There is nothing quite so pleasant as dining al fresco.  And by that I do not mean a picnic.  Picnics are an aberration: When I see someone crouched uncomfortably on the uneven ground or propped precariously on one elbow trying to cut bread with a plastic knife and then spread processed cheese (and sand) over it with the foil,  while a wasp drowns noisily in their warm plastic cup, it is as though 3,000 years of civilisation had never happened.  

No, I am talking about proper civilised dining with great food, cool, refreshing drinks, good friends and family and proper knives and forks and plates and glasses. Only outside. 
Paradoxically, the finest al fresco cuisine is generally the most basic:  fresh fruit and vegetables, freshly caught fish, meat cooked over a charcoal grill, pizza and bread from a wood-fired oven are all the better for being simple and elemental. 

If you have been watching Anabel Langbein’s Free Range Cook on TV1 then perhaps like me you have been not only slavering over the moth-watering recipes, but coveting her fruity lakeside pad with its gorgeous (to use the Langbein vernacular) outdoor spaces.  Her outdoor dining table enjoys a quiet setting and natural shade (and, incidentally, amazing views).  

 From Anabel Langbein’s Free Range Cook, TV1 

As you may have gathered, my own preference is to treat the outdoor dining room very much as though it were indoors – albeit with a few necessary concessions to the elements (such as hurricane lamps, parasols etc.).  One exception to this general rule is that benches (rather than chairs) seem to work much better outdoors:  they offer far greater flexibility when you need to accommodate more or fewer people and they are easier to clean and to store.  We carry two outdoor dining collections, featuring different frames and surfaces. 

You may also have noticed Anabel Langbein’s outdoor wood-fired pizza oven.  In addition to our collection collections of superior barbecues from Weber and Eva Solo, we also carry a selection of ovens to suit most situations and/or budgets:  

The Pizzaria 900 is, as the name suggests, a more engineered approach – also made in New Zealand from steel, brick and stainless steel.  This, too, will double as an outdoor fireplace and can be used to bake bread or roast meat and vegetables. 

The Zesti 1100 is the last word in outdoor ovens:  custom-made refractory bricks, a stainless steel facade and spun aluminium dome combine to make an impressive oven of generous proportions and unrivalled durability.  The Zesti is also available as a DIY kit that is well within the capability of most people with a handy bent. 
An unconventional, but highly versatile alternative (or addition) to the above is the unmistakeable Big Green Egg:  a charcoal-burning barbecue based on the traditional clay ‘kamado’ oven, which features a heavy duty ceramic body in which you can grill, bake, roast or slow cook anything from hams that fall off the bone to piping hot, crispy base pizzas.  The Big Green Egg enjoys something of a cult following and we are delighted to be the exclusive stockists of this one-of-a-kind design classic.  If you would like a guided tour of the ‘BGE’ or any of the items mentioned above, please visit our Freemans Bay showroom and speak to me or any of our knowledgeable team.