Good Food for a Romantic Picnic

I know it’s not exactly picnic season for most of the country, but here in Arizona we’re lucky enough that we can do a romantic picnic outdoors almost anytime.  But with Valentine’s Day in just a few days, I began to wonder about what the rest of the country was going to do since they are buried in snow.  Why not have a romantic picnic inside the house, maybe on the floor in front of the fireplace?  Sounds like fun to me – in fact, the privacy of the whole thing kind of makes it very appealing.

Planning a picnic usually means slapping together some sandwiches or frying up some chicken.  But if you use a little imagination, it’s easy to put together a picnic basket full of perfect food items for a romantic picnic for two.
Consider some of these romantic picnic favorites that you can make at home or order online:

Antipasto – A selection of fine meats and little salads is a wonderful picnic basket food idea to enjoy a variety of tastes and textures.  Italian salami, marinated artichokes, bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping, prosciutto, and cornichons all make great finger-foods that make it easy for a lazy afternoon of food grazing.  You also have the added bonus of enjoying the intimacy of feeding each other.

Cheese – Always a favorite picnic food, a selection of fine cheese can create the perfect atmosphere for a romantic picnic.  In addition to your favorites like sharp cheddar and brie, look for some unusual, new varieties like Spanish machengo or cabrales.   Instead of Swiss cheese, try Jarlsberg.  Go crazy – you can find over 800 Gourmet Cheeses at igourmet.com. An attractive cheese board and cheese knife make for a great serving platter, too.

Wine – What romantic picnic wouldn’t include wine?  Red wine is certainly popular for romance, but a picnic often includes lighter picnic food ideas that may be better suited to a white wine.  A romantic picnic at a warm outdoor location makes white or rose wine a logical choice.  Looking for real romance and a way to impress your partner?  Try champagne. To avoid possibly breaking your fine wine glasses, can easily find nice looking and very serviceable plastic wine glasses, bringing that special element of elegance to your romantic picnic.

Chocolate – Not only delicious, but research is growing that chocolate has actual aphrodisiac qualities.  Don’t just think of the standards like chocolate-covered cherries or a bar of Ghirardelli.  Look for big, beautiful chocolate covered strawberries, dark chocolate truffles dusted with high-quality cocoa powder, or even red velvet or devil’s food cake.

Fruit – Healthy and delicious, fresh fruit can be a great way to end a romantic picnic.  Pre-cut bite-sized portions of pineapple or fresh berries are great for sharing.  Try some of the exotic fruits like star fruit, Asian pear or passion fruit that you can taste and experience for the first time together during your romantic picnic.

Be a little unconventional and skip the standard cole slaw and potato salad in your picnic basket. Selecting your food items for a romantic picnic can be almost as much fun as the picnic itself.   If you don’t have a good local gourmet shop or deli nearby, there are a couple of places that you can go to online that have an amazing selection of specialty and gourmet food and wine:

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