The pandemic may have left us with few ways to socialise, but events queen Chyka Keebaugh says we should embrace the humble, traditional picnic and turn it into a lavish, stylish affair for friends and family.
Picnics are hitting a new peak in popularity today, 220 years after a group of well-heeled Londoners formed the original Pic Nic Society – following the French pique nique tradition.
Celebrity style, entertaining and Fromager d’Affinois cheese lover Chyka Keebaugh has celebrated the 220th anniversary of the original Pic Nic Society by hosting the perfect Luncheon On The Grass in the lush vegetable garden of her Mornington Peninsula home.
The events queen loves to host a stylish picnic with cheese as the centrepiece and says many of the appeals of a picnic are the same as 220 years ago – spending time with family and friends while enjoying a beautiful meal in the sunshine.
And in the middle of a pandemic, there is no better time for a picnic – especially in the Aussie outdoors.
“I think that is one thing that Covid has taught us – it has taken us back to the basics of spending more time with our family and friends,” Chyka says. “It doesn’t matter how we catch up, it’s the fact that we catch up with our friends – and more often these days that needs to happen outdoors.”
Like those elegant affairs first held by the Pic Nic Society, or as depicted in classic art such as Monet’s Luncheon On The Grass, Chyka says hosting the perfect luncheon on the grass is all about being prepared and keeping the food simple, but delicious and abundant.
“Fromager d’Affinois cheese is a staple for this occasion because it is so, so flavoursome and crowd-pleasing,” Chyka says.
Some of her favourite ways to serve Fromager d’Affinois cheese include as the centrepiece of a gorgeous board of cheese, meats, dips and bread, accompanied by watermelon sangria or gin, or paired with one of her recipes to make it a meal in itself, or a dessert.
Chyka’s top recipes for the perfect Luncheon On The Grass are:
- Baked Fromager d’Affinois Excellence with thyme and lemon – the buttery triple cream cheese is super decadent as a centrepiece and its ooziness will be a show-stopper.
- Peach and pastry wrapped Fromager d’Affinois Florette – this sharp and slightly acidic goat’s milk cheese is beautifully matched by the roundness and fruitiness of peaches.
- Caramelised apples with Fromager d’Affinois Bleu – this mild blue cheese is ideally complemented by something sweet, balancing the blue kick.
“For a luncheon on the grass you don’t have to be too tricky or have too many things, it’s just about layering things on beautiful boards and having enough that looks generous and inviting,” she says.
“There is nothing more exciting than finding a special and unique place to create a gorgeous lunch for family and friends. For me it’s using my beautiful vegetable and herb garden … it is full of herbs, tomatoes, lettuces, cucumbers, and everything else you can imagine.
“I kept the styling for this lunch quite simple as I felt the environment spoke for itself.
“I always love people to walk into a space and feel instantly at home. I used beautiful wooden placemats and layered it up with white China and a gorgeous blue and white serviette.
“I used a raised wooden board down the centre and decorated with small wicker pots and fresh herbs to continue the garden theme. I also created a small bar using the potting table. I really wanted to continue the gardening theme through so I thought this was a really cute way to start the meal. Cocktails and cheese standing among the herbs … it can’t get much better than that!”
