Chicken drumsticks scented with cinnamon, lemon, pomegranate molasses and more makes a portable and tasty picnic menu item. 


Fresh, textured tabouleh packed and ready for an outdoor feast. 

Handmade pastry stuffed with fresh cheese – Cheese Pita – my mother-in-law’s speciality. 

There is always room for dessert, especially chocolate brownies. 

Despite the suddenly strong, warm wind that whipped up just before noon today, our family picnic for my daughter Jana’s birthday did not dissolve into disappointment. Instead my father-in-law made the sensible suggestion that we simply enjoy our family celebration at home by way of a “backyard picnic”. 

This worked out wonderfully, with everyone pitching in to pile high the outdoor tables with a mouth watering variety of portable picnic food. A padded rug was laid out on the deck for the little ones to sit on, and with cheery background music playing courtesy of the i-Pod, we all engaged in relaxed conversation between mouthfuls of home cooked delights. 

Although I intended to photograph every dish and publish it on Cabinet of Cookery, I was called away by a hungry infant and so only managed to snap this handful of photos. Anyway, you can use your imagination to conjure up images of the food as you read through the following list of what we ate with gusto. 

Golden cheese pita made early this morning by my mother-in-law’s skilled hands.

Spiced lemon, garlic and pomegranate molasses chicken (recipe posted on the 23rd September). I roasted the plump drumsticks in a moderate oven for 45 minutes to retain the moisture but still result in a deep golden brown skin. 

Fluffy fried rice tossed together by Linda, my dear friend, Godmother to my four younger children and my biggest chocolate brownie enthusiast. This dish was a favourite today with my daughters Eva and Sofia who would have happily feasted on this alone.

Fresh potato salad with olives, capers and anchovies – a surprising and satisfying flavour combination.

Mixed leaf garden salad dressed with balsamic which adds moisture and flavour. 

Textured tabouleh (based on the recipe from the Moro cookbook) with added fresh coriander and parsley from my veggie patch and the juiciest, sweetest little grape tomatoes. 

Abundant antipasto platter purchased from Lisa at Locantro Fine Foods.

And for dessert…
Best ever chocolate brownies (recipe posted on the 24th May) topped with ganache, sugared violets and rose petals and served as a belated birthday cake for my daughter Jana to share with family and Godparents. I found the edible flowers at The Essential Ingredient in Rozelle and Jana attached each one to the brownies with a dab of ganache. 

White chocolate cupcakes courtesy of my sister-in-law Danijela who also made the potato salad, with crisp vanilla scented icing which were just as popular with the adults as with the children. I ended up eating 3!!! The icing reminded me of the traditional cupcakes (that I had occasionally enjoyed as a treat) from the local cake shop, when I was a child growing up in Perth. 

Fresh seasonal fruit finely cut and arranged by Lily, my other sister in-law, including juicy watermelon, rockmelon, berries and kiwi fruit – a refreshing combination and excellent way to round off lunch. 

In the past I have always prepared ALL of the food myself, rejecting any offers of assistance from family and friends. Yes, I will admit that there is a slight control freak element in my personality, but I also like to indulge loved ones when they visit, with my home cooking. If I know that someone really enjoys a particular dish, then I will endeavour to prepare and serve it up because I know it will bring a smile to their face and a hum in their tum. 

This time however, I actually delegated dishes for others to make and also asked for their picnic menu suggestions. The impetus for my change in attitude was giving birth to baby number six less than three weeks ago and hence the need to be practical. When I mention to my mother tomorrow over the telephone that this approach was a success, she will no doubt respond with, ‘Yes, well I knew that would be the case.” Mum knows best!