An Old-Fashioned Fourth

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Picnic Food

On the Fourth of July, feasts have always been the order of the day. Early on, they were sponsored by political hopefuls or local churches. By the mid-1800s, families everywhere would pack lunches and gather at parks for community picnics. Perhaps the most sensational holiday spread on record is the Ontario, California, 1956 All States Picnic, when more than 100,000 people from across the country lunched together in the shade of the town's peppertrees. The event even spawned a six-legged mascot: a fork-and-knife-wielding caricature named Jasper the Picnic Ant.

If your family is celebrating the holiday with friends and neighbors, the best way to feed the crowd is by organizing a potluck. Fresh produce is plentiful this time of year, and everyone's likely to have a favorite summer salad or casserole to share. You may want to divide the guest list into three groups, assigning salads and casseroles to one, desserts to another and beverages to the third. If a grill or barbecue pit is available at the picnic site, suggest that each family bring its own chicken, hamburgers or hot dogs, as well.

You'll also need condiments, napkins, serving spoons, disposable plates, eating utensils, trash bags and charcoal briquettes. And to keep an ample supply of beverages cold and accessible, you can provide a trash can filled with ice.

For inspiration, we offer the following menu and recipes. Many of them are classics that the original Fourth of July celebrants were apt to have packed in their picnic baskets. And we've added a few new twists, too: an orangey sauce to spread on barbecued chicken; a bacon topping to sprinkle on potato salad; and maple-flavored whipped cream to crown a truly red, white and blue dessert.