Always Take the Weather With You Picnic Collection

Al fresco dining is one of summer's classic pleasures. From the Norman conquest of England as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry to the folklore of Robin Hood and his Merry Men drinking ale and breaking bread beneath the trees in the Sherwood Forest, picnicking has centuries of romantic nuance. For Americans, the Fourth of July is a day expected to include fireworks and food prepared to share at an outdoor gathering with friends and family. Whether at the beach, lakeside, in the backyard, or on the Esplanade for the annual July 4th Boston Pop's Concert, food to be shared is never an afterthought.