Al Fresco Dining

Al Fresco Dining

By C. Wilson

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Introduction to Al Fresco!

We dined ‘Al Fresco’! A phrase you may have heard referring to the act of eating in the lovely sunlit outdoors. The fresh summer breeze threatening to catch the picnic cloth and take it away forever. Succulent cold meats, refreshing red wine, a wide spread of cheeses and sweet, lovely fruit as a dessert all combine to create an Al Fresco experience.

This image is one that captures the British imagination and gives us a little taste of what life would be like, should we be lucky enough to live in the beautiful Mediterranean!

What is Al Fresco!?

Al Fresco as a phrase seems to make a lot of sense at first glance. Fresco literally means fresh in Italian, so eating Al Fresco comes out as eating in the fresh, the fresh in this case referring to the outdoors on a nice summer day. Interestingly the Italians have not only never used this phrase, but say it to your waiter on a city break to Florence and he’ll either laugh at your lack of Italian, most probably, or look at you confusingly.

Al Fresco in modern Italian refers to Prison! A quite funny mistranslation from the Latin speaking world to the Germanic one. Be that as it may, Al Fresco works for us as a phrase because eating quality food and drink in the beautiful outdoors seems so Mediterranean.

In fact, outdoor dining is extremely common across the Mediterranean. During my time in Spain there wasn’t a day when the family I stayed with wasn’t around the outside dining table from six until eight at least. First eating whatever delicacy the grandmother had made for us, and then nattering on about anything and everything. With the laughter of the grandsons in the garden playing football, and the orange light of dusk bathing the entire scene.

Another time I enjoyed an Italian outdoor dining experience during a stay in Venice, down one of the in numerous side streets of that most beautiful of cities we found a small restaurant. Took one of the little tables and wooden chairs outside and were treated to one of the best meals I’ve ever had, all beneath the starlit sky with the venetian gondolas occasionally floating by.

The Food & Drink

Al Fresco for us would come as close as possible to that ideal. Good food, good company beneath the wonderful summer sun and light evening breeze that we miss so often here in Britain.

So, what of the food then? Well there are several options ranging from the traditional British picnic platter of scotched eggs, cold chicken sandwiches and Cornish pasties, to the most complex and showy off versions like devilled eggs and homemade mango chutney.

The Italian version I would argue is better than them all. Let me give you a quick run-down. First some lovely pasta salads are a must. These are usually made in advance and stored in the fridge and then cooler on the way to a destination to make sure they’re cold.

The pasta is your choice but try to stick to something hearty that’ll absorb the sauce, Rigatoni is a good bet. The pasta can be served with anything really, but artichoke hearts, parmesan cheese for a salty bite, as well as wood roasted peppers is fantastic!

Secondly rather than a sandwich, try fresh Italian flavours on a half baguette. Lettuce and mozzarella cheese drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and pesto is a simple but delicious option. Another option is to cut the baguette into smaller pieces and toast it ahead of time ready for a variety of bruschetta toppings.

Thirdly are of course are the cold meats. Italians have a long history of traditional meats and all are brilliant. Capocollo and Ventricina are fantastic and have a great flavour and of course Parma ham and Salami are obvious additions. Try and lay them all out and let everyone have a taste of each. Also, don’t mix them with anything else, let the meat flavours speak for themselves.

Lastly, we have dessert. Here keep it simple, really the theme of an Italian picnic, fresh Mediterranean fruits like watermelon, strawberry, figs and peaches are great and help wash down the savoury tastes of all the wonderful pasta, meat and veggies you’ve already had. Oh and of course some authentic Mediterranean wine.

The Al Fresco Venue

Maybe we can’t get the Italian sun all the time but when we do let’s get out the checkerboard picnic blankets, get hold of some fresh fruit and bread and make the most of it with a lovely day of Italian Al Fresco eating!

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