By William S. “Sandy” Kaplan

In Lafayette in South Louisiana just about the tallest thing you’ll find (that’s legal to get on top of) is a parking garage. There’s one downtown by the bank and a couple more at the local hospitals.

You see where I live, you can go into your backyard and with a few shovels of earth, reach sea level real easy. So if you want to see the countryside, or the city laid out before you, about the only place you’ll be able to do it (other than a plane ride) is atop the parking garage. I don’t know about parking garages north of I-10, but down here the top floor of a parking garage doesn’t have a roof, when you√•ve gone all the way up there’s just open sky between you and your maker!

Most people don’t like to go all the way up at a parking garage so there aren’t many cars around and the ones that are there have been there awhile (lots of bird poop and such). Anyway, here’s what happened. It was a pretty day, not too hot and not too cool, I was visiting a friend at the hospital and decided to park at the very top just because I’d never done it before. I got out of my car, went to the edge and looked over the steel cable separating me and eternal destiny and thought wowthis is beautiful! I mean the sky was a beautiful blue, there was a slight breeze, I was feeling good, the trees were beginning to get their leaves, and everything was green.

It was a 60’s flashback, I thought of California weather, Beach Boys, picnics, how life was good and how cool it would be to have a picnic up here.

A few days later I told my wife to dress down, we were going out for dinner later in the week. The afternoon of the picnic I stopped at a gourmet deli, picked up a container of chicken pasta salad, Greek olives, assorted cheeses and grapes, apples, etc. Went by the bakery department an added a few fruit tarts. Got home, grabbed a bottle of Champagne, and a bottle Sauvignon Blanc out of my wine cellar, iced them down in an ice chest, put the picnic hamper, ice chest, two folding chairs and a folding table in the trunk. Made sure I had the right CD’s on my 6 CD changer in the car and we headed out.

“What are we doing at the hospital?” she asked. “Having a picnic,” I replied and turned up the Vivaldi. Without boring you with all the details, suffice to say it was great. We set up everything, turned on the music and just talked. Strolled around a bit sipping wine, and watched the sun set that afternoon drinking Champagne. (HINT: Time your picnics before the 8 zillion watt parking garage lights go on!)

I guess the purpose of this story is to show that you can have a picnic just about anywhere and that you can pick up the “fix ins” at any decent deli. However, if I’m planning a picnic ahead of time, I have a few favorite recipes of my own. What follows is my very favorite cold pasta salad. I’ve made this pasta salad, and improved upon it, for years and I think it’s wonderful. Try it and judge for yourself.

CHILLED SHRIMP AND PASTA SALAD

This recipe can be made the night before and actually tastes better because the flavors blend together quite well.

To accompany the salad, you might want to try the 1999 Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County ($9.00). It offers flavors of grapefruit and lime and has a nice fresh finish. If a red is more to your liking, try the 1998 Terr del Cedro Sangiovese di Romagna ($10.00). This is a reasonably priced, light-bodied red with light plum and berry flavors. It goes really well with this cold salad.

Whatever you do, get out of the house, breathe the air, smell the flowers and enjoy.

Filed Under: Food Talk