Many of us like the idea of sharing a meal al fresco with family and friends, but simply do not have the energy to cook for such an outing. When your neighbors call to ask if you want to join them at the beach for an impromptu dinnertime picnic, you probably want to say “yes.” Everyone loves a picnic, and the beach on a summer evening is one of Fairfield’s best features. But then it hits you: Having a picnic requires preparing and packing a picnic basket! You could do take-out, and though the words “take-out” conjure up images of cold pizza and fast-food burgers, that’s not exactly what you had in mind for your picnic. You were thinking more along the lines of a red- and white-checkered picnic basket, filled with overstuffed sandwiches, colorful salads, rich chocolate brownies, and freshly-squeezed lemonade. But who has time to prepare and pack such an elaborate meal to bring to the beach? Thankfully for Fairfielders, a number of local markets and stores are now carrying a large selection of prepared foods for your convenience. I chose to visit and investigate three markets, The Pantry, Health in a Hurry, and A&S Italian Fine Foods. At each of these establishments the food is made fresh daily, on-site, and is conveniently packed into containers that are ideal for taking along on your picnic.

If one of Fairfield’s many beaches is your picnic destination of choice, you may want to pick up your meal at The Pantry or Health in a Hurry, both conveniently located on the Post Road in Fairfield Center.

the pantry
1580 post road, 259-0400
thepantry.net
monday-friday 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
saturday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
closed sunday

The Pantry, which opened in 2003, is a specialty food market and full-service deli, with a made-to-order salad area and a wide selection of prepared meals-to-go. It also has fresh produce, a butcher shop, and a pastry counter with a wonderful selection of sweet indulgences.

The menu at The Pantry changes seasonally, but also carries some staples that can be found year-round, such as grilled vegetables, “Raised Right” Chicken Salad, and Sesame Noodles. Chef/owner Andy Rolleri, owner Thierry Le Mieur and Chef Kirsten Guldbrandsen stress that what sets them apart is their commitment to using the highest quality ingredients in all of their prepared foods. No corners are cut, and everything, right down to the salad dressings and the stock used for their homemade soups, are made in-house from scratch. This translates to more time in the kitchen for the chefs, but a top-quality product for customers.

In summertime, the very popular take-out cold salads at The Pantry are anything but run-of-the-mill. The tangy Shrimp, White Bean and Fennel Salad with Arugula and Lemon is one of the store’s best sellers. This light, healthy dish can be eaten as an entrée or a side dish, depending on your appetite. If you prefer to stick with the basics, The Pantry carries traditional potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, and fresh fruit salad in the deli. Also at the deli counter are made-to-order and specialty sandwiches and wraps, including a daily pannini special. Picnickers can choose from a variety of sandwich or wrap combinations such as Grilled Chicken with Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Peppers and Baby Arugula, or Honey Maple Ham with Swiss, Tomato and Honey Mustard, or they may choose their own ingredients and bread type.

When asked about the “ideal” beach picnic menu, the chefs both agreed that the Soy & Ginger Marinated Flank Steak (served at room temperature) was a must. Chef Andy likes to pair the flank steak with their Roasted Corn, Anduille Sausage and Bell Pepper Salad (served with a cilantro-lime dressing) or the Wheat Berry Salad. Wheat berries, which are whole-wheat kernels with only the hull removed, are an excellent source of fiber and a tasty whole-grain alternative to white rice or pasta. In this colorful salad, wheat berries are combined with grape tomatoes, almonds, dried cranberries and basil, and then tossed in a lime, honey, and Dijon mustard dressing. Chef Kirsten feels the perfect side dish for your picnic is the Jicama & Cucumber Salad. Jicama (pronounced HIC-uh-muh), is a root vegetable with a crisp, white, potato-like inside. The flavors are reminiscent of an apple, and are mild but sweet. Paired with fresh cucumbers, bell peppers and fresh herbs, this salad is a refreshing, light, summer salad for any summer get-together.

There was certainly no disagreement on the ideal dessert for your picnic. “Something that won’t melt in the heat,” suggests Chef Andy. “Andy’s Best” Brownies or the Apricot-Oatmeal Bars are perfect endings to a meal, and will hold up well in your picnic basket for hours. If bar cookies are not your thing, there are over a dozen different other cookies to choose from, including Pecan and Brown Sugar Shortbread cookies, Trail Mix Cookies, or traditional Molasses Cookies, to name a few. The Pantry also carries a wide variety of bottled drinks. In addition to popular brands of soda, they include organic sodas, old-fashioned sodas, iced tea, premium waters, and the Naked line of juice smoothies among their selections.