Crabbie’s is taking a fresh look at al fresco eating and drinking this August with a new collaboration celebrating the refreshing flavours of its Alcoholic Ginger Beer.
The iconic drink has teamed up with popular food and drink blogger Pippa Perriam, @eatinburgh, to give the Classic British Picnic a modern makeover, asking Pippa to share her top tips and inside knowledge of Britain’s eating hot spots to help Brits move away from the soggy sandwich and flask of yesteryear.
Lashings of ginger beer have long been deemed the perfect accompaniment to a summer picnic and
with Crabbie’s, drinkers get all the refreshment and flavour – but with a grown-up dash of alcohol. Its range of Original, Rhubarb, Raspberry and Strawberry and Lime ginger beers are delicious served straight from the bottle or over ice with a slice of lime, whilst their new Original Alcohol Free beer offers an option for those looking for low or no alcohol options.
Pippa’s tips for thinking outside the (picnic) box
Head to the Coast – why not enjoy some world class seafood which we’re so blessed with
here in the UK. Some of my favourite seaside seafood shacks across the country are – Crail
Crab Shack (as featured on my social posts), Riley’s Fish Shack in North Shields and Sole Bay
in Southwold Suffolk.
Either enjoyed sat on a pier or on a beach with sandy toes. And don’t forget some throw blankets, to wrap around your shoulders at sundown – bliss.
Savour Street Food – the UK’s street food scene is fantastic and you can find markets in most major cities – The Pitt in Edinburgh, The Big Feed in Glasgow and Bristol’s weekly market at St Nicholas’ Market are some of my favourites.
Grab a dish to takeaway and enjoy in your favourite city spot and save on the cooking.
Go global – when it comes to picnic food, the world is your oyster. Consider hosting a themed picnic with a spread inspired by your favourite holiday destination. Some Spanish picnic tapas, a Mexican feast, or even some delicious local fayre,to offer a taste of your hometown, this works especially well if you are hosting for friends from outside the area. Another option is to host a colour themed picnic, each person brings a dish of their selected colour (matching outfits of course encouraged!)
Pair with care – matching your food and drink is a great touch to really pack in the flavour.
Here’s one of my favourite picnic recipes that work so well with the Crabbie’s Ginger Beer range.
Three Cheese Garlic Twists
A great way to use up cheese at the back of your fridge. I’ve suggested Cheddar, Parmesan and
Gruyere here, but feel free to mix it up with whatever you have to hand.
I’d recommend keeping a block of puff pastry in the freezer for occasions like this, Served up with a spicy Crabbie’s Ginger Beer to cut through the decadent cheese makes for a great pairing.
Ingredients
1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
4 handfuls of grated cheese (I suggest Cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyere)
1 beaten egg
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees
Open out your puff pastry and press in the cheese using a rolling pin
Fold your pastry in half and roll to thickness of a £1 coin
Brush with an egg, then cut the cheesy pastry into 10 strips and twist
Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown
When your twists are nearly ready mix your melted butter with crushed garlic (if you have any fresh parsley to hand, adding a little bit of finely chopped parsley here would add a lovely pop of green)
Brush with your garlic butter when fresh out of the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!