The best drinks to take on a picnic | Kitchen Aid

What are the best drinks for a picnic?Rosie, London E11 Drinking a picnic (in moderation, of course) is tricky business. First, says Zoe Burgess, founder of beverage consultancy Atelier Pip and author of The Cocktail Cabinet, there's the logistics ("How do you transport everything?"), the guests ("What's do they like?”) and food (“What do they like?”). would fit well? ") to face. Next, warns Mark Diacono, author of Herb, Spice and Sour, "you don't want to premix something in which one element is fizzy and another is tangy [think lemon or lime juice], because it will totally lose its spiciness. over time.” And you really don't want anything too potent - after all, says Burgess, "drinking during the day can take its toll."

For all these reasons, shrubs (or drinkable vinegars) are a good strategy, especially when the glut of summer fruit arrives, says Burgess: "Pick your fruit, then heat it with caster sugar and verjuice, which has a much milder acid balance than cider or white wine vinegar." Bottle it and store it in the fridge or freezer, "ready to be drizzled with soda water and fresh lemon or lime juice" at your outdoor destination. Luckily, shrubs pair well with vodka and gin, if the mood takes you.

Diacono, meanwhile, "would think a lot of mojitos" for his concept outdoor drink. The classic is, of course, made with white rum, soda water, sugar, lime juice, and mint, but in a picnic scenario, Diacono substitutes the sugar for the mint syrup: “It makes life so much easier,” he explains. "Take equal weights of sugar and boiling water and stir like crazy until the sugar dissolves. Lob in a big handful of fresh mint and let sit and steep until the mixture is nice and Lift or strain the herbs, decant into a bottle and "get that cold". to do is [add] lime juice [fresh, or get one of those little bottles from the supermarket] and sparkling water.” A handful of fresh mint leaves and a few ice cubes are encouraged — "You don't want a hot cocktail, after all" — but not 100% essential. "It's delicious, everyone's happy, and you haven't screwed up too much."

A big batch of fresh pineapple ginger punch is coming also at the happy hour spot, says Maria Bradford, author of Sweet Salone. That said, she's also fond of "the lazy picnic," which simply requires a swipe at the supermarket: "Lavender and coconut water are easy to mix together, whether topped with elderflower tonic for a refreshing mocktail or with a little gin or vodka. The same goes for Bradford's mango lemonade, a staple of his native Sierra Leone: "Pour that into a glass with prosecco for an exotic bellini."

Burgess also embraces bubbles, although in his case it would be in that perennial favorite, the spritz. "It's not new, but it's a good place to start, because you can take a pre-measured mix of Campari and sweet vermouth with you, then top it up with prosecco or sparkling water in the park." While you're at it, consider getting creative with all the flavored spirits and cordials you have. "It's like tossing between the structure of a spritz and the longer style of Tom Collins," says Burgess.

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