Perfect finger foods for a Wine Country picnic

The endless summer has arrived in Wine Country, with steady, warm days and cool evenings coaxing all the local vegetables, fruits and berries to ripen upon a perfect wave of weather.

At the same time, the long, light-filled evenings are luring many Wine Country denizens outdoors. where almost every night of the week, they can pick from a raft of artistic events - a pop culture movie or a concert or a Shakespearean play - performed outdoors in local parks and town greens.

That means it’s time to dust off those baskets and insulated backpacks, blankets and low-slung chairs and throw together a delicious summertime picnic that highlights the sweet tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers, luscious stone fruit and silky melons of the season.

To inspire your outdoor plans, we asked chef Tracey Shepos Cenami of La Crema Estate to put together a simple but delicious menu that she would make for her own family and friends to enjoy while picnicking on the Windsor Town Green or one of the many other outdoor concert venues in Sonoma County.

To make it even more casual, Cenami devised a menu of mostly finger food, so you can enjoy your food even if you’ve forgotten your utensils. After all, it’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy.

“I like a lot of nibbly stuff, and I like to dip a lot of things,” she said. “The Green Goddess dip, made with avocado and herbs and mayonnaise, goes with everything.”

Of course, she often includes olives for popping into your mouth as a briny appetizer. As a main course, Cenami likes to serve some pan-fried chicken tenders like her mom used to make, which are crispy and crunchy and taste great even after cooling down to room temperature.

“I do that when we go to a concert or a picnic,” she said. “You make them right before you go, and they never hit the fridge. They are the perfect texture, and they’re very easy.”

As an appetizer, she will often prepare an assortment of crispy, crunchy crudités like carrots, cucumbers and peppers to dip into the Green Goddess dip along with the chicken.

“They are so abundant now,” she said of the summer veggies. “If I’m lucky enough to snag something from the Kendall-Jackson garden, I like the celtuce. It looks like Romaine lettuce, but you eat the root. It’s so cool and crisp.”

For a salad course, she likes to cut some tomatoes, nectarines and lemon cucumbers into chunks, then throw on some olive oil and fresh herbs. For ease, she packs them up in individual Mason jars so that each person gets their own serving.

“There’s no real dressing, because you don’t want it to get soggy,” she said. “And when you are ready, you shake some Tajin on it.”

Tajin Clásico is a dry Mexican seasoning blend made with chiles and lime that perks up everything from raw vegetables to fruit.

“I think it’s the next Sriracha,” she said. “My kid will devour a cucumber if I put that on it … it adds a really great pop of heat and acid and salt. It’s all those things you want.”

Cenami also likest to bring along a bag of her favorite potato chips, as a small indulgence that pays tribute to the saltiness of summer’s past.

“I don’t eat them every day, but if I’m going on a picnic, I will eat the Sour Cream and Cheddar Ruffles,” she said. “It’s not the time to do the low salt or low fat.”

She also likes to sprinkle the Tajin spice on some melon for dessert, or simply pick up some fresh berries from a roadside stand.

“Those are easy to pop into your mouth,” she said. “Take a trip down Highway 12 to pick up your favorite strawberries. I get into the car and eat half of them by the time I get home.”

It’s always a good idea to have a few refreshing bottles of white or rosé wine on hand for your picnic.

“Make sure your wine is chilled if you’re outside,” she said. “And of course, make sure you have a wine opener.”

The following recipes are from Chef Tracey Shepos Cenami of La Crema Estate. You can find the Tajin Clásico seasoning at Latin markets.

Green Goddess Dip ?with Crudités

Makes 2 1/2 cups

1 garlic clove

1 shallot

1 cup parsley leaves

1/4 cup tarragon leaves

1/4 cup dill leaves

1/2 cup basil leaves

1/4 cup chervil

1 scallion, both white and green parts, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons Champagne or tarragon vinegar

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup Castelvetrano olives

1/2 avocado (flesh)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

- Freshly ground black pepper

In a blender, add all ingredients and puree until smooth. Season to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.

Serve with assorted baby vegetables, such as carrot, fennel, radish, turnip and peppers.

Tomato & Nectarine Salad

Serves 4

2 pounds heirloom tomatos, large dice

1/2 pound nectarines (about 2) large dice

1/2 pound lemon cucumbers, medium dice

8 mint leaves, torn

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

- Tajin Clásico seasoning

In a large bowl, gently toss first five ingredients. Season with Tajin to taste. Transport in glass jars.

Chicken Tenders

Serves 4

15 (2 1/2 pounds) chicken tenders

- Kosher salt

2 cups flour

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

4 cups Panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons dry garlic

1 teaspoon dry onion

1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 ounces Fiscalini cheddar or Romano cheese, finely grated

3 1/2 cups rice oil

Season the chicken tenders with 2 teaspoons salt.

In two separate, shallow continaers, place the flour in one and the eggs and milk in another.

In another shallow container, combine panko, garlic, onion, parsley, salt, black pepper and half of the cheese.

Dredge each of the tenders in flour, then in the egg mixture, followed by the panko mixture. Be sure to coat the chicken completely with each.

Heat 2 1/2 cups over medium heat in a 10-inch shallow pan. Working in batches, carefully add enough tenders to the hot oil to fill the pan, but don’t overcrowd.

Adjust temperature to slowly brown the tenders, pan frying 3 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Remove chicken and place on paper-towel lined platter.

Immediately sprinkle with the extra cheese. Add additional oil to the pan as necessary between batches. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Staff writer Diane Peterson can be reached at 521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56.