What’s in your Basket?
Summer is in full swing and we’ve asked some of our Taste of Nova Scotia members for suggestions on packing the perfect picnic. From local cheese, charcuterie, oysters and fruit to easy picnic recipes – we’ve got some great ideas for your picnic planning. What’s in your basket this summer?
Morris East Restaurant
Nova Scotia-Inspired Menu
What’s a picnic without wine and cheese? We always have a chilled bottle of Blomidon rosé packed as a perfect summer pairing wine. Oulton’s sausage and That Dutchman’s spreadable Gouda – it’s perfect for sandwiches, with burgers, on crackers or on apples. Plus bring fruit, fruit and more fruit. We have so many local farmers that produce amazing fruit including berries, apples, pears, even cantaloupe. Fruit is so versatile – appetizer, dessert or in a cocktail.
Favorite Spot to Picnic
Carter’s Beach along the South Shore, “The Bluff” in the valley, Bayswater Beach (chilly so you can snuggle up!), Needem Park near the Hydrostone, or the Public Gardens (so beautiful).
Handy Tips
- Always pack reusable cloth napkins – they’re a step above paper and hold up for the whole picnic.
- Freeze bottles of water – not only will they keep your food cool, when they melt it’s time to hydrate.
- Something that often gets over looked – put soft items on top.
- Have a top notch picnic basket or cooler and you can’t go wrong.
Bramoso Gourmet Pizzeria
Nova Scotia-Inspired Menu
One of our local ingredient Take-N-Bake pizzas to grill on a BBQ. Let us make it fresh and you enjoy the great outdoors and bake it.
Favorite Spot to Picnic
The Dartmouth Commons is a beautiful park in the heart of downtown Dartmouth, and is a great spot to sit and enjoy an outdoor lunch with friends or family. The best part of the commons is the volunteer run pizza oven, perfect for cooking up your fresh Take-N-Bake pizza. The oven is open from 12:00 p.m to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday’s so come early, or book your time in advance so you know you’ll get the chance to enjoy your wood-fired pizza.
Handy Tip
- Bring a charcoal or gas grill with you to cook your pizza anywhere you might picnic.
Wild Caraway Restaurant & Café
Nova Scotia-Inspired Menu
We would always have Sober Island oysters, Rare Bird beer, Fox Hill cheese and berries from Masstown Market.
Favorite Spot to Picnic
Seal Cove in Cape Chignecto Provincial Park is an amazing spot – a 6 km hike each way but well worth it.
Handy Tips
- Keep cold beverages next to items you need kept cold.
- Bring blankets, they keep the temp in and are a must – wrap tight.
- We can only say keep it simple.
The Grubstake Restaurant
Nova Scotia-Inspired Menu
Strawberries! You can never have enough – they’re versatile enough to be an appetizer, a dessert (try this picnic friendly Strawberry Parfait), and they can even be added to a salad. Plus, they keep little fingers busy too.
Favorite Spot to Picnic
Any location in Ingonish, Nova Scotia. No matter where you stop, the scenery is always beautiful and peaceful.
Handy Tips
- Glass jars with the tops that clip down are fantastic for picnics. They’re eco-friendly and come in different sizes so you can always get the perfect portion. Plus, if someone isn’t hungry, the food is already stored and can go right in the fridge when you get home.
- Bugs are always the biggest enemy of a great picnic, that’s why it’s a good idea to take a can of bug spray with you. Lay your blanket on top of a garbage bag to keep the dirt off, and then spray all around the outside edge of the blanket. It will keep the bugs from climbing around where all the goodies are.
- Be sure to put bug spray on exposed areas of skin as well, to deter the ones that fly.
- If you’re not a fan of bug spray choose an area with a nice breeze and less grass.
The Wilder Restaurant & General Store
Nova Scotia-Inspired Menu
Picnics are for the romantic at heart. Wrapping food into a little basket to enjoy outdoors is a sweet summer indulgence. Our personal favourite for this kind of lunch is to collect some cheese and charcuterie, maybe some smoked salmon, and set it on a small board all wrapped up with a knife. Bring a few essential condiments in wee jars – mustard, chutney, pickles and jams from Tangled Garden. We’ll usually throw together a salad with whatever’s growing locally and make a Maple Dijon Vinaigrette using Acadian Maple syrup. Some fresh sourdough from Boulangerie la Vendéenne turns this little spread into a heck of a salad and sandwich combo. If we’re really keen on a big lunch we throw a bit of homemade gazpacho into jars – it’s delightful on a hot day. Add in a bit of Ortega from Grand Pré or a splash of Van Dyke’s wild blueberry juice and you have a rather glamorous lunch outdoors.
Favorite Spot to Picnic
In our neck of the woods, our two favourite picnic spots are Mill Falls and Peter Point in Kejimkujik National Park. Mill Falls is a dreamy riverside spot with a small tumbling waterfall. The falls and pool below is a great swimming spot – nothing like a natural jet pool to top off a perfect picnic. A bit further afield you’ll find Peter Point, a gorgeous beach point at the end of an easy hike or bike ride. Have a bit of swim after lunch and you have a pretty perfect afternoon in the wilderness.
Handy Tips
- Keep it light, keep it contained and keep the perishables to a minimum.
- Grab a couple of water containers with good lids – fill 3/4 of the way full and freeze.
- Pack perishable items around the frozen bottles – by the time lunch is over your water will be thawed enough to drink and you won’t have a mess as the ice melts.
- Pack food carefully as the condensation from ice will make things like bread soggy.
- For spontaneous picnicking, double bag ice cubes in Zip Locks and go for it.
*Please picnic with drinks responsibly, remember it’s against the law to drink alcohol in public spaces and parks in Nova Scotia.
We suggest the following Taste of Nova Scotia products to try for these suggested menus – cheese from Fox Hill Cheese House, meats from Meadowbrook Meat Market or The Pork Shop, preserves and condiments from Helen B’s Preserves or Fireside Kitchen, and local fruit and veggies from Noggins Corner Farm Market or Masstown Market.