Summer has finally arrived in the UK, which means it’s finally picnic season! Picnics are the ideal way to enjoy local outdoor space, but in the current pandemic situation they are also a good way to enjoy some socially distanced entertaining. July is National Picnic Month so I decided it was time to plan the perfect picnic in the park.
Picnics have long been a British institution. They can actually be traced back to the Middle Ages when food was delivered to huntsmen before turning into something more in line with the modern picnic in the Victorian era.
Whilst picnics seem like an easy idea as a bit of a perfectionist (okay maybe more than a bit!) producing the perfect spread of delicious cheeses, meats, savoury and sweet treats is always a little stressful. Therefore, I opted to make this picnic completely stress-free by ordering a delectable, beautiful and fabulously curated grazing picnic box to pair with the brand new Folc delicate pale rosé wine. Simple summer perfection!
Honey & Blue Grazing
Honey & Blue is run by the lovely Gemma, who fell in love with the trend of grazing & laidback dining on her travels in Australia & New Zealand. The relaxed Aussie dining style is something I thoroughly enjoy as well & it’s influences continue to spread in the UK; from London restaurants like Scarlett Green to the pop-up of grazing companies nationwide!
Honey and Blue’s mission is to provide high quality grazing boards, tables & cakes for any and all entertaining occasions. Gemma is an absolute pleasure to work with and is unbelievably flexible to produce a personalised, thoughtful and gorgeous food display that will definitely make you the perfect relaxed host in your guests’ eyes!
Boxes can be ordered online in varying sizes for 2 to 8 people starting from £40 plus delivery. Larger orders & tables are ordered by consultation. There are 2 savoury boxes, as well as a brunch box filled with breakfast items or a treats box of goodies, depending on your occasion. Obviously, box contents vary on the season & availability and you should inform Gemma of any intolerances/allergies when ordering.
For the picnic i chose the savoury box with a mixture of cured meats, cheeses, crackers, antipasti, seasonal fruit, nuts, and a few sweet treats because I thought it sounded absolutely amazing. I ordered a box suitable for 2-4 people (£40 plus delivery) which was scheduled for delivery a few days later.
The elegant box was hand delivered at the time I had selected and arrived packaged in a sturdy and easy to transport food box. Everything in the boxes is fresh, therefore it is recommended that you consume them on the day of delivery. I did put mine in the fridge (laid flat ) for a few hours until the picnic and this kept everything fresh and in tip-top condition.
WOW! I had seen pictures of the grazing boxes online, but when I opened mine up I just couldn’t believe how much was beautifully arranged into the box to enjoy! I couldn’t wait for the picnic to start so I could tuck in!!
There was so much within the box to enjoy, all the elements complemented one another and gave everyone at the picnic a great variety of tastes, textures and treats to devour! The quality of all the contents was amazing, as expected, and everyone praised the freshness & selection available. The strawberries in particular were just bursting with flavour and the chutney was the perfect accompaniment for the platter!
I loved the simplicity that ordering the fabulous box from Honey & Blue afforded me for the picnic & would thoroughly recommend ordering from Gemma for your events. A wonderful professional, with a great personal touch to the order so you will absolutely love the grazing box you receive!
Folc Wine
Alongside the food, a picnic would not be complete without some delectable drinks and for many people summer calls for rosé wine. I already had the ideal drink in mind; the excellent, newly launched Folc English pale rosé wine, which is definitely the drink of the summer for me!
English wine has been going from strength to strength for several years. English winemakers continue to increasingly win industry awards and outshine their worldwide counterparts. One of the most prevalent grape varieties that has excelled in the English landscape is Pinot Noir which is crucial to sparkling wine production and also has led to the production of some fabulous English rosé wines.
Folc only launched it’s first vintage in June this year, but sold out of stock within days – yes it really is that good! The focus of Tom, the owner, was to produce a quality wine using sustainable practices whilst supporting the community.
With community in mind the craft wine is made from the best grapes collected locally within a small 5 mile radius of the winemaker in Kent. It is made up of 65% Pinot Noir, 24% Hexelrebe, 10% Chardonnay grapes and less than 1% other, which are all rapidly transported to the winery for pressing and blending by the expert winemakers.
The wine is as natural as possible, with low sulphates & sugar content as well as being gluten free and vegan. The bottle takes significantly less energy to produce than traditional wines and the cork is even specially made to fit the beautiful modern style design. Appealing to a younger audience, the clear bottle is extremely contemporary in its styling. Gone are the classical regal nods in labelling!
The wine is a beautiful pale salmon colour, lighter than standard comparable Provençal Rosé varieties. At 11.1% this is an extremely delicate, light and dry wine that is perfectly refreshing for the summer heat and sharing with your tribe.
It has a subtle perfume nose, showing off hints of citrus and melon alongside the red fruits that shine through. Marvellously balanced in acidity, it has fantastic strawberry flavours in the finish, which makes it extremely moreish & ideal for the combination of flavours in the grazing box for a picnic!
It’s true that time flies when you are having fun! Before we realised several hours had flown by and we had thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing and delicious afternoon! The concept of modern picnics is really taken to another level by ordering a stunning & heavenly grazing box from a wonderful local small business and supporting the ever-evolving English wine industry that has gained a fabulous brand in the launch of Folc! I’m already looking forward to the next picnic!
Will a picnic in the park be on your summer bucket list this year?
Websites: Honey & Blue Grazing & Folc Wine
Note: I was gifted my wine from Folc & received my graze box at a discount from Honey & Blue Grazing. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll never recommend anything to you that’s not fantastic.
Think I might need to try that wine, looks good.
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It is deliciously moreish, and perfect for summer. I think you’d love it!
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Love the grazing box – I’ll have to look up the Cardiff equivalent!
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They are definitely a great stress free way to enjoy a picnic! I’ll see if I can find a Cardiff based one for you!
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