Thinking about throwing a picnic this summer? Would your menu consist of a little potato salad, some sandwiches, and a carrot stick or two?

If you consulted Lisa Richards, CEO and founder of Picnic People, with franchises across the U.S., she would have you nix the sandwiches in favor of freshly grilled burgers or some smoked tri-tip or both. And she would have you augment that 'tater salad with some hot ranch beans and maybe a cold cucumber and tomato salad dressed in a citrusy Asian ponzu sauce.

Richards was working toward a degree in public 25 years ago when she got the idea for a full-service company that would provide outdoor repasts to large groups, from family reunions to corporate shindigs. Whenever she spent time at the park, bay or beach, she would see people schlepping boxes of food from local delis and big box stores to the grassy area for picnics.

None of the food was homemade, Richards observed. There was no real coordination for setup.

Without any expertise in entertaining, catering or hospitality, Richards still knew she could do better. "'What a great service it would be to provide this to people,' I thought."

Richards' first client in 1984 was a Southern California construction company. She was charged with arranging a picnic for 150 people, 40 of whom were kids.

"It was hilarious," Richards recalled. "Primarily, the client didn't know what to expect, and I didn't know what to do. She was thrilled and I was amazed. It was quite an adventure."

That was thousands of picnics ago. Gatherings have ranged from as few as 50 people to as many as 15,000. This picnic season — which began for much of the country on Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day - Picnic People is scheduled to do more than 500 outings.

Five years ago, Richards began franchising Picnic People, and now has eight franchises cross the country, including locations in North Carolina, Boston, Dallas, St. Louis and Napa Valley. For each region, the menu changes.

"We work with each region to use their most common foods," said Richards. "In St. Louis, people really like grilled pork chops at their picnics, but they have to have hot dogs, too.

"In Boston, we do clam bakes. In Napa, we do a lot of barbecued chicken, and we use grapevines in the smoker instead of hardwood."

Smoking their meats, not just grilling them, sets Picnic People apart, Richards said. The company has a smoker than can hold 1,000 pounds of meat at a time, with chef Keith Lord able to control the flavor of the smoke depending on the tastes of picnickers.

"Sometimes we smoke with charcoal because that is our palate here in California," said Lord. "But I can smoke with rosemary or fruit.

"We definitely take suggestions, especially from clients who know their barbecue and know what they want."

Eighty percent of their clients still want burgers, dogs and chicken, but 20 percent are adventuresome and want other grilled items, such as fish and tri-tip, Lord said.

A typical picnic menu would include three proteins (a hot dog is de rigueur, Richards said, because often a picnic is the only place an adult will indulge in one), two salads (usually a potato and a green or fruit salad); beans, and dessert, such as a brownie or cookies and ice cream.

Leaving the picnic site cleaner than you found it should also be standard picnic etiquette, according to Richards and Lord.

"We are vigilant about not filling park trash cans and recycling everything we can," said Richards. "Throwing food away outside is just not a good idea, nor is dumping lemonade on the grass. Leave the park nicer than you find it."

FOOD SAFETY TIPS

Picnic foods get manhandled a lot, what with preparation, transportation and outdoor setup. Here are some tips for ensuring food safety throughout the day.

Can it be said enough? Wash your hands before handling food. Wash utensils, work surfaces and raw fruits and vegetables.

Do not prepare food more than one day before your picnic unless you plan to freeze it. Cooking food in advance allows more chance for bacteria to grow.

Wash melons before cutting, then refrigerate the cut pieces and keep them cold. Unlike most fruits, melons are not acidic and can support the growth of harmful bacteria.

Keep cold food cold, 40 degrees or lower, to prevent bacterial growth. Pack cold foods in an insulated cooler with plenty of ice or frozen gel packs. Immerse wrapped foods in the ice or among the frozen gel packs. Never set containers on top of ice. Transport coolers in the passenger area of the car, not the trunk, where temperatures can rise to 150 degrees. Keep the cooler closed and in the shade at the picnic site to maintain cold temperatures.

Double-bowl cold items, said Richards. Fill a large plastic bowl with ice, melt the ice a little, then nest a smaller bowl in that. This will enable you to keep salads (pasta, potato, green) out longer because the food is surrounded by ice.

Keep hot food hot, 140 degrees or hotter to prevent bacterial growth. Takeout foods or foods cooked just before being transported to the picnic can be carried hot. Wrap hot food in towels, then newspaper, and place inside a box or heavy paper bag. Keep these foods warm on a lit grill or use them within one hour.

Pack plenty of utensils and dishware. Never use dishes that have touched raw foods, such as meat, fish and poultry, to store fresh or cooked foods unless the dishes have been washed between uses.

Avoid interrupted cooking. Never partially cook food, let it sit, then finish cooking it later.

Do not let cold foods sit out for more than one hour. Pack leftovers in the cooler right after they are served. Do not let hot foods sit out for more than one hour. Plan preparation so food is eaten shortly after it is cooked.

ASIAN CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD

1 pound cucumbers

1 pound tomatoes

1 red onion

1/4 bunch cilantro

2 tablespoons diced yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup Kikkoman brand Ponzu Sauce

Yields 8 servings.

Seed cucumber and cut into half moons. Place in a large bowl. Slice tomatoes into wedges and add to bowl. Julienne the onion and add to bowl. Toss with cilantro leaves. Add diced yellow bell peppers. Dress with enough Ponzu Sauce to moisten.

ADDICTIVE RANCH BEANS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 Spanish onion, diced

1 quart-size can pinto beans, undrained

1 cup chopped cooked pork rib ends and pieces or bacon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Your favorite barbecue spice rub, to taste

Yields 8 servings.

Heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. Add beans and pork or bacon pieces and bring to a boil. Season with black pepper, salt, cayenne and barbecue spice rub.

PORK PARFAITS

1 cup barbecue sauce

Carolina Pulled Pork:

1 (4.5-pound) boneless pork butt

2 tablespoons favorite barbecue spice rub

1 1/2 quarts water

1 3/4 cups favorite barbecue sauce

Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

1 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

3 tablespoons garlic, peeled and sliced

1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoon oil-olive oil blend

Salt and pepper, to taste

Yields 10 servings.

To make pork: Preheat oven to 400 F. Rub pork with barbecue spice rub. Place in pan and pour in water. Cover pan with foil and cook for 2 hours, or until very tender. Shred pork and mix with barbecue sauce.

To make potatoes: Place potatoes and garlic in a large pot. Cover with water and simmer potatoes and garlic together until potatoes are soft. Drain well. In a small saucepan, heat half-and-half, milk, butter and oil blend. Pour over cooked potatoes and garlic and mash to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Layer mashed potatoes, pork and barbecue sauce in parfait glasses, beginning with mashed potato layer and ending with a dollop of sauce.

TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD

Salad:

1 1/2 pounds cooked tri-color tortellini

Vegetable oil

1 cup Pesto Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

2 large tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup fresh basil, julienne

2 ounces provolone, diced

4 tablespoons diced red peppers

Pesto Vinaigrette:

4 tablespoons pine nuts

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons peeled garlic

1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Yields 8 servings

To make salad: Toss cooked tortellini lightly in oil and let cool on sheet pans. In a large bowl, toss cooled pasta with Pesto Vinaigrette and remaining salad ingredients.

For the Pesto Vinaigrette: Blend all the vinaigrette ingredients in a blender until smooth.

— Keith Lord of Picnic People

Caroline Dipping writes about food for The San Diego Union-Tribune. Contact her at [email protected].