First published 2024
Anne Glenconner opens her doors to friends old and new, inviting them to share their most memorable outdoor dining experiences. From the towering Himalayas to the manicured lawns of Hampton Court, her guests reveal the peculiar British devotion to eating outside regardless of weather conditions. Princess Margaret demanded a proper table for her alfresco meals, while John Julius Norwich managed 147 desert picnics across seven weeks in the Sahara. Writer James Lees-Milne admitted his complete hatred of the practice. Contributors including Bryan Adams, Graham Norton, Lorraine, Rupert Everett, Tina Brown, and Freya Stark explore why the British persist in this outdoor ritual despite famously unreliable skies. Glenconner weaves together their stories with a handful of nostalgic recipes, though cooking instructions take a backseat to the tales themselves. The collection captures the strong feelings that picnics inspire, from devotion to disgust, revealing how a simple meal outdoors becomes a window into character and culture.
Genres: memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, cooking, 21st-century, food-and-drink
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: memoir, personal-stories
Setting: Hampton Court, Himalayas, Sahara
Period: 21st Century
304 pages · Hardcover · Bedford Square Publishers