Whether your summer adventure is in the backyard or the backcountry, author and ex-professional wilderness guide Anna Kelly McLeod provides her top five tip for the perfect outdoor table.​

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1. Always Explore – Step 1 is the geography of the table. Whether it is your own backyard or the backcountry, find a space that feels connected to the outdoor world.
    

2. Tune into the Environment – choose recipes and ingredients that educate your mind and plate about a place – the land, the sea, the air – and supports the people that live locally.
    

3. Create an Elegant Equipment List – a little planning and preparation ahead of time enables you to find beautifully designed, multi-purpose gear that is tailored to the environment. This will make a gourmet experience possible, wherever you roam.
    

4. If you cannot go out, bring nature in – there are many times in your life when traveling out beyond the horizon, or climbing great mountains is just …. well, not possible. This does not mean that the outdoor philosophy for your table needs to be abandoned. As often as possible bring an explosion of flowers, leaves, branches, blossoms, roots, fruits, and seeds in and onto your plates and tables.
    

5. Waste Less – food waste and how to manage it, can easily be a forgotten part of the process when planning a meal. But even small positive changes make a difference, from reducing food waste, reducing the use of plastic wrap, to managing trash once you are done.

 

    Extra Tip:

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    6. Share the Table – while there is a joy in solitude; the simple moment of sipping a steaming mug of sweetness and watching the
         sunrise in silence. But the outdoor table is at its best when it is shared.