Tonight, the Bread Winner and I joined up with some friends and took our collective Ankle Biters to the Winter Solstice Bonfire at Collingwood Children’s Farm. The Ankle Biters were thrilled to be out at night and loved the fire eating, twirling and general burning of things. All very exciting.

Despite a no doubt dazzling array of food stalls *yawn*, I packed dinner and a picnic rug. A nice warm picnic dinner for a winter’s evening. The key is two thermoses. One full size and one luncheon size will suffice.

The large thermos was filled with hot chocolate made from good organic, unhomogenised milk, raw organic cocoa powder and a little muscovado. Perfect. A bitter tang and not too sweet, a hit with both the Ankle Biters and the grown ups.

For starters, a container of popcorn that had been tossed with melted butter and a little sea salt. Whoops, forgot old Metal Mouth isn’t allowed popcorn. Never mind, there was plenty of other food. For dinner, I packed containers of sliced tomato, gherkin, rocket, grated cheese, caramelised onion and tomato sauce. The small thermos held organic beef sausages, cooked just before we left home and still piping hot. Plus a bag of freshly baked spelt and wheat rolls. Delicious fresh hot dogs.

Approx. cost per serving $1.05

Did anyone else celebrate solstices of any variety?