It’s summertime in the city, and we all know that comes with plenty of pros and cons. There is the profuse sweating and the special scents that only New York City summertime garbage can produce, but there are also outdoor concerts, movies and of course, picnics. To simplify your snacking, we consulted Robin Randisi and Kate Colman from Union Market to help curate ingredients for a ready-to-eat feast.
First up, Colman and Randisi suggest using local Lioni mozzarella, Gotham Greens basil, tomatoes and Union Market brand olive oil to assemble basic caprese salads. Make it a sandwich with a batard made by Blue Duck Bakery or simply pair with Z Crackers in sea salt and olive oil, or Jan’s Farm House Crisps. To round out an Italian-style picnic, Union Market has plenty of options for creating a cheese and/or charcuterie platters that are as unfussy as they are delicious.
Keeping with cheese, Union Market also sells an excellent gorgonzola called “West West Blue” from Parish Hill Creamery. Robin and Kate also recommend their own goat cheese and Salvatore Bklyn ricotta (reportedly a Martha Stewart favorite, FYI). You’d be remiss to not include some lavender preserves from Eat This.
As for meats, there is no shortage of options at Union Market, but particularly recommended is the sopressata from Brooklyn Cured. Robin and Kate suggest trying it with a drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey — locally made wildflower honey infused with chili pepper.
For a picnic that requires no assembly, Union Market carries multiple prepared salads that are sold pre-packaged and ready for your basket. Options like creamy cole slaw, red skinned potato salad and curry chicken salad will make excellent side dishes at cookouts and barbecues. We suggest pairing with the buttermilk fried chicken that Union Market prepares daily.
And don’t think you can have a picnic without dessert. Keep it simple with Mast Brothers chocolate bars, brownies from Baked or gluten-free treats from Las Delicias Patisserie. Their caramel fleur del sel brownie is the most compelling reason to give up gluten that I know.
Finally, it is important to stay hydrated out in the sunshine. Brooklyn-made Bruce Cost Ginger Ale and New York State’s Red Jacket juices are sure to quench your thirst. We wouldn’t say no to Brooklyn Brewery’s summer ale either…
Now that you’ve got your list ready, you just need to find the ideal spot to spread your blanket.
