A Beach Picnic, Philly Style

Packing a picnic basket for a day trip to the beach can be a monotonous task. Water bottles, ham-and-cheese sandwiches on white, bags of salt and vinegar chips. Or maybe, because you’re a true Philadelphian, you’re making a pit stop at Wawa for an Italian hoagie with extra sweet peppers. There’s nothing wrong with the usual. Old habits die hard and it’s a fact that hoagies taste better with salt water in the air. This summer however, we’re breaking routine and packing up some of our local Philly favorites to bring down the shore because everyone needs a taste of home away from home.

Drinks:

Sly Fox Cans- Helles Golden Lager, Pikeland Pils, Royal Weisse Ale

New Jersey beaches have a pretty strict no alcohol policy, but sometimes you just want to pop open a brew and feel the sea breeze at the same time. We don’t condone breaking the law, but if we could take a can of locally brewed beer to the beach (that sorta, kinda resembles a soda can) they would definitely hail from the Sly Fox Brewery in Pottstown. Our cooler would be filled with Helles Golden Lager, a german style lager with a dry finish, Pikeland Pils, a light bodied beer packed with German and Czech hops and the Royal Weisse Ale, a fruity Bavarian-style wheat beer.

Snacks:

Metropolitan Bakery Popcorn

Philadelphia’s Metropolitan Bakery isn’t just somewhere Philly’s top restaurateurs get their breads. The award winning bakery also produces bags of all natural popcorn that will happily push your diet to the back burner in exchange for a couple handfuls. We’re munching on their Spiced Peanut Butter blend and Bourbon Infused corn.

Farm 51’s Vivi Pickles

West Philly’s Farm 51 is gaining popularity, as it rightfully should. The urban farm group is now selling jars of crispy, homemade pickles and we’re thinking they’d be great on the side of a DiBruno Bros. sandwich. Garlic scapes, grape leaves and chili peppers are reason enough to chomp on this new Philly snack down the shore.

Side Project Jerky

Jerky might not be exactly what you think of as a beachside nosh, but we’ve become huge fans of Marcos Espinoza’s Side Project Jerky. The Philadelphia duo creates delightful flavor combinations wrapped in attractive handmade packaging that puts Slim Jims to shame. We’re packing their Mongolian and Southwestern jerky which you can purchase in the Foobooz Store.

Mains:

Jake’s Sandwich Board

Sandwiches at the beach are a given. You can put just about anything between two slices of bread and voila a crowd pleasing, easy to eat, share, and transport picnic lunch. Of course we’re faithful to Wawa hoagies, but the Village Turkey with bacon, baby arugula and black cherry spread from Jake’s shop on 12th street deserves its time in the Jersey sun.

Paesano’s

The Paesano and the Arista are the stalwarts at this sandwich shop. Problem is they don’t travel well. So instead, order the Daddy Wad, Paesano’s take on the hoagie and revel in the sweet and hot tomatoes with sharp Provolone from your beach chair.

Wishbone Fried Chicken

If you’re looking for something crunchy in your picnic basket head over to Wishbone in West Philadelphia. The dine-in, dine-out, byob, fries locally sourced, hormone and antibiotic free chickens. Pair their classic fry of buttermilk battered, pretzel crusted wings with some chipotle lime mayo dipping sauce and you’re going to make a lot of friends on the beach.

Green Aisle Grocery Spreads- Blueberry Cardamom, Strawberry Honeysuckle & Peanut Butter

Sometimes you just want a good ol’ peanut butter and jelly sandwich. East Passyunk’s Green Aisle Grocery launched a line of divine preserves and spreads back in 2012. Their preserves are products of local, sustainable, family owned farms. Three of our favorite things. A smear of any of their jams and peanut (or almond) butter takes the classic pb&j to a whole other level. They’re perfect for kids playing in the sand or a taste of nostalgia from your childhood summers spent at the shore.

Desserts:

Tastykakes

Duh. Tastykakes are the keystone to any lunchbox of any child who grew up in the Philadelphia area. So clearly they were made for packing in a picnic basket. They’re the perfect treat even when school’s out of session. Give me some Krimpets, Kandy Kakes and the sand between my toes and I’m happy.

Insomnia Cookies

What began as a late night craving for former Penn student, Seth Berkowitz turned into a staple of the Philadelphia college student’s diet, and now other students across the country. The late night cookie delivery isn’t reserved for cramming college students. The warm, generously sized cookies are boxed up like delivery pizza, ready for transport to the Jersey beach. Insomnia Cookies are a Philly baked treat that we’re definitely bringing down the shore.

Down the Shore [Foobooz]