Fathers' Day
June means summer is really
here and outdoor celebrations can finally begin, starting with
Father’s Day! This year, move away from the usual gifts of
tie, razor, gold equipment, and offer your Dad something totally
different: a day in the great outdoors. Not only will he get to
enjoy all the beauty nature has to offer, a picnic with his family
on the top of a mountain or by the water is a wonderful way to show
your Dad how much you care.
- Depending on the site, a small hibachi can be easily brought along to barbecue hamburgers, chops or chicken. Prepare the meat at home and keep the marinated meat in the cooler in an airtight container.
- Many dishes are great cold and can be made the day before. Think of pizzas, grilled shrimp or crisp fried chicken covered with sesame seeds.
- Fresh, light summer salads delight almost everybody's taste buds. Salad should be packed in a rigid, airtight container with the dressing in a separate jar.
- Plan easy-to-carry snacks for a quick energy boost: cookies, muffins, granola bars or homemade trail mix. Above all, don't forget to bring water or fruit juice to replenish fluids.
- Exotic or classic, sandwiches are always practical and nutritious. Sandwiches come in many forms and sizes, from pinwheels to stacked and from bite-sized to gigantic.
- The vast selection of breads and fillings allow for endless variations. Choose pita bread, croissants, bagels, kaisers, baguette, panini or rye bread as a base and pile on salmon, ham, cheese, tuna, hummus, pastrami, chicken, sausage or roast beef. Anything goes!
- Jazz up your sandwiches with olives, fresh herbs, grilled vegetables, anchovies, pesto, raisins or sliced mango!
- Sandwiches without eggs, mayonnaise, lettuce or tomatoes can be made ahead and frozen, making them perfect for a picnic. They will thaw during the outing and be nice and fresh when it's time to eat.
- Before leaving, cut bread, sandwiches and other appropriate foods into individual servings.
- If there is no running water, bring disposable towelettes so that people can clean their hands.
The day will make for great memories if you follow these simple rules to avoid food poisoning.
- Use a clean, properly insulated cooler and gel packs to keep perishables such as meat, cold cuts, dairy products and anything with eggs, cream or mayonnaise, good and cold, at 4°C or less.
- Eat in the shade if possible, or at least put the cooler in the shade and keep it closed.
- If you plan to cook any meat, chicken or fish, make sure that it is well cooked. Fish is cooked when the flesh is opaque and can be easily flaked with a fork; chicken when the juices run clear; and ground meat when it shows no pink when cut.
- Raw meat and chicken must not come into contact with cooked meat or ready-to-eat dishes. Use clean plates for cooked meat and, after handling raw meat, wash your hands before touching any other food.
- Leftovers stored on ice until you get back home can be kept. For safety's sake, if the ice has melted and perishables are warm, toss them out along with anything that sat longer than an hour on the picnic table.
- In June, we rightly honour our fathers and show them how much we treasure them, but we should also mark the arrival of the first summer sweets. Summer is a long procession of irresistibly tasty delights: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries and blueberries.
- Berries and cherries can be eaten plain or used in tantalizing desserts: pies, puddings, muffins or fresh fruit salad.
- Mix them into plain or vanilla yogurt or sprinkle them over crêpes and French toast.
- Choose plump berries and cherries with bright, deep colouring.
- Leave the fruit out at room temperature for a while before eating for maximum flavour.
- Father's Day was not officially recognized before 1972 although it had been celebrated since the turn of the century.
- The best thing for slaking your thirst during outdoor activities is a cool drink at 6 to 10°C with very little sugar, about 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) of sugar or honey to a litre of water.