Picnic Like a Pro with James Strawbridge
30th Jun 2025
Summer is the season that takes you places; lazy afternoons in the park, spontaneous trips to the coast, music drifting across festival fields, and sports day sidelines dotted with sunhats, the occasional brolly, and folding chairs.
Wherever you're headed, one thing's certain: eating outdoors should never feel like a compromise. Every al fresco moment; no matter how casual; deserves a touch of forethought. From what you pack to how you serve it, it’s these finer details that turn a quick bite into something altogether more memorable.
To help you savour summer properly, we’ve teamed up with James Strawbridge, who’s shared his twist on a picnic classic: the ever-reliable Quiche Lorraine. Rich, golden, and packed with flavour, it’s the kind of make-ahead dish that travels well and pleases everyone—no soggy sandwiches in sight.
This one’s just the ticket if you’re looking to bring along something homemade. Scroll on for James’s recipe—your go-to for fuss-free, crowd-pleasing picnic perfection, ideal for spreading out on a blanket.
Quiche Lorraine
You’ll Need
For the shortcrust pastry
- 175 g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- Pinch of salt
- 75 g butter (or shop-bought pastry, if preferred)
For the filling
- 200 g bacon (streaky or lardons), chopped
- 250 g mature Barber’s Cheddar, grated
- 5 eggs, beaten
- 100 ml milk
- 200 ml double cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Handful of sundried tomatoes, to top
Method
- Make and blind-bake the pastry:
Rub the butter into the flour and salt until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add a little cold water to form a dough, then wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out and line a 22 cm tin. Prick the base with a fork and line with parchment and baking beans. Blind-bake at 190°C for 20 minutes, remove the beans, then bake for a further 5 minutes until golden.
- Prepare the filling:
Fry the bacon until crisp, then drain off any excess oil. Spread the bacon and grated cheese evenly into the cooled pastry case.
- Make the custard:
Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, salt, and pepper. Pour over the bacon and cheese. Scatter with thyme leaves and sundried tomatoes.
Bake at 160°C for 30–40 minutes, or until set.
- Cool and serve:
Allow the quiche to cool and set before trimming any excess pastry. Serve with a seasonal green salad.