Let’s start with the basics…bread is the staff of life and the foundation of a good picnic. A sourdough loaf works well for a hearty sandwich while crispy baguette, fresh from a wood-fired oven, brings a crunchy contrast to creamy cheeses. Be at the bakery early because these choices sell out early.
Humble Bread
Wellington Farmer’s Market
243 Main St., Wellington
humblebread.com
Millstone Bread
53 Albert St., Cobourg
millstonebread.ca
The Bakery Warkworth
2 Mill St., Warkworth
warkworthbakery.ca
Wicklow Way Organic Farm
188 Lakeport Rd., Colborne
wicklowway.ca
The best thing to add to a warm, soft-on-the-inside, fresh-out-of-the-oven boule is a knob of fragrant creamery butter (think Stirling Creamery) and a decadently sweet jam. Look for jams made with locally-grown fruits – blueberries, strawberries or black currants that bring a bright, not-too-sweet summer moment to the palate.
Stirling Creamery
1 W. Front St., Stirling
stirlingcreamery.com
Cheer Farms
365 Main St., Brighton
Facebook Cheer Farms
County Fare
Prince Edward County
cfare.ca
Popham Lane Farm
503 Lakeshore Rd., Brighton
pophamlanefarm.ca
Cheese please! The Watershed region is home to award-winning cheese producers, some that have been around for decades and others that are new to the ‘hood. Choose between a soft, delicately-flavoured goat cheese, an aged-cheddar or a hearty alpine, any one of which highlights the texture of your bread and adds just the right amount of tanginess to the picnic mix.
Empire Cheese Co-Op
1120 County Rd., # 8, Campbellford
empirecheese.ca
Black River Cheese
913 County Rd., 13, Milford
blackrivercheese.com
Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co.
4309 County Rd., 8, Picton
fifthtown.ca
Your gourmet picnic hits a new level with a selection of charcuterie from La Cultura Salumi. Owners Jane and Frank Abbelle pride themselves in their production of air-dried meats. Their chorizo sausage, made with Spain’s finest Iberico ham, will melt in your mouth and their beef Bresaola brings a taste of Italian cuisine to the outdoor table.
La Cultura Salumi
842 Hamilton Rd., Belleville
laculturasalumi.com
Don’t forget the right condiments to tingle your taste buds. A touch of chardonnay mustard will enhance the flavours of your chosen charcuterie, while a crisp pickle will take care of any salty cravings.
Cressy Mustard
The Waupoos Market, Pub and Eatery
thewaupoospub.com
The Olive Oil Guy
The Local Food Shop,
Black River, PEC
thelocalfoodshop.ca
Willow Grove Farms Pickles
Buy at the Port Hope and Clarington Farmers Markets
Wash it all down with the unexpected – a locally-produced craft soda, flavoured with fresh fruit syrups and chilled in an ice bucket, or a glass of refreshing iced tea made with small-batch handpicked leaves. Indulge in a local grain-to-glass spirit, distilled with care, and aged onsite in the heart of Prince Edward County.
County Soda Company
countysoda.ca
Number E Tea
numberetea.com
Kinsip, House of Fine Spirits
kinsip.ca
And the defining moment of the perfect picnic? It’s when a selection of sweets is spread out before you – the moment when diets and discipline go out the window and flaky pastries, sugary doughnuts and velvety brownies are behind the wheel of decadence.
It’s Wickedly Sweet
87 Wellington Main St., Wellington, PEC
Ste. Anne’s Bakery (Gluten Free)
252 Academy Hill Rd., Grafton
Dooher’s Bakery
61 Bridge St., Campbellford
Story by:
Jeff Bray
