Central Park Picnic

I had hoped to go to Governor's Island for a picnic today, but we got a late start and decided on Central Park instead (hardly a sacrifice). At the last minute, our friends Leonard and Maggie decided to join us. I gathered chips, vegetables and hummus, and some grapes, all of which is pretty standard. But I was quite excited about the pan bagnat Ed and I threw together that morning. I got the recipe from a food columnist from the New York Times named Melissa Clark. Literally, the name means "bathed bread" because you absolutely drench the ciabatta with olive oil before adding fillings like tuna, black olives, anchovies, basil, red peppers, onion, capers, and tomatoes. Then you wrap it tightly and weight it to smash everything together. It was delicious and tasted, as Maggie said, a bit like a salad nicoise on bread. 

Ed wrestling with the controls, with bubbles in the background

The park was packed. It was a bit frustrated to try to navigate the sidewalks, which were choked with oblivious tourists and large family groups. But it was a nice day once we were settled on our blanket. While we ate, we watched a person in a Smurfette costume walking around, less charming because of the large bag she carried labelled "Tips." A man collected quite a lot of money by blowing enormous soap bubbles over the heads of children, who happily popped them while their parents took pictures and then forked over cash. Ed tried to fly his model helicopter, but it didn't go well, and we determined that he should probably take it in for repairs. 

It was a pleasant, mellow afternoon, capped off by a butterfly stopping to hang out on Ed's leg.