When thinking about eating outdoors it’s usually a backyard cookout that comes to mind. Grilled, smoked, barbecued, or cedar planked, our burgers, chicken, pork, sausages, and seafood are cooked over a fire. But that hasn’t always been the case. Before the boomers, eating outdoors meant a picnic.

I’m defining a picnic as a cold meal eaten outdoors – a pretty elastic and broad description. No grilling, just eat what you brought.

Picnics came into vogue in the mid 1800s in England and quickly spread to America. They remained a favorite pastime until the baby boomers moved to suburbia, got charcoal grills, and began cooking in their backyards. It wasn’t necessary to go elsewhere to eat in nature. Friends and neighbors could gather at home for an al fresco meal. The gas grill, with its easy and reliable heat source, cemented this trend into a foundation of American culture.

Picnickers at Waveny

Picnics still thrive but take a back seat to cookouts. Concerts, outdoor theater, the beach, and tailgating are the primary picnic venues these days. July 4th is America’s biggest picnic holiday. We’ve enjoyed a picnic on the grass with friends before the fireworks at Waveny Park in New Canaan. Complete with a community band playing patriotic favorites, it’s a grand tradition.

Picnic menus vary from simple to elaborate. They can be traditional with time-tested dishes, innovative with ethnic favorites, or cutting edge with the latest food trends. I’ve seen elaborate presentations with silver candelabra, crystal glasses and linen napkins. I’ve also seen takeout food eaten from the container it came in. The idealized picnic is eaten in a flower-filled meadow on a plaid blanket with the home-made food served from a basket or hamper. (I’ll skip the straw boaters).

The New Canaan Community Band playing for the Fourth

For me, the traditional picnic menu includes fried chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, deviled eggs and watermelon. If you want to move upscale a little, start with a cold soup and finish with a fruit tart.

There was a time when fried chicken was a staple of home cooking, in everyone’s repertoire, made with a family recipe, and served on special occasions to great acclaim. But the truth is, it’s messy, fussy and a lot of work. I only know one person who makes it these days, and she’s 87. Fried chicken moved out of the home kitchen to restaurants and fried chicken specialists like Colonel Sanders. There’s nothing wrong with getting some fried chicken for your picnic from the Colonel, Stew’s, or your favorite takeout. (We took a bucket full to Hairspray at the Summer Theater of New Canaan last year.) Get it the day before, so it’s well chilled.

I sometimes substitute roast chicken for the fried. It’s a little lighter on the calories, easily made at home the day before (see Frank’s Lazy Roast Chicken at www.FranksFeast.com), or purchased from the grocery store rotisserie. A cold sauce can make it special. Some mayonnaise mixed with chipotle pepper and a squeeze of lime is a good one. Make it as zingy and citrusy as you like.

Deviled eggs are a hot trend right now – seen on many restaurant menus and in glossy food magazines – but they’ve always been a part of picnic culture. Use a basic recipe with vinegar, mustard and mayonnaise, then jazz them up any way you like.

Potato Salad is readily available to buy and may be a good investment if time is tight. It’s also easy to make at home a day or two ahead. Potato salad divides along the mayonnaise – vinaigrette fault line. I’ll take it either way.

Picnicking at Tanglewood

A cold soup can add some style and is easily transported in a thermos. Cold Tomato-Buttermilk Soup was a big hit at a pre-concert picnic we enjoyed at Tanglewood a few years back. Look for the recipe at www.FranksFeast.com. Gazpacho is another winning picnic soup.

Coleslaw is a summer favorite in our house that I have discussed before. Go to www.FranksFeast.com to get the recipe for Marsha’s Favorite Cole Slaw. Enough said.

Watermelon is the usual picnic ender – and a good one it is! A seasonal fruit tart can add some panache. Buy one, if that’s your plan; they’re hard to make. Another option is to make berry shortcakes. These can be a little messy to eat – more practical at a picnic with a table. Bake the sugar sprinkled biscuits ahead. Macerate some blueberries and sliced strawberries with sugar in the morning and put them together with a dollop of cream when dessert time comes. Probably best to serve in a bowl.

Beverages are an important part of the picnic. Lemonade is delicious and evokes a time gone by. For the grownups, cold frosty beers hit the spot. Most craft brewers have a summer beer. Try Back East Summer Ale from Bloomfield for some bright, refreshing hops or Two Roads, Road Jam, made in Stratford with fresh black and red raspberries. Rosé wine is popular for summer drinking and is perfect for a picnic. In addition to a beautiful color, it’s light and refreshing. At Fountainhead Mark and Tony suggest Piaugier Sablet Rosé from the south of France. Cody Foster at Ancona’s in Wilton recommends Domaine des Schistes. The wine pickers at Stew’s are offering Abrazo Garnacha Rosado from Spain.

The July 4th holiday is a perfect picnic occasion. You don’t have to go far, just leave the fire behind. Spread your blanket on the ground or across a picnic table and unpack the feast. Happy Independence Day!