Help - bring a dish dilemma

Have you got a cold box Jess? If so I'd go for finger foods - cooked sausages are easy, tasty and most people like them. Maybe try scotch eggs or mini ones anyway, sausage rolls? Mixed salad of cucumber sticks, carrot sticks red pepper. Poached asparagus with ham rolled round it. Flapjacks? Crispy apples.

BUT - you do need a cold box! Good luck and have a good sing!

If there is no time to cook, you can't go wrong with french bread with pate and/or some local cheeses to show that the British can make some good ones. I agree you will need a cold box though.

As long as you have a cooler bag you will be fine if you pop into any supermarket first thing to-morrow and buy yourself a pack of wraps,and some mixed rice put a decent size spoonful of rice into the middle of each wrap and top with wafer thin ham and cream cheese fold into pancakes and cut into three for nice and easy finger food,but remember to keep cool even stand bag in a bucket of water if you can find one.

Thanks
Am liking the bread and cheese so far... can't see me poaching asparagus at 8.30 tomorrow. Maybe a jar of local chutney.

Jess, do you live in Wales? Welsh cheeses are wonderful! Even just a small selection of local cheese with crackers and local chutney, perhaps some grapes or celery?

I think definitely the local cheeses and if you can find a couple of nice chutneys you can really show the French something.

Snowdon black bomber, Y Fenni, Tintern, mmm

Sorry I suggested poached asparagus Jess (although it takes about 4 minutes and could have been prepared the night before). I wasn't clear what standard of repast was required. I hadn't realised it was a simple bread and cheese meal.

A simple laverbread quiche , bara brith fondant leeks and welsh rarebit syllabub would be perfect
Failing that - go for the Welsh cheeses, wholemeal bread and a chutney!

Ooh, Soutra, you sound like a very accomplished cook! We should have a GN picnic.

I'll provide the bread and cheese!

Sensible suggestion rosequartz

The French have no idea about the amazing number of great British cheeses there are- so dazzle them. Red Leicester, a good Cheedar, Wensleydale, a blue + Stilton, etc. I'd say with a good English brown bread and chutney too- with good pickled onions. Sock it to them

granjura lovely idea for the variety of cheeses. Also remind me to tell you about our encounter with Monsieur Jura when we next meet!

Welsh cheeses!! None of your English stuff!

(Before anyone protests, I do love English cheeses, but there are some wonderful Welsh cheeses and I wondered if this picnic was in Wales.)

Hope it went well whatever you took JessM.

Monsieur Jura? I am intrigued ;)

BTW, there is an English guy in Switzerland who is making a big name for himself by selling the best of English cheeses at Zurich Viadukt market and all over the country here- brilliant.

Perhaps Raymond Blanc who is from Besançon near here? (French side)

Soutra

How did it go? I'm just so pleased that a savoury dish was suggested, because I have been to several events lately where I have been one of the few people to bring savoury and the tables have been swamped by cakes and desserts. I usually take something like sticky sausages or onion and mushroom tartlets, and they are gone in a flash. A friend took nettle soup last time and that too disappeared. If everyone wants savoury, why do they all make cake?

I really want to try the bara brith fondant leeks, perhaps soutra has the recipe?

Yes please.

They certainly sound disgusting unusual...!

I will pass on the laver quiche. I didn't like laver at all when I tried it.

As usual there was about 10x too much food
Laverbread should only be attempted by the bravest and then it really helps if you grew up within 10 miles of Swansea market. I find it delicious - with Welsh bacon, egg at breakfast time. A little vinegar is essential. Tastes of the sea. Cant get in in N Wales, sigh.