Bibliotheca: Picnics

It's Juneteenth, the Bibliotheca theme is picnics, and so I figured I'd talk about Southern U.S. food traditions (mostly Black in origin) a little. I'm not a 'real southerner'-- the D.C. area is barely on the edge of the south, and my family is urban northern Jews anyhow. I am grateful for every bite of barbecue I've eaten and every cookout I've been part of, and I want to honor that. For more on American (especially Southern African-American) food history and culture, I recommend Michael Twitty's works. Although the prompt was picnics, eating outside is always a joy, in any form, as long as I'm doused in sunscreen and insect repellent.

To start with, I think it's important to highlight food cultures outside of the lolita norms. Lolitas idealize a British and French-inspired high tea no end. (My current favorite YouTube channel, Wonder Tea Party, has even done a Japanese traditional tea inspired version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_ExOJR_iQY) . Picnics are a little less refined and more down-to-earth, with fewer delicate macarons and tiered displays and more sandwiches in sturdy wicker baskets. But the lolita picnic menu still leans Eurocentric, with strange imports like cucumber sandwiches. 

Although I like a taste of the unfamiliar, I also appreciate local flare added to lolita, and we in the U.S. have a lot of outdoor food culture to add to our lolita events. Take beverages: the U.S. codified lemonade into an art, making thing like Metamorphose's Pink Lemonade series possible. 

Metamorphose Pink Lemonade Low Waist JSK (2015)

Iconic American sodas (such as root beer and Coca-Cola) and Southern sweet tea are also great candidates for inclusion in lolita, but they're a little more likely to stain than plain old lemonade, and also just too darn sweet for my taste. 

When it comes to main courses eaten outside, lolitas are much more likely to consume their items than to wear them (with the notable exception of Summer Fairy's Limited Set series, known for its fried chicken and other savory delights). There's a sliding scale of appropriateness for lolita for these (typically meat based) main dishes-- I might attempt to eat fried catfish in lolita, but not even Mana-sama himself could convince me to try eating barbecue ribs while wearing brands, and a seafood boil sounds like a frilly nightmare scenario to all but the most determined (you know who you are). Additionally, the meat-based nature of many dishes makes it difficult for vegetarian and vegan lolitas to partake.

Summer Fairy Limited Set Flying Sleeve JSK (2022)

Cookout veggies do not have this problem. Additionally, macaroni and cheese count as a veggie in Southern cookery (I checked) so adding an American "veggie" or two will always appeal. "Veggies" also include "salads" which include every masterpiece from a green lettuce salad, to coleslaw, to the gelatinized horrors of the 1950s. For more gelatin fun, kelp is the premier jellyposter I know of.

American desserts like lemon bars and brownies are much simpler to make than ornate lolita-traditional macarons and petite-fours are, while being delicious and easy to make for a variety of dietary restrictions; with how common nut allergies are, macarons aren't as surefire a winner as they might seem. Plus, it's always a good idea to bring brownies. These desserts aren't very cute for print purposes, while ornate Bundt cakes and whole New York Cheesecakes might look better, but the ability to cut brownies to size and eat them with your hands is truly a gift. Fresh fruit is also a barbecue and cookout favorite, with watermelon the all-time winner, but the traditional slices rather than cubes can lead to some mess.

Finally, the biggest things I want to bring into my lolita meets from American barbecues are the friendly atmosphere and the local flavor. No matter why a cookout is planned, there's always a pervasive sense of belonging at the end-- unlike picnics, which might be about nature or a host of other things, a cookout is for the people. And local flair is important as well. Despite being a digitally transmitted, online subculture, developing a sense of place and connection to history is what brings diversity and innovation to the table. And if that innovation comes in the form of fudgy brownies washed down with tart, cold lemonade, I will not be disappointed in the slightest. 

Happy Juneteenth!