Evening star., 1940-07-19


and lazy repast.
The other kind of picnic, was to
me, lots more fun. 1t was lots more
work, too, of course. but that was
all part of the picnic, and was ac-
cepted as matter of fact. 1t
meant that every one concerned got
up at the crack of dawn and spent
the next two or three hours in a
welter of bread crusts, pots of fill
ings and spreads, softened butter,
waxed paper and innumerable shoe
boxes or old baskets. At the last
minute a watermelon, its green
sides dripping frost, was hauled
from the depths of the old icehouse,
wrapped protectingly In straw and
newspapers and slowed away un-
der the back seat of the carriage.
Plenty of crisply fried chicken went
into an old tin cracker box, the
hard boiled eggs stayed in their
shells for the extra fun of crack
Ing them later, and salt and pepper
were frantically collected in a
breathless last-minute rush. Grand
father climbed to the drivers seat,
gathered up the reins, every one
scrambled in and fought over the
outside position. and we were off
to a day of bugs, snake frights,
poison Ivy, overeating, sunburn
and good hard work cleaning up!
Somebody who was intrusted with
the drinking water always forgot
1t, which meant long trek to find
q clean looking spring usually
with a strange creature living in
the bottom of it that scared the
girls and entranced the boys. The
grown ups had their own idea of
fun-the ladies sat in the shade and
gossiped and the gentlemen went
firmly to sleep beneath the Sum
day newspaper-and we youngsters
quarreled. played games, got into
scrapes, wept, were comforted and
had stomachaches in a casual way
that was very reassuring! Nobody
took us seriously-so we didn't take
ourselves that way, and a day in
the open was freedom in its finest
sense!
Nowadays, picnics have far wider
scope, and are much easier to handle
even the simplest equipment now
available in all the shops is luxury
compared to the tag ends of con-
tainers and wrappings with which
we had to cope. The least expen-
sive picnic kits are both pretty and
practical; they are light in weight,
and everything from the smallest
tin lunch box to the most elaborate
fitted hamper, grill, tables, chairs
or umbrella Is built for our con-
venience.
There are wonderful thermos or
insulated containers for both hot
and cold foods; especially useful are
the heavy pottery casseroles, which
may be filled with some deleotable
connection, heated thoroughly in the
oven, wrapped in newspapers, to
arrive at the picnic grounds piping
hot, and decorative as well. In this
way you may enjoy savory chicken,
rice and mushroom casserole; cur
ried shrimp with rice and green
peppers and ripe olives; chicken liv-
ers, bacon and mushrooms-or even
hot creamed chicken to pour into
freshly split and buttered rolls just
before serving. We're giving you
an especially good casserole receipt
today that has an unusual flavor,
and is delicious for that one hot
dish all dietitians demand. With a
crisp tossed salad-by the way, take
your salad greens wrapped in a
towel in chilled container, and add
the dressing, which has also been
kept cold, at the picnic grounds-a
few sandwiches, and fruit, you'll
have a perfect picnic lunch or sup