entertaining

october 99

When October arrives, the days are crisp and clear, just perfect for leaf-peeping, apple-picking, or toting a casual meal for a football or soccer game. Somehow eating outdoors just seems special, even if the meal is relatively simple. Keeping preparation to a minimum and portability in mind, we've chosen a menu with a sipable cold soup, a sandwich that's eaten out of hand, along with a variety of quick pickled vegetables, and fruit of the season for dessert. Our soup is a tropical version of gazpacho, making use of the late season cantaloupes that are plentiful and full of luscious flavor. We've served ours in study plastic mugs with a scallion as a whimsical swizzle stick. Transport the soup to the picnic site in a covered plastic container and keep it well chilled in the ice chest or cooler. Our main event is a slimmed-down version of pan bagna, a popular sandwich that's sold from little stands along the beaches of the French Riviera. Literally a salad in a loaf of bread, it must be made ahead and chilled until serving time. Be sure to buy the best French bread that your area offers. If you're watching your sodium intake, you can leave out the capers. Pack the pickled vegetables in interesting covered containers. For dessert, offer a basket of fresh apples, pears, and at least two or three kinds of seedless grapes. Pack individual bottles of chilled spring water and include a thermos of hot coffee to have after the meal. Since everything is eaten out of hand, there's no reason to bother with utensils. In fact, a sturdy woven cloth or cotton rug to throw over the hood of the car or a nearby picnic table or even a large flat rock, is all you need to bring along. A branch or two of colorful fall leaves and maybe a couple of votive candles to keep the bugs away are the only decorations needed. Provide plenty of paper napkins and some Styrofoam cups for the coffee, and you're done. Take along a plastic bag so you can carry away your trash. A Fall Tailgate Picnic   Orange Gazpacho Mediterranean Stuffed Bread Pickled Carrots and Pickled Green Beans Basket of Apples, Pears, and Grapes (for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)