Hammocks, folding chairs, blankets, lanterns, books of poetry and, of course, food – cold salmon, baby veal chops, ham sandwiches, pickles, sponge cake, fruit and light ale – that was an American picnic circa 1900.

Today, it can be crackers and cheddar on a bench at Rotary Park. It’s still food eaten outdoors, so it’s still a picnic. And with the weather cooling down and the sunshine soon to mingle with yellow-capped aspens, this is the perfect time to pack up a feast or a nibble and head outside.

But lest you scoff at the advice given in cookbooks a century back, take heed, for there are still some gems to be found.

“There should be a stream or spring of pure water, shade intermingled with sunshine and reasonable freedom from tormenting insect life,” counsels Queen of the Household, a homemakers guide published in 1900 by Mrs. M.W. Ellsworth.

“Charming as is the prospect of picnicking in some grand dell, some lofty peak, or in some famous cave or legendary ruin … one does not feel too comfortable when banqueting in localities where Dame Nature has her queer moods.”

If you’ve ever seen snow on the La Platas in July, you know she’s talking about our state. But don’t be deterred. After all, flakes didn’t fall until Oct. 10 last year.

One friend and her husband actually wait until ski season to pack up an enormous basket of goodies, featuring chicken breasts stuffed with spinach, Parmesan and bacon, wild rice salad, a baguette, orange slices, chocolate and, not to be forgotten, champagne. They haul it up to just below Chair 2 at Durango Mountain Resort and wait.

“When our ski buddies see us toting the basket onto the lift, they time their ski runs to stop by during lunch,” said Deborah Uroda, business development director for Inside Durango TV. “We’ve had as many as 30 people join us for an impromptu picnic.”

Now that’s the way to throw a party. For my picnic, I’m lucky if I have time to pack tuna fish sandwiches and potato chips before my impatient partner heads out the door, keys in hand.

If you’re looking for help on what to bring for a picnic, the internet is loaded with tips, most either stating the obvious or the simply goofy. One site offers 12 recipes for coleslaw. Marthastewart.com features 10 pages for how to plan a picnic, with helpful hints like forgoing lettuce salads in favor of ones with grains because they don’t get soggy. Better yet, Askmen.com advises the way to impress a date is to arrive with flowers, wine, homemade food and a sturdy blanket. A related link features guidance on the best positions for sex in public.

While Americans aren’t as fearless as Europeans – who will dine outdoors in any weather in any place, the Alps in snow, Kew Garden in rain, the Parthenon in scorching sun – we are skilled at the impromptu repast. Picnicking is merely an extension of it.

And just in case you didn’t think of this yourself, here are a few estimable items to bring along. No. 1: Wine. Whether you’re trying to impress your date or just want to have a good time, wine is essential. No. 2: Food. It’s best if it’s homemade, even leftover chicken, a quick potato salad and cubes of watermelon will seem like a party at a table overlooking Molas Pass. No. 3: Everything else.

OK, OK, a blanket is a nice touch, as is cutlery. Napkins and a Swiss Army knife are thoughtful additions, but a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine and thou should remain the motto of any picnic. (Although a little Camembert does enhance the mood.)

In an attempt to suss out the very best bits for picnicking, I called up some experts – caterers – who else make all those tasty, tiny foods. But alas, they’re too busy to picnic.

When they do get to go, simple fare is the order of the day.

“Some really nice cheese, bread and salami, that’s my idea of a perfect picnic,” said Jimmy Nicholson, owner of DuranGourmet Catering. “Wine, of course. And a little strawberry tart with custard would be very yummy.”

For Robin Moore, co-owner of Hot Tomatoes Café and Catering, picnicking harkens back to the days her Italian grandmother would prepare eggplant Parmesan, meatball sandwiches and marinated mushrooms to take on a weekend outing, with, of course, red wine.

Now she and her partner, if they get a chance, head up to Haviland Lake or the Animas River Trail with the same basic fixings Nicholson mentioned, save for one difference.

“I need something chocolate-y, like a cupcake,” she said. “I just thought of that.”

Some local folks esteem picnics as mere side affairs to an active day of alpine hiking, maybe even with the kids in tow. While this may seem to nix the wine, you’d be wrong. Camping outfitters now sell screw-top pouches for just such an occasion.

It does, however, mean forgoing the romance of a wicker basket for a utilitarian backpack and planning food that’s not easily crushed. One fitness-minded friend whips out the multigrain tortillas to make DIY wraps, letting the kids choose their own fillings. There’s healthy turkey and cheese, maybe hummus and avocado, but the hands-down family favorite is peanut butter, honey and banana (and maybe Nutella, if they’re going all out). Plus, it all comes in a squish-proof cylinder – now that’s a superfood.

Few places on Earth furnish a more beautiful fall season than Durango. So pack some cheese, some bread, some meat, some salad – whatever you like, as long as there’s wine and oh, yes, that chocolate cupcake – pick up your honey and a few friends and head for the beautiful hills in which we abound.

After all, everything tastes better in the sunshine.

phasterok@durangoherald.com

Shrimp Salad

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1½ tablespoons kosher salt, plus ½ teaspoon

½ lemon, halved

2 pounds large shrimp in the shell

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white wine

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons dill, minced

½ cup red onion, finely chopped

1½ cups celery, chopped

2 tablespoons capers

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of cumin

Method:

Bring 2½ quarts water to a boil with the lemon and 1½ tablespoons of the salt. Add the shrimp and reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are barely cooked through. Remove to a bowl of cool water. Cool, then peel and devein.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, wine, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, dill, cumin and garlic and toss with the shrimp, onion, celery and capers. Let rest in the refrigerator several hours for the flavors to blend.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Parties, by Carol Salomon.

Tabouli Salad

Note: This is a less authentic but heartier version of the traditional salad, with an extra hit of protein because of the addition of chickpeas. It travels particularly well.

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

¾ medium grain bulgur (cracked wheat)

3 lemons, juiced

½ to 1 teaspoon salt

½ to 1 teaspoon pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 large bunch fresh mint, chopped

5 scallions, thinly sliced

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 tomato, chopped

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

Place the bulgur in a bowl and pour warm water to cover. Let sit for 20 minutes until the bulgur has absorbed the water and is soft. Squeeze out excess water.

Toss with the lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and let sit 30 minutes. Wash the parsley and mint, dry thoroughly and finely chop. (A food processor works well, although use the pulse button so as not to puree it.)

Toss the bulgur with the scallions, chickpeas, olive oil and chopped tomato. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more lemon, olive oil, salt or pepper as you like. Keep cold until ready to serve. In the picnic spirit, bring washed small romaine lettuce leaves to use as scoops.

Recipe adapted from Martha Rose Shulman’s Mediterranean Light.

Black Magic Chocolate Cupcakes

Yield: Makes 18-24 medium cupcakes

For Cupcakes:

1¾ cups flour

2 cups white or brown sugar, firmly packed

¾ cup cocoa, measured, then sifted

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter

1 cup coffee, cola or water

1 cup buttermilk

For Frosting:

1 cup butter, room temperature

½ cup cream cheese, room temperature

2-3 cups confectioners sugar, measured then sifted

½ to 1 cup cocoa powder, measured then sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-4 tablespoons milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and powder and salt.

In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients together until well combined. Add to the dry ingredients and mix, using a whisk or beating on medium speed of an electric mixer for a minute or two. Batter will be thin.

Pour into muffin cups and bake for 20-24 minutes until a test done. Frost and let sit until frosting sets. For a picnic, pack in a covered cupcake container or for fewer, fit them tightly into a small, flat, plastic container with lid.

For Frosting:

Blend butter and cream cheese on medium speed of an electric mixer until combined, add sugar and mix well. Add in cocoa and vanilla and beat on medium high speed until creamy and light, adding milk as necessary to achieve a spreadable consistency.

Recipes adapted from a vintage Farm Journal.