Hamper baskets

With the summer almost over, it's not a bad idea to make the most of these longer drawn-out evenings by packing a nice hamper and treating your family or loved one to a nice picnic. Pack it to the brim with opulent snacks like fresh smoked salmon, delicious pork pies, and a nice selection of cold meats; a nice rose, perhaps even a nice tart. Make it a luxury hamper and show those around you that you care.
While a brimming food hamper will stand you in good stead for a pleasant al fresco meal, you might want to check out the weather forecast first. This is Britain, after all, where the shimmering sun can turn to relentless rain in the blink of an eye. Best pack an umbrella, just in case the weather turns sour - typically it's always the day you plan an outdoor excursion when the rain inevitably arrives, so why not surprise everybody (including the clouds) and make it a spontaneous outing?
Of course, the bigger the basket, the more food you can hold. There's no need to shell out all that money on stylish hamper baskets. Why get ripped off just for a hamper with foldaway cutlery drawers and extendable plate holders when you can just have a regular basket, fill it with goodies and cover it with a (preferably clean) rug?
Either way, enjoy the rest of this year's sunshine. The way this summer's been, it might be the last we'll see of it for a while.

Andy Davies provides hamper baskets with interesting articles. Please visit www.formanandfield.com for more information.