Photography by Ian Wallace.
Eating outdoors is summer heaven! Whether it's lunch in the garden, brunch on the balcony, a barbecue on the terrace - or a drink beside the pool, Louise Pickford's 'Al Fresco' is packed with ideas and delicious recipes just made for the occasion.
For weekend luxury, try brunch dishes like Berries with Honey Yoghurt, or Warm Blueberry and Almond Muffins. Specially designed for eating outdoors are crisp, fresh salads, with lots of crunch and colour, chilled summer soups and simple starters, packed with flavour.
You don't have to be vegetarian to love vegetable and vegetarian dishes such as Char-Grilled Fennel with Chilli Lime Mayonnaise, or Turkish Pizza Turnover. Meat and poultry are perfect cooked on the barbecue, then eaten in wraps or burgers, with salsas or dips. You'll love spicy Tex Mex Pork Rack with Chilli Cornbread, or Thai Beef Salad.
Sweet things make the perfect finale. For picnics, pack a cake, like Lemon Cake with Vanilla Syrup and Strawberries. There's also the breathtakingly pretty Meringues with Rosewater Cream, and Caramelised Plum Sorbet is the perfect cooler. Great drinks include fruit smoothies, iced tea and coffee, and stylish cocktails.
All this, plus:
- Party planning for outdoor entertaining.
- Picnic tips - what kind of food, how to pack it and how to make sure it stays fresh and good.
- Barbecue information - everything from food and fire safety to preparing the food, lighting the fire and getting those coals to exactly the right temperature.
'Al Fresco' is the very essence of summer - the perfect excuse for eating outdoors.
