thursday, September 14, 1978
daily nebraskan
page 17
Picnics of yesteryear forgotten in the fast food century
By Ben T. Shomshor
In recent years, anthropologists (the plump, affable
variety) have speculated that picnics first began when the
noted Neanderthal -affable, but not so plump) Cork,
loosely translated as Masterof-Antelope-braising-and-tuber-grating,
took the young lady of his latest fancy on a
hackberry gathering expedition.
In the course of the gathering, they made the
momentous discovery that hackberries, when consumed
in the open air, were an apt prelude to the beloved pre-Ne-anderthal
games of Rolling-in-Leaves-with-One-You-Fancy
and Bussing-Amongst -Bushes.
food review
Later millienia retained the essentials of the custom,
namely food, open air, and a fancied one, vet refined and
extended the variety of the essentials. Suddenly, the mid
twentieth century witnessed a rapid decline in the picnic.
This decline appears to inversely relate to the availability
of Hostess Twinkies and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Lack of appreciation
The picnic now is one of the most abused and under
utilized occasions for sociable intercourse. While there is
no lack of bushes for bussing amongst, nor of fancied
ones, there is a lack of appreciation for food and drink
suitable for a picnic.
The misconceptions about picnics which I come across
most frequently include: Picnics should take place only
on clear spring and summer days; Picnics should only be
held in the specially constructed '"picnic" area of a city or
state park; and, picnic food should be sub-standard -either
purchased at a fast-food outlet, or thrown together in
unimaginative haste at home, immediately before leaving
for the tryst. M. Pissaro would be aghast.
One of my more memorable picnics took place on a
blustery day last autumn. On a Platte River sandbar, the
fancied one and I enjoyed a modest lunch of Court
Boullion (carried in a Thermos), an Artichocke Pate
served on Dita bread, marianted beef strios. fruit cuds with
1 K
a spicy wine dressing, and brie. This was all washed down
INTO
MARKETING?
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2nd Annual
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FriSept 15 8:00 p.m.
Nebraska Union
Centennial Room
with Special Guest
Luther Allison
$4.00 UNL Students wid
$5. 00 General Adm ission
Available at both Nebraska
Unions. Dirt Cheap
Records and pi the door...
with a chilled red wine of indeterminate character. We
did not overlook such pleasant amenities as a table cloth,
cotton napkins, and wine glasses.
Make a picnic spectacular
I do not suggest that this is the menu anyone else
should use. Each picnic is, almost inherently, a unique
experience. I do suggest that you use your imagination
and talents to make a picnic spectacular to you and your
fancied one.
The basic requirements of picnic food and drink are
simple enough. The food must be portable, and amenable
to advance preparation. With the exception of soups and
drinks, it should be palatable at outdoor temperatures,
and resist rapid spoiling. There are, fortunately, no guide
lines for choosing the fancied one, or the location for a
picnic.
If your appetite (culinary and otherwise) is whetted,
but you don't know where to go from here, I would
suggest reading The Picnic Gourmet by Joan Hemingway
and Connie Maricich, published in paperback by Vintage
Books for a very reasonable $4.95. Interspersed with
reminiscenses of classic picnics are numerous recipes for
the most delectable of picnic fare.
A brief word about wine: red wines generally have as
much personality as philodendrons or middle-aged
accountants. The one place they seem to shine is on a
picnic. Served lightly-chilled, a red wine can accompany
almost any dish without harm. It is virtually impossible to
damage in transport, and since it is useless on all other
occasions, why not enjoy a dry red wine while picnicking?
nri r
Red Cross
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counting on you.
Dance Theatre
Si
September 15, 16 8 pm
supdi f N('ti v,M Arts Cou'U
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Continuous from 1 1am - Late shows Fri. & Sat.
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Sheldon Art Gallery,
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UA TREAT FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES
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-Gene Shalit, WNBC-TV
An exciting story told
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Andre-Michel Schub-Piano
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janos Starker-Cello
Leipzig Gewandhatts Orchestra
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The Acting Company in
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Musunenschanz Mime
Pilobolus Dance Theatre
Martha Graham Dance Company
Joffrey II Dance Company
For a free brochure
grvins complete information
on how to order your
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stop by the box office
next to the hall at 11th & R