How to Organize a French Lunch Party for Two

Gia Russo: We're here to meet Garett who wants to surprise his fiancée Clare with a French Picnic. Michele Adams: Now, he's tried to do this in the past, but he's never been able to pull it off. But this time, it's going to be different! That's why he's called us. And he's hoping to convince her to get married in France. Gia Russo: She's going to love that! Garett Chipman is a busy computer consultant who is a typical guy when it comes to planning social engagements. Garett Shipman: Well, I admit. When it comes to planning and actually lot of organizing the party, yeah, I'm not so good. Gia Russo: He basically leaves it all to his fiancée Clare Jacoby, who even had to plan her own wedding engagement. Clare Jacoby: I absolutely planned my own proposal. Garett Chipman: I let her plan everything. Clare Jacoby: Because we did it on his birthday. Garett Chipman: Little did she know that I was going to flip the coin there. Clare Jacoby: I had planned it all. It totally makes it sound like I did this and I did that and if he didn't know. Garett Chipman: I knew what I was going to say haven't let her, but I let her think she was planning that party. Clare Jacoby: I totally now. Gia Russo: But Garett really is a romantic guy and wants to redeem himself by surprising Clare with her favorite type of party, a picnic, especially since he has an ulterior motive up his sleeve. Garett Chipman: I want to throw a French Picnic, because I want to get married in France. I just think it could be a great way to sort of push the envelope and open the sort of segue to say, hey! What do you think about trying this over there and get married? Clare Jacoby: I've always had this wild dream of getting married in Paris, or doing something really fun and just running away to France and getting married. Gia Russo: So our plan is to help Garett create the perfect picnic so that he can convince Clare that her wild dream can really come true. Garett's neighbor has graciously offered her backyard to keep our secret planning from Clare. Garett Chipman: There it is! What do you guys think? Gia Russo: That's really impressive! Michele Adams: This is gorgeous! Garett Chipman: It's pretty, huh! I mean, this would be a perfect spot. What do you guys think of this? Gia Russo: Definitely, out of the way Garett. Michele Adams: Beautiful! The grass looks very comfortable. You've got lavender, it's a beautiful setting; you've got lots of shade. Gia Russo: And we can create a really great and all cozy stuff. Garett Chipman: Yeah! Michele Adams: So, what kind of things does Clare like? Garett Chipman: Well, she really likes cheeses, cheeses from all over the world. She likes finger fruits, sandwiches, things like that, and prosciutto and just good foods that are a little bit of flavor from outside the states. It would be really good. Gia Russo: Okay. Michele Adams: Okay, so hearty and simple, but they are elegant. Garett Chipman: Yeah, very simple, yeah exactly! Gia Russo: With lots of good flavor. We'll get like a beautiful blanket and some pillows and bring out a picnic basket. Garett Chipman: How cool! Michele Adams: Well, everything that we're going to do is going to be really special. We've come out with an amazing menu for your French picnic. We're going to be so happy. Gia Russo: You are going to be happy. Garett Chipman: Great, cool! Michele Adams: So what we've got is a haricot vert salad which is very French. Two different types of sandwiches and some little French crudités. Does that sound good? Garett Chipman: Yes, we're going to start. Gia Russo: We're doing great! Garett Chipman: Wow! Gia Russo: We're almost there. Garett Chipman: Yeah. Michele Adams: I think we're done. Gia Russo: Okay. We've got a soft patch of grass, a blanket and comfy pillows to spread on it and some beautiful linens. Our food is finished and Clare and her friends will be arriving soon. We've got just enough time to pull the final details together. The French word pique-nique means a fashionable social entertainment. But lately, it seems like picnic, means disposable. It doesn't have to be that way. Set the stage with a beautiful blanket, cloth napkins and some comfy pillows. Present your guests with their own personal picnic lunches. Fill a large cloth with some traditional picnic fare, like a baguette, fruit and some cheeses, and simply tie the corners into a knot. A cotton cloth is easy to tie and will also wash well. A wine basket can be a stylish finishing touch. Another option is to roll a baguette sandwich and utensils in a traditional French cloth wrap, which also doubles as a place mat. It's that easy to take your picnic from plastic and paper to elegant and personal. Our work here is almost done, but not quite. We still have to pack up the food and get it to the picnic spot. You want to leave like a nice portion of it out. Michele Adams: People can see the ingredients. Gia Russo: Right, say? Garett Chipman: Yeah. Gia Russo: There you are! Garett Chipman: Try one of these. Michele Adams: With your packaging, you really can mix it up. You don't have to have it all French style. Garett Chipman: That's creative! Michele Adams: Yeah, the Chinese container. Garett Chipman: Yeah, that's so cool! Michele Adams: We have our radishes. That could go good in these metal containers. I'm going to go ahead and put the corn into this container. Garett Chipman: Nice shot! Why don't we just use the plastic things that you get from the supermarket? Michele Adams: It's all about the details, Garett. Garett Chipman: Style, it's the elegance, it's the detail. Gia Russo: Yeah, we want everything to be really beautifully presented. Garett Chipman: I'm just checking up on you two. Michele Adams: And actually, you know what? These are very inexpensive. You can get them from the import stores. Garett Chipman: It's cheap. Gia Russo: In fact, you just pick one on these up. Okay, so now I'm going to put the butter in here, this will be cute. Michele Adams: Okay, what else do we need to do? Gia Russo: Well, we're going to get the napkins, the dishes, the flatware, and we're going to get all that stuff packaged up. Michele Adams: We'll start with these. Just get over sister! Garett Chipman: Hey! These are the napkins that I picked up. You like them? Gia Russo: So beautiful! Garett Chipman: Very cool, huh! Michele Adams: They turn out so nice. Garett Chipman: Excellent job! Gia Russo: I'm so glad she pulled it off. Garett Chipman: There are the different patterns, the tickers, correct? Gia Russo: Tick-ins. Garett Chipman: Tick-ins, right. Michele Adams: I am going to wrap these bottles up in the napkins and then we can just stick them in this basket; in that way, the bottles won't break or anything. Gia Russo: All our drinks are ready to go. Michele Adams: We have another wire basket for food. Let's style them up, furnish with butter, that's our radishes. That's our salad, salt and pepper? Gia Russo: Isn't this cute? Garett Chipman: That's cute! Michele Adams: So adorable! Garett Chipman: She's going to think the world. Michele Adams: It's the detail, again. Garett Chipman: Good, there's a whole of detail there. Michele Adams: Okay, then maybe the sandwiches. Gia Ross: Yeah, just put them on top, so cute. It's very French. Michele Adams: I know. I'm so excited! Gia Russo: So, we're ready to go. Garett Chipman: I'll take, so what do you want to take? Gia Russo: Do you want to grab this? Garett Chipman: Okay. Gia Russo: And I'm going to grab the basket and we are on the way out. Garett Chipman: Terrific! Here we go! I am hungry. Gia Russo: We just helped Garett Chipman lay out a beautiful French picnic for his fiancée Clare and a few of their friends. It's the perfect setting for him to spring his surprise wedding plans on Clare. Garett Chipman: She has a very good eye. Once she sees what I have put together with their help and the "coaching", she's going to go, Wow! So I'm not nervous, I'm excited, actually. Alright, got a little surprise for you, hold on, alright, you're ready? Clare Jacoby: Yes. Garett Chipman: Okay, this is for you. I did it all myself. Clare Jacoby: Oh! Oh my god! I knew you were on to something. Garett Chipman: Very cool, ha? Clare Jacoby: Oh! This looks wonderful! Garett Chipman: Everything, that's all French food that we love. I mean everything from the French lemonade to the pastries that you love, the handmade sandwiches. Clare Jacoby: It's always last-minute, because he's so busy and he's got so many things on his plate. Garett Chipman: She says, Garett, you're going to plan this, you're going to plan this? And sometimes, usually, no. But, for now, for this time, showing her, hey! I can do it. I know how to do it, we'll help, every time we do something, it generally falls on your shoulders and you have to take care of some of the details, but I want to try to get all the details and make it as simple as possible. Clare Jacoby: This looks so good! Garett Chipman: I love you! You're my best friend! So, it's being French and that we love France, we visit it many times. Clare Jacoby: Yes! Garett Chipman: Then maybe we should go forth and get married there. Clare Jacoby: I knew something was up and I think I even said that, and you can't tell a little bit, but I didn't know he had gone to that extent. Garett Chipman: There's another surprise, I brought our friends. Male Speaker: Hey, how are you, you alright? Female Speaker: Hi honey! Clare Jacoby: It meant a lot to me, because he really went out of his way like that and gave everybody advance notice, I mean not only that, but put together an amazing little afternoon. So, it was good. Garett Chipman: Well, there are two people that did help me and showed me the path that was very kind. And this is Gia and Michele. Gia Russo: Hi! Clare Jacoby: Hi! Garett Chipman: This is Clare. Clare Jacoby: This is wonderful! Gia Russo: You guys are having wonderful time. Garett Chipman: Thank you so much ladies! Gia Russo: You're welcome! Garett Chipman: That was a blast! Michele Adams: Enjoy, everybody enjoy! Gia Russo: Yeah, have fun! Garett Chipman: Very cool! Thank you! Michele Adams: See you later! Clare Jacoby: Bye! Garett Chipman: Bye, thank you! You know what these are called? Green Beans, very good! They are haricot vert, I didn't know that, but it's French green beans. Actually, the dressing is champagne; I am going to grate with roasted garlic, which we will try later as well. I've pulled these radishes out of the ground, but it's all wonderful. Clare Jacoby: It is wonderful! I know. You're going to do this again tomorrow, okay? Garett Chipman: Yes! Male Speaker: Great, radish fingers. Clare Jacoby: Food is delicious! I'm excited because I hope he can prepare it at home. Female Speaker: Cheers Clare! Good job Garett! Garett Chipman: Thank you guys for coming! Clare Jacoby: Thanks for coming!