Dan Purjes Reveals the 10 Things to Pack for a New York Picnic

Dan Purjes spends most of his time on Wall Street. A busy NYC executive, he handles a huge investment fund, monitors virtually every asset, and is often consulted by the New York Times to create a final list of investment recommendations. He travels between NYC and Rockwood, dealing with other top investors such as McTague and Barrons. However, he also enjoys his free time. And, being from NYC, he cherishes greenery and the great outdoors. Hence, his favorite hobby is to go on a picnic and he believes he has perfected the art of eating out of a basic while sitting on a blanket.

Dan Purjes on What to Pack for a NYC Picnic

Naturally, a picnic wouldn’t be a picnic without some company, a good location, and fantastic food. However, the canvas tote or wicker picnic hamper does have to be filled with the necessary essentials as well. They are:

  1. The perfect foods and drinks. Dan Purjes’ favorites are lemonade iced tea, flank steak and blue cheese sandwiches, peppery grilled okra topped with lemon basil sauce, double peanut butter granola bites, and baked bean crostini. He loves these disease because they are tasty, but also because they are quick and easy to make and perfect to take outdoors.
  2. Frozen bottles of water. That isn’t because Dan spends all his time drinking water, but rather to keep everything else cool while having something to wash hands and faces with after the picnic is over. Keeping a bottle of white wine cold for an entire picnic can only be achieved with something frozen, realistically.
  3. A bottle opener and corkscrew. Too often, people have brought a beautiful bottle of wine with them, only to then find they can’t open it. An absolute waste!
  4. Wet wipes. While the bottles of water can go a long way towards cleaning things off, wet wipes really are an essential for those sticky bits.
  5. Salt and pepper. This ensures you can add some spice and flavor to each dish to taste.
  6. Paper towels. If you have a picnic, you have the responsibility to keep the area clean and clear. Paper towels are perfect, not in the least because they won’t blow away in a gust of wind.
  7. A tray. It is far easier and more fun to put a spread outside of the picnic hamper. Using a tray means nothing will roll over the picnic blanket only to get stood or sat on – if it wasn’t attacked by ants first.
  8. Serving spoons. Yes, picnics are about finger foods. However, serving spoons are really useful to make sure you don’t touch other people’s food and they come in handy if you bring any sauces or oils.
  9. A folding knife. That is the multifunctional tool that can do it all. Should you forget the corkscrew, you may even still be able to open the bottle of wine!
  10. Trash bags. Again, it is your responsibility to keep the area clean and clear.

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