Grilled Corn Pinwheels and a Country Picnic. Very simple to make and easy to eat, corn pinwheels are a great picnic food. They bring a lovely color to the table and go well with many dishes. Come with us for a Country Picnic on a hayfield as we share our passion for creating a fantastic outdoor eating experience.

Song of the day: Wide Open Spaces - The Chicks

Grilled Corn Pinwheels for a Meal in the Field Picnic-corn-pinwheels-in-bowl

On a warm summer day, with our usual picnic friends Margaret and Raymond Kitchen Frau, we head to a farm field in rural Alberta for a Country Picnic.

The location is Harvey and Ronaye's gorgeous farm in Parkland County. This is the quintessence of a country setting: a manicured house and lawn, a curated and prolific garden, a shed and a barn, chickens, cattle, sheep, and horses. The couple is Margaret and Raymond's longtime friends and they have kindly agreed to host our picnic on their land. After we set up, they are also going to join us at the table.

At a short driving distance from the main house, there is a hayfield that spreads out on hilly grounds, as far as the eyes can see.

A Country Picnic

We bring the cars to the edge of the hayfield and we scout a spot for our picnic. The trunk is packed, and as we start to unload, images of how we want to set up our Country Picnic surface in our creative minds.

The sun keeps playing hide-and-seek in a sky full of cotton candy clouds, sheltering us from the heat. Harvey, generously, provides hay and straw bales that the guys pile up to create a table and sitting benches. We cover the top with a red and white gingham tablecloth and we set bright yellow napkins, enamel plates and bowls, and glass mason jars perfect to sip Margaret's fresh lemonade. In the center, on a vintage metal carafe, a posy of our seasonal garden blooms.

The tractor that was used to carry the hay and straw bales is parked nearby providing the best background together with round bales, green lusciousness, and fluffy cloud formations.

The straw and hay bales might not be the most comfortable sitting but are sturdy and smell sweet and grassy. You could fold up a blanket and place it on the bale for added comfort. Even though the table top does not give an even surface (especially in the middle where the bales meet), we couldn't have asked for a better mise-en-scène. This truly is the idyllic setting for a country picnic.

Country Picnic Setup

As a matter of fact, I think Margaret and I we have mastered the art of setting up for a picnic. Once we start placing the tablecloth and the first accessories on the table, we have a clear idea of the final look we want to give our picnic. Organization is crucial, though, and it starts at home with preparing the picnic essentials. Like: folding chairs and maybe a portable picnic table; a few blankets; a washable tablecloth and napkins; a picnic basket with unbreakable plates, glasses, and cups; cutlery; baskets and totes to carry some of the stuff; a thermos to keep the beverages warm and a cooler for the perishable items; a cutting board, bowls and/or platters; paper towel, wipes, garbage bags for clean-up, and plastic bags for the dirty dishes and cutlery.

Also, as part of a summer picnic essentials, make sure to bring sunscreen, a hat, or a jacket and umbrella, just in case, together with a bug repellent and after bite.

Margaret and I resting on the bales after the setup

Side table and flowers

It seems, by now, that, other than what is listed above as picnic essentials, we have two recurrent elements in our picnic. A side table, mostly used as a dessert/coffee/drinks station, dressed up in complimenting colors. And a flower arrangement for each table, which we believe improves any picnic setting with that special touch.

Grilled Corn Pinwheel and a Country Picnic-table-set

Country Picnic Food

By all means, it is true when they say that everything tastes better when eaten outside. We develop quite an appetite in the great outdoors, so we assure that we have plenty of food, being mindful of dietary needs. For this Country Picnic, Margaret has prepared a delicious Split pea and ham soup, together with fresh white buns and gluten-free bagels, and a lovely beet and bocconcini salad. On our part, Loreto has made roast beef and grilled corn pinwheels (recipe at the bottom of the post). The roast beef, once thinly sliced, will be great inside a dinner bun with mustard, creamed horseradish, and dill pickles.

A menu is not complete without dessert and/or fruit. I made a flaky and cinnamony Apple galette, which was superb with Margaret's fluffy stabilized whipped cream, some fresh multicolor raspberries on the side, and hot coffee.

Grilled Corn Pinwheel and a Country Picnic-galette-slice-cream-berries

A Country Picnic Menu

Split Pea and Ham Soup

White Dinner Buns

Cold Sliced Roast Beef

Dille Pickles, Cherry Tomatoes, Mustards, and Creamed Horseradish

Grilled Corn Pinwheels

Beet and Bocconcini Salad

Apple Galette with Chantilly Cream

Raspberries

Fresh Lemonade, Water, Hot Coffee

How to make Grilled Corn Pinwheels

Very simple to make and easy to eat, corn pinwheels are a great picnic food. They bring a lovely color to the table and go well with many dishes.

Shuck the corn, clean off any strand. Wash the corn, then place it in a large pot of water so the corn is totally submerged.

Bring the corn to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until corn is tender. Remove from the water and place in a bowl. Mix e.v.o. oil, salt, and pepper in a ramekin and whisk. Set aside.

Fire up BBQ to around 400 F/200 C. Place corn on the grill and char all sides, and baste with a bit of the olive oil and melted butter mixture. Once you are done, place corn on a cutting surface and slice into 1 ½-inch thick rounds (pinwheels). Chop up basil and chives.

Grilled Corn Pinwheel for a Meal in the Field Picnic-corn-wood-bowl-plated

Place pinwheels in a sealable container, dress with the e.v.o. oil butter mixture and the chopped herbs. Toss well, place lid on, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve (or pack in a cooler bag and off to the picnic site).

It is finally time to sit down and enjoy the fruits of our labour. We always reflect on how the picnic came together beautifully, and how much we enjoy it. It may seem like a lot of work, but in the end, all that effort pays off. As we delight in every food and beverage of this Country picnic, we cherish the time spent with friends and immerse ourselves in the magnificent surrounding scenery.

More Picnic Ideas

In the end, we hope we have inspired you to host a picnic before summer ends. Tag us on Instagram or comment on this post. We would love to see your picnic creativity!