... as funny as it may seem to be talking about picnics whilst we're in the throws of this bitterly cold weather but i'm hoping that with Mother's Day and Easter coming soon we'll get a bit of a break and be able to get out and enjoy the countryside soon...
... and as regular readers will know my mum comes up to the cottage on her birthday and without fail we take a big pic-nic to the beach... it's usually a sprawling family affair which is not complete without bundles of blankets, 2 stripy wind-breakers, buckets and spades for the niece and nephew, water bowls for the dogs, bag loads of food and of course enough champagne to sink a small battleship... we can literally fill the back of the pick-up truck with the spoils of one family's day on the beach... and when it comes to food, it's never particularly planned... anything that was previously cooked and not finished goes in alongside the pre-requisite tinned salmon and spring onion sandwiches, sausage rolls, cheese, a punnet or two of cherry tomatoes, crisps, cake, chocolate... oh and did I mention the champagne... and whilst most of us end up rolling around in the sand mum and Eric always manage to bag themselves a couple of beach thrones... it's what we've always referred to as organised chaos... fortunately the beach we tend to frequent is mostly empty, even at the height of summer but if you do see a large family squabbling over the last drop of bubbly, just look down at the sand and give them a wide berth...
mum enjoying the sunshine on her 68th birthday on the beach in Lincolnshire last summer
it's a good thing that the nice people at www.hampergifts.co.uk have sent me one of their delightful picnic food hamper for two to review and offer up as a giveaway for you my dear friends... just in time for mother's day too as I think this hamper, packed with a host of delicious, British goodies, perfect for an outdoor feast... and seeing that we're all used to this bitterly cold weather I think this hamper would also make the ideal car pic-nic too... the picnic food hamper for two is part of their Gourmet Food Hampers range which are all rather yummy and would make ideal gifts for mum... or me, if you're feeling generous...
... other than the gorgeous whicker basket itself, what's brilliant about the hamper is that it comes with all the little condiment type things you always seem to leave at home such as a delicious Cottage Delight Poachers Pickle, some divine Beetroot and Thyme Salad Dressing and some potent Cairnsmhor Parmesan and Pepper Oatcakes, perfect for chunks of strong cheddar... it also comes with a set of real china plates, knives, forks and spoons for two people as well as two cups for tea... so everything is there, right in the hamper which means you can cut down on the bundles of stuff and all those journeys between car and beach!... it really is rather a perfect gift and the more I think about it the more i'm getting a bit jealous about giving it away...
the picnic food hamper for two
... but here it is... and all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning the hamper as a gift for your mum... or maybe as a gift for yourself for being such a great mum... or maybe just because you feel you deserve a lovely treat... is fill out the rafflecopter thingamydoodah below and answer one simple question which is this... what is your favourite sandwich filling?
sadly this giveaway is only open to UK residents but if any of my international readers have friends or family in the UK then please do enter on behalf of them!
a Rafflecopter giveaway enjoy!
...and just a few T's & C's I have to let you know about:
Competitions and prize draws are open to UK residents only.
The winner can choose to deliver the hamper anywhere within the UK & Ireland.
No persons under 18 years of age may receive the winning prize if it contains alcohol.
Prizes are non-transferable and there is no cash alternative.
Employees and agents of Hampergifts.co.uk Ltd. and their immediate friends and families are excluded.
The decision is final and will not be entered into.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. Any information provided is to Hampergifts and not to Facebook and the information will only be used for notifying the winner
Posts
I'm boring when it comes to sandwiches. Tuna, mayo, sweetcorn and cucumber every time.
ReplyDeleteI particularly love cheddar, red onion and mayo.
ReplyDeleteChicken salad
ReplyDeleteegg mayonaise
ReplyDeleteI love chicken and bacon!
ReplyDeleteTuna mayonnaise
ReplyDeleteSadly this lovely basket is only in the UK but I do remember many family picnics. Spring can't be too far around the corner can it?
ReplyDeletecheese and jam everytime (unless I'm feeling - ahem - delicate (hungover) when it's peanut butter and banana.)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic giveaway! Yet one more reason I wished I lived in the UK :) I know I can't win, but my favorite sandwich filling... bacon, lettuce, cucumber!!!
ReplyDeleteAlways used to love a picnic on the beach when I was a kid - egg mayo with extra crunch - sand of course!
ReplyDeletetuna and mayo very filling x
ReplyDeleteOh what a riot of fun you describe, Dom! Too bad US readers aren't eligible, I'm in love with the basket design! I'm sure some peanut butter cookies, roast beef, lettuce and provolone with horseradish mayo on pumpernickel sandwiches, big crispy chips, and cold beers would fit perfectly - our fave picnic fare - oh for some warm sunshine and soft sands! Spring is coming!
ReplyDeleteCheese and pickle. My ultimate favourite.
ReplyDeleteCheese and onion.
ReplyDeleteI like tuna and mayo - though it used to be tuna and salad cream, I had that every single day for my packed lunch at school without fail!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite sandwich I can only have at Christmas - turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce!
ReplyDeleteHazel Rea - @beachrambler
When i was pregnant it was cheese and grated carrot - but now probably smoked salmon and cream cheese - yum x
ReplyDeleteMultiseeded bread from our local bakery, sliced and spread with a little mayonnaise then filled with thinly sliced apple and beetroot topped with rare roast beef, horseradish and crisp lettuce.
ReplyDeleteFran
OMG - can I sue him for putting a photo of me on without my permission? AND MY AGE!
ReplyDeleteThe picnic's each year are great fun & the champagne always helps.
Smoked salmon, cream cheese and rocket - gets my vote any time!
ReplyDeleteI haven't entered the raffle as I won the exact same hamper last year from http://www.cottagesmallholder.com but I can vouch that it's a lovely thing to win :-)
It's a lovely story, Dom. BTW Mummy, you don't look a day over 30!
ReplyDeleteFavourite sandwich filling . .. chicken in lime and smoke paprika mayo with celery, baby plums, cucumber and rocket!
I love a good old BLT with lots of mayo, if not I also love a good old prawn sarney! :)
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, I like plain crisps, brown sauce and Parmesan cheese on a sandwich. It really works!!
ReplyDeletemozzarella, cherry tomatoes and guacamole!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can beat the good old classic of egg mayo (with a little spring onion, loads of black pepper and crusty brown bread)
ReplyDeleteCheese cucumber and salad cream is a winner, especially in hot weather, eaten outside.
ReplyDeleteI really like tuna and mayo.
ReplyDeletechicken & bacon
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway. Good luck to all my UK friends.
ReplyDeletetuna, cucumber an onion x
ReplyDeleteCoronation Chicken.
ReplyDeletei love banana and philadelphia its lovely and has to be on white bread
ReplyDeleteWell sadly, for the sake of the basket, I no longer live in the U.K. :( BUT I do want everyone to know my fav fabby sandwich is ~ liverwurst with onions ! Just for the record ;)
ReplyDeleteMy fav sandwich filling would be curry chicken salad! I'm entering on behalf of my few family members sunning themselves in bonnie Scotland ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful hamper !!
ReplyDeleteMy very favourite sandwich filling would be Cheddar cheese and onion.....yum !!
Lovely giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI love BLT sandwiches - yum!
Mature Cheddar Cheese with a little lettuce and cucumber.
ReplyDeleteFavourite sandwiches are difficult, I think - they vary from day to day.
ReplyDeleteI generally don't eat sandwiches now, as I'm diabetic and avoid bread, but this means that, when I do, they have to be *really* special to justify themselves - I'm currently quite partial to a nice katsu sando (a la Tsuru), but this will probably have changed by tomorrow ;)
Egg Mayonnaise with a dash of cayenne pepper and sliced tomatoes, can't beat it oh and a slice of smoked ham is a great finishing touch!
ReplyDeleteFresh home made rolls with egg from my chickens,fresh salad leaves from the garden and mayo,sat in the garden with the sun shining and listening to the birds-bliss !!!
ReplyDeleteWhite crumbly cheshire cheese with very thinly sliced red onion
ReplyDeleteBrie with freshly cut grapes and a little lettuce and red jelly
ReplyDeleteSimple cheese and onion for me!
ReplyDeleteYou know what, I really like a good hummous and roasted vegetable sarnie.
ReplyDeletemy favourite sandwich filling is egg mayo!
ReplyDeletecarlaharla
carlahollands@hotmail.com
Egg Mayo
ReplyDeletePastrami! :)
ReplyDeletei like either egg mayo or grilled veges
ReplyDeleteRoast chicken and mayo. Lots of salt, pepper, and lemon squeezed over.
ReplyDeleteegg with salad cream x
ReplyDeleteChicken and avocado mmmm
ReplyDeletetuna and cucumber
ReplyDeleteI am oliviamcc on GFC :-)
ReplyDeleteAt the moment I love grated cheese with chopped up silverskin onions from a jar
ReplyDeleteBLT :)
ReplyDeletecrabmeat and mayooooooooooooooohh
ReplyDelete