More than 100 recipes covering picnics, barbeques, and campfire food

Picnics and outdoor meals are a classic theme in every culture. Afternoon tea in the garden on a golden afternoon in late summer, a packed lunch consumed on a hilltop while the eyes feast on a magnificent view, and the tantalizing smell of grilling from a barbecue are all part of this. The recipes here range from Bresola Rolls and Lemon Gin to be enjoyed as a picnic, to a Warming Minestrone and Spiced Parkin, a Baba Ganoush made with Aubergines chargrilled on the barbecue, or Mussels Wrapped in Seaweed and Cooked on the embers of a campire. There are also tips on transporting and cooking food in the great outdoors, as well as historical context to the recipes, and guides to lovely National Trust properties in England that are perfect for outdoor eating. Recipes include dual measurements.

Laura Mason is a food historian, a coordinator of the Slow Food movement, and the author of several cookbooks, including The National Trust Farmhouse Cookbook and Sugar-Plums and Sherbets.