Creative Picnics for the Lazy Days of Summer

NEW YORK, July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer's here, and with it comes ball games, swimming, ice cream and picnics.  Along with such perennial favorites as hamburgers, hot dogs, and corn on the cob, creative picnics that incorporate artful dishes and local ingredients, and which are held in spectacular surroundings, are becoming more popular than ever.

This summer, Relais & Chateaux chefs, known for creative interpretations of regional dishes, serve up picnic offerings that feature local ingredients savored in remote, unusual and beautiful natural surroundings.

If your penchant is gardens, Civil War history or churches, the delightful customized walking tour of Charleston offered by the Planters Inn is a perfect preamble to their Southern picnic with Country Ham Biscuits, Cheddar Cheese Straws, and roasted South Carolina pecans.

Ride on horseback where few have journeyed to Triple Creek Ranch's fly fishing excursion and secluded picnic lunch on the banks of the pristine Selway River.  For a dramatic picnic setting, Hotel Fauchere in Pennsylvania, will pack your basket for a hike along the Cliff Trail, where some episodes of the famed 1920s silent serial, "The Perils of Pauline" were filmed.

Guests at Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas can take a cooking class to learn how to prepare the perfect beach picnic using a "catch of the day" they select from local fisherman and Mexican chocolate clams from the Sea of Cortez, as well as aromatic herbs from Esperanza's garden gathered during the day.  Cobblers Cove in Barbados offers a Barbadian picnic with Bajan Flying Fish Cutter and Bajan Honey Roasted Ham Cutter.

Relais & Chateaux chefs from Canada have created some wonderful picnic offerings.  The Kingsbrae Arms features the "FDR Picnic."  Food history buffs know that Franklin Delano Roosevelt liked simple food like hot dogs, grilled cheese and fish "chowda."  Kingsbrae Arms offers an updated menu that includes homemade wild boar terrine in Scottish brioche bread, arugula, onion confit and grainy Dijon mustard with cheddar and scallion potato salad.  The perfect location for this repast: Campobello Island, the nearby summer residence of Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt, where the young couple picnicked with friends.

Auberge Saint-Antoine's inspired menu elevates food truck fare to haute cuisine with the restaurant's mobile kitchen, Panache Mobile, featuring lobster hotdogs, a gourmet take on poutine, organic Charlevoix sausages and Angus beef tartare with truffle vinaigrette.  Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa is holding its popular Friday night BBQ series that partners Relais & Chateaux Grand Chef Jonathan Gushue with celebrity chefs from around the world.

A picnic of assorted smoked fish from La Pinsonniere; foie gras, lobster salad, Quebec lamb sandwiches and decadent brownies taste especially fine when eaten on the magnificent mountain peaks of Hautes Gorges de La Riviere Malbaie national park -- the highest rock faces east of the Rockies.

Inspired by the game drives of South Africa, guests at Trout Point Lodge can take an excursion along the boundary of the vast Tobeatic Wilderness Area to Indian Fields, a natural glacial sand deposit.  Guides then take guests deep into the wilderness on mountain bikes for a picnic lunch of house-smoked pork or smoked salmon sandwiches.  At Sonora Resort, boats convene for a picnic at John's Point on Thurlow Island, where guests are served a barbecue feast of bison ribs, grilled spring salmon, and steamed Dungeness crab.

The natural source of Hot Springs Cove is the spectacular setting for The Wickaninnish Inn's picnics.  A seaplane flight glides above blue waters, islands and islets, arriving on a quiet dock.  A cedar boardwalk through pristine rainforest leads guests to a cascading waterfall and series of natural, geothermal pools to the remote and romantic picnic site.

Creative recipes that are a perfect fit for picnics, casual dining or anytime can be found in the cookbooks of the Relais & Chateaux chefs of North America, Chefs at Home and 85 Inspirational Chefs.  Books can be ordered by calling 1-877-334-6464.

About Relais & Chateaux:

Relais & Chateaux is an exclusive collection of 500 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries.  Established in France in 1954, the Association's mission is to spread its unique "art de vivre" across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.  Relais & Chateaux is also a family of hoteliers and chefs from all over the world who share a passion for and a personal commitment to ensuring their guests are privy to moments of exceptional harmony and unforgettable celebrations of the senses.  From the vineyards in the Napa Valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence, to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Chateaux offers the finest routes to discover each special place and country.

SOURCE Relais & Chateaux