I am absolutely unstoppable when it comes to putting together a picnic. To the point that, seriously, my husband often has to leave the house.

"Can't we just buy everything in, like EVERYONE else?" He'll ask me, before retreating to the shed, garage, pub…or for a quiet walk down a country lane.

Like many foodies, I get completely carried away. What might start out in my iPhone notes app as a loaf of nice bread, a bit of nice cheese, some charcuterie, some crisps…quickly morphs into a culinary beast, leading to stacks of washing up, flour-dusted walls, a shortage of wooden spoons, and unsettled marital relations.

It was, then, utter bliss for him when, in the midst of 2020's Covid lockdowns, I set about writing a piece on caterer Patricia Sharman & Co, which had launched picnic boxes in response to the cancellation of weddings, wakes and other occasions and events.

Working from a commercial kitchen at The Cookhouse at Suffolk Food Hall in Wherstead, founder Patricia (who started out running Butties Sandwich Shop in Ipswich in the early 80s), busily put together parcels of sausage rolls, quiches, Ottolenghi-style salads and sweet bakes for customers to collect and take on days out in their 'bubbles' across Suffolk's country parks, meadows and beaches.

It was a roaring success. And, as a sampler (on many occasions) of these boxes, I can understand why. Patricia only uses the best. Free-range eggs. Local meat. Real butter. High-quality chocolate. Fresh fruit and vegetables. And with more than 40 years of experience under her belt, of course, she's a cracking chef. Her sausage rolls are exceptional. The pastry of her quiches melts in the mouth, with mouthwateringly savoury fillings. As for her Viennese whirls? Light as a feather, and generously slathered with chocolate. 

So many people asked me this year if the picnic boxes were still available. They weren't. However, Patricia says they may well make a comeback in 2024 (watch this space). 

In the meantime, I urge you to do the decent thing for your taste buds and put in an order for her Christmas selection, available now for collection up until today December 22 - think of all the time you'll save…and there's no washing up!

The order list includes frangipane or Viennese-topped mince pies, sausage rolls (traditional, caramelised onion, chilli jam or vegetarian), quiches (leek and gruyere, sun blushed tomato and pesto, mushroom and pancetta), pork and pancetta pies, salted caramel chocolate brownies, lemon and raspberry crumble cakes, and carrot cakes.

Order here. You really won't regret it.

*This feature by Charlotte Smith-Jarvis first appeared in her Suffolk Food Stories blog - which can be found here...