Description:
In keeping with the laid-back spirit of picnicking, sandwiches are the heart of this menu. Olive-oil—poached tuna salad sandwiches and the mini Moroccan-spiced chicken breast sand¬wiches are hearty, easy to make, and even easier to eat.

Sandwiches that taste great and travel well begin with a base of nice chewy bread, like focaccia or ciabatta. Cut the bread into fairly thick slices and lightly toast them, which prevents the filling from making the bread soggy. Use sub¬stantial flavorful spreads or jams instead of thin, drippy sauces. Don't pile on the fillings because smallish sandwiches are much easier to eat. And keep the com¬ponents of the sandwiches separate from one another until just before leaving—or assemble the sandwiches on the spot at the picnic site.

A trio of cool accompaniments rounds out the meal. The yellow tomato gazpacho is bright and cool, and it travels easily in a thermos. The spicy-sweet couscous salad goes well with both sandwiches. And, as for the watermelon, well, in the dog days of summer, there's not a better dessert in the world.
All the recipes in this menu can be prepared in advance, assembled quickly, transported easily, and served chilled or at room temperature. The only utensils you'll need are a spoon and your fingers.

Menu Items:

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho with Avocado Salsa

Lemony Artichoke & Caper Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Moroccan Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Onion Marmalade

Spicy & Citrusy Couscous Salad

Watermelon

Information:
Picnic successes is a simple matter of careful planning and packing. Here is a checklist:
A picnic basket (a wicker container, canvas tote, or even a plain brown paper bag will do) for carrying dishes and utensils.
A cooler and Ice packs for all the food.
A knife, sturdy dinnerware, and serving utensils,
A thermos to keep the gazpacho cold.
A blanket, quilt, or tablecloth. Napkins and a few dishtowels.
Wine and a corkscrew.
Bottled water.
Citronella candles to ward off flying intruders,
Salt and pepper mills.
A garbage bag.
If you want to assemble your sandwiches at the picnic site, pack the cold tuna and the grilled chicken in a cooler along with the other sandwich fixings. Or, you can put the sandwiches together right before you depart, wrap them tightly in plastic, and pack in a cooler for transport.

A word about warm-weather alfresco dining:
Many of the foods we enjoy eating at picnics can become dangerous if left unrefrigerated for long periods of time, so make sure you store all perishable foods, - such as meet, dairy, eggs or mayonnaise — in a cooler with plenty of ice.

Timeline
Two days ahead:
Make the Moroccan dry rub.
Make the onion marmalade.

The night before:
Make the couscous salad, reserving the scallions, almonds, currants, and parsley.
Prep the gazpacho ingredients.

Earlier that day:
Purée the gazpacho and refrigerate.
Poach the tuna.
Make the lemon vinaigrette and marinate the artichokes.
Grill the chicken.

An hour before:
Make the avocado salsa.

Right before you leave:
Assemble the sandwiches.
Pack the picnic basket.

At the picnic:
Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings.
Add the scallions, almonds, currants, and parsley to the couscous.
Slice the watermelon.

Drink choices
Picnics call for versatile wines that can be enjoyed with everything in the basket. The traits you're looking for are youthful, vibrant fruit and tart acidity, and a number of different wines will work.
A dry, crisp rosé is a natural. A lightly chilled, fruity red would also be delicious with the soup and sandwiches. Beaujolais is the quintessential picnic wine and Pinot Noir would work, too.