this weekend, take the pics, etc., and post by the 23rd?

Or, in my case, I'm going to have things ready in stages, so I will be able to post in stages. But it all goes in the cooler on the 20th when we put the canoe in the water again (we are going canoeing Saturday--we've both been really busy and I really need a day off on the water...I'm a water baby. I can test drive some of the new recipes and tweak them between Saturday and the 23rd).

I think this is a really fun challenge for many reasons--(1) it doesn't involve any expensive ingredients; (2) I drive from ON to MN 3-4 times a year. I bring my own "road" food, so this gives me a chance to try other things, (3) it encourages people to plan a "day off" to play (or at least part of a day) (everyone should take time off to play--and being able to as an adult is important), and (4) no cooking on site. (My husband's uncle used to bake potatoes on the radiator (or maybe it was the engine--I'll have to ask) when he drove from NS to ON--the spuds were wrapped in foil, but I won't be doing that <g>). I am looking at this as a chance to test some ideas re: pack-n-go food, food that I can eat at room temperature or, at best, kept cold on ice in a cooler. I've pulled into my hotel in Marquette (10-12 hour drive, depending on the border--longer depending on the weather) and been too tired to go get something--it has been nice to dig something out of the cooler and know I wasn't going to end up with food poisoning. I have also arrived at my folks and they, for some odd reason, think I've brought dinner with me...get set, get ready, COOK on arrival.

And, lastly, this challenge reminds me of when my folks lived at Lake of the Woods and I'd spend July and August at the lake. We'd go out in the boat, fish, swim, laugh, eat, read in the boat, nap, and come home tired.
 
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CWS people can start posting any time, it is just the deadline that was causing some of us troubles. I am glad this works for you. I love all your reasons for taking the challenge! :)

The two weeks should be good for me, Dave!
 
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