A Rustic Fall Picnic Get Together

Nothing brings a smile to our face quite like a brisk fall day spent with friends around a table… or in this case, picnic blanket. This fall picnic get together is so much more than just that! It’s full of fall and holiday entertaining inspiration, as well as inspiration to spend time outdoors and with friends & family. A chef, photographer, and floral designer came together to make turn it into something beautiful. And we couldn’t be happier to share the get-together on our lifestyle blog today.

You’re in for a real treat though, because in addition to the stylish inspiration, we have the yummy recipes to pair it with. Photographer, Tammie Joske, calls Caitlin Grant’s eats a delightfully quaint spread of rustic food.

A Rustic Fall Picnic Get Together - Inspired by This

Tammie shares, Photographed in northern New South Wales, Australia, this picnic in a paddock is more than a styled gathering; it’s a story of generation Ys escaping their fast-paced lifestyles, with analogue cameras and home baked goods to enjoy together, without the distraction of technology.

Our collaborative hopes to inspire young professionals, home-dwellers, and adventurers alike to get outdoors and spend time with those who matter most, while enjoying the satisfaction of food made with their own hands.

Beetroot Pesto

4 large beetroot, peeled and diced

1 cup of cashews, soaked for 6 hours (or 15 minutes in nearly boiling water for a quicker option)

The juice of two limes

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp. honey

1/3cup olive oil

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar salt + pepper to taste

Preheat over to 180 degrees Celsius. Peel and dice beetroot, assemble on baking tray and add a generous amount of olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes. While still warm, in a blender add all of the ingredients and blitz, scraping down the sides, until smooth. If the consistency is too thick to blend, you can add a few tablespoons of hot water.

Caprese salad

350 grams heirloom tomatoes

10 pieces baby bocconcini

1 bunch basil

4 slices prosciutto, cut into smaller pieces

2 radish, thinly sliced

Balsamic vinegar

Good quality olive oil

Slice each tomato in different shapes and sizes, leaving a few smaller ones whole. Toss through a handful of basil, the bocconcini, prosciutto and radish. Assemble on plate, and just as you serve it drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Fig, Chia jam & Ricotta Tartine

Chia Jam

2 cups chopped strawberries, stems removed
2 tablespoons chia seeds

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (or any sweetener of your choice)

1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

Ricotta

300g of ricotta

Rind of 2 oranges/lemons

1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (or any sweetener of your choice)

Fresh figs and lemon thyme to serve

For the chia jam, in a saucepan on a medium to high heat, stir the strawberries until they begin to breakdown (5-10 minutes). Transfer to blender, add sweetener and lemon juice and blitz until desired consistency is reached. Pour into bowl, stir through chia seeds and pour into jar to set. If a thicker consistency is desired, simply add more chia seeds.

For the ricotta, in a bowl combine all of the ingredients. Grate a little extra rind on top for aesthetic purposes.

To assemble the tartines, simply slice fresh sourdough (or fruit loaf for something a little sweeter) and toast or leave fresh. First add a generous serving of the ricotta, then the chia jam, then top with sliced figs and lemon thyme. Serve immediately.

Apple & Rhubarb Lattice Pie

Filling

6 red apples, cored and thickly slices
1 bunch of rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces
100g butter, roughly chopped
Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean
Juice and rind of 1 orange
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pastry

3 cups plain flour
3⁄4 cup pure icing sugar, sieved
225 g cold butter, roughly chopped
Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1 egg
1 egg yolk

Method

For the pastry, in a food processor add the flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt and pulse until combined. Add the butter and vanilla bean scrapings and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the whole egg and yolk, and pulse until the mixture just comes together, turn onto a lightly floured bench and form into a disc. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate to rest for 2 hours.

In the meantime, melt butter in saucepan over a medium heat and add the apple, stirring occasionally until edges begin to soften. Add rhubarb, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and stir occasionally until it begins to soften (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; pour onto tray and let cool.

Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius, Roll two-thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick, line a 23cm-diameter, 4cm-deep pie tin, trim edges, refrigerate to rest (30 minutes).

Meanwhile, roll out remaining pastry to 3mm thick, and slice into 1.5 cm pieces. Place on a tray and refrigerate until required.

Spoon the rhubarb and apple mixture into tart case, place pastry strips on top, and seal edges with a fork. Brush with egg mix and lightly sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes – an hour. (If edges start to look too dark, cover with foil). Let rest for 20 minutes before devouring.