Everything tastes better outdoors and everything feels special, particularly in the setting of Glyndebourne, with senses already heightened by the exhilaration that fantastic opera delivers in the beautiful grounds. Take lots of finger food, lots of variety and plenty of delicious white wine
A box of cheese
Good cheese makes life better, preferably from La Fromagerie (www.lafromagerie.co.uk) or Neal’s Yard Dairy (www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk). I would always prefer to buy less, but know that the cheese is going to be the best, made by people who really care about their product
A pot of my homemade tomato-and-habanero jam
To go with the cheese—the recipe is in my new book, Home Cook. The jam is lightly spiced and delicate, but sparkling with flavour. It’s also delicious with sausages, pâtés and as a marinade
Curried eggs
My mother always used to make them for us to take on picnics and I still love them. Hard boil and whip out the yolks, mash them with mayonnaise, curry powder and a touch of mango chutney, then put back in—sensational!
Baby tomatoes
I buy these from the Isle of Wight stall at Queen’s Park Farmers’ Market and from Natoora on Ocado (www.ocado.com), but you can also find them through Farmdrop, the amazing online farmer’s market (www.farmdrop.com). The flavours are streets ahead of anything you usually find—little bursts of sweetness
Delicious salads
So easy to pull together, fine to transport, fresh and light. The chopped-cauliflower rice salad in Home Cook will please all your friends as it’s meat-free, dairy-free and gluten-free—it’s also incredibly gutsy and you can take the cumin and red-wine vinegar dressing on the side
Sourdough bread
Bread gets a bad rap, but sourdough is slow-rise, fermented dough—gentle on the stomach and perfect for good gut health. It’s worth every penny
Poached langoustines from Mull
Wonderful picnic food. I would make some mayonnaise to accompany them, probably chipotle as it goes so well with seafood
Crisp white wine
I’m presuming it will be sunny, if we are outdoors
Fizzy water
And plenty of it, to quench one’s thirst
Chocolate and raspberries
The perfect combination for pudding. Chocolate and raspberries make everything better
‘Home Cook’ by Thomasina Miers is out now (Guardian Faber, £25)
