How to enjoy a perfectly imperfect picnic with our food stylist Fiona Hugues
You don't have to have a picture-perfect picnic to have a great day out.
We're a picnic-basket-half-full kinda company, in a picnic-basket-half-full kinda country, and we love getting out and about for a bit of al fresco fun. The best part? There's no pressure. The best way to enjoy a picnic is to let go of the little things and embrace the Kiwi spirit of making the most out of whatever the day throws at you.
We caught up with Fiona Hugues, who styled the picnic scene for Cloudy Bay's "The Rescue" film, to find out how to make a picnic fun and memorable, even when things don't go to plan.
How do you make a last-minute spread everyone will love?
The best picnics right now are all about curating rather than preparing. Pick up a beautiful sourdough, a soft and a hard cheese, a quality dip, ripe seasonal fruit and something unexpected like premium tinned mussels or Spanish tinned seafood.
What's one thing you always bring to a picnic that most people wouldn't think of?
A linen tea towel. It instantly becomes a serving cloth, bread basket liner, napkin, wine bottle wrap or even an extra seat. It takes hardly any room and is also very handy to mop up accidental spills and wrap leftovers.
What's a quintessentially Kiwi picnic item the world needs to know about?
Is say artisan potato chips paired with a reduced cream dip. It's nostalgic, completely unfussy and still one of the most loved things you'll find at a New Zealand gathering. Potato chips paired with Cloudy Bay Peloorus is one of my favourite ways to celebrate - especially with a jazzed up version of our classic Kiwi dip. I do different classic dip variations but with a roasted red onion base, sometimes adding guindillas pickles, chopped chives, cornichons or loves, they're all very moreish.
How can you enjoy a picnic even when the weather isn't perfect?
Some of the best picnics happen when you stop chasing perfect weather. I always have a waterproof run to sit on and a wool blanket in the back of my car for impromptu wild weather moments. Chunky sweaters, cashmere scarves, red wine and great meaty sandwiches make for a very good time. I think a slightly windswept picnic is far more memorable than one under blue skies, just add a thermos of hot tea or coffee and a few squares of quality dark chocolate for warming up before the journey home.
What's an unexpected pairing that's ended up being one of your picnic favourites?
My longtime favourite is my homemade sourdough with whipped butter, fresh radishes and flaked salt - very much inspired by French picnics my husband grew up with. Nowadays I add tinned sardines or anchovies with a lemon to cut and squeeze over the top.
How much does the season shape what ends up in your picnic basket?
Completely. The best picnics celebrate whatever produce is at its absolute peak. In summer it's tomatoes, stone fruit, watermelon, berries and crisp salads. In autumn I lean towards roasted vegetables, beautiful cheeses and charcuterie. Seasonal produce always tastes better and usually needs very little done to it so getting organised to dash out the door is easier.
What's the one thing that people forget when putting together a picnic?
Wet wipes and a knife. I have a foldable Opinel knife (also always in my car) for cutting fruit. A packet of biodegradable wipes makes cleaning grubby foraging hands and sticky fruit-stained fingers easy if there's no water source about.
What's the secret to a great picnic and wine pairing?
Instead if trying to match every individual food, choose wines that work across the whole spread and aim for fewer items but focus on ingredient quality. I love the relaxed luxury of a picnic consisting of premium things to pick at with great break and seasonal fruit. Most importantly, serve the wine properly chilled, especially if it's summer time.
Turns out even the professionals agree: the best picnics are the ones that don't quite go to plan. Check out how we used a bit of Kiwi ingenuity to get out picnic treats across a river, below.