A picnic is one of the simple joys of summer. Packing up a hamper of treats and meeting up with family and friends at the park or the beach to enjoy some delicious food together, al fresco.

Next month Morley Village Hall is hosting the ultimate picnic.

Rebecca Heath of Hestia Patisserie has created a mouth-watering menu of sweet and savoury bakes, for an afternoon tea bursting with summery flavours.

Think sausage rolls with a fruity twist, salsa verde scones, and coconut and lime mousse cake. Hungry yet?

Rebecca trained at Westminster Kingsway College, which included work experience at Morston Hall and Sat Bains, going on to work at the latter full-time.

That was followed by a stint in Copenhagen, before she returned to Norfolk.

She spent six months at Timberhill Bakery and was working at Figbar when the country went into lockdown.

She started Hestia Patisserie during the pandemic, offering s’mores kits, celebration cakes, treat boxes and fine patisserie, including ‘Covid safe’ dinner parties and drop-off meals at Wolterton Hall.

Last autumn Rebecca hosted a series of afternoon tea pop-ups at the Garden Kitchen Café at Hoveton Hall, featuring a show-stopping mirror-glazed apple shaped cake, filled with Granny Smith mousse.

She has clearly been loving creating her perfect picnic menu, which has four savoury and three sweet items, plus something extra to share.

“I’ve tried to keep it really seasonal and have taken inspiration from restaurants I’ve worked in before. So, I’m making my sausage rolls with bacon and medjool dates, which is a little bit of an ode to the incredible toasted bacon and medjool date butter sandwich at a pop-up Turkish brunch restaurant in London,” says Rebecca.

“And I’m bringing back the mushroom XO and soy braised chicken croquettes which I did at my previous afternoon tea. People just absolutely loved them.

“Then sweet wise, I’m going to do a strawberries and cream tart, but put a little bit of a spin on it and then a brown butter peach scone with raspberry and amaretto jam that I’m going to source from The Garden Pantry, which is a lovely company based just down the road from me.”

Children also have their own menu, which includes a sausage roll, a selection of finger sandwiches, a mini cheese scone and a mini vanilla scone, a chocolate brownie, a strawberries and cream financier and an Oreo macaron.

Rebecca says that Morley Village Hall is an idyllic location for a picnic.

“It’s got a really lovely, big playing field and I’ve been on evenings where they’ve had pop-up food trucks and you’ve got children running around and playing and there’s a lovely atmosphere. And they’ve got a really lovely new picnic area, so there are plenty of places for people to sit. Or you can bring your own chairs and blankets.”

Of course, the one thing you can’t rely on is the British weather. Rebecca’s keeping her fingers crossed that the sun will shine and everyone can enjoy their picnics in the open air. But if it’s a rainy day, there is a contingency plan.

“Hopefully the weather will be okay, but I’m giving everybody their teas in boxes so if it does turn, everything will be secure to travel if people want to go home with them,” she says.

Need to know

The Hestia Patisserie Afternoon Tea Picnic is being held at Morley Village Hall on Saturday, August 6, with half hour pick-up slots available from 1pm to 4pm.

It costs £28 per person, with the option of reserving a bottle of Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne for £40, including two disposable glasses.

A children’s menu is available for £15 per person.

All picnic boxes also come with a selection of teas by Wilkinson of Norwich, plus recyclable plates, cutlery, cups and napkins.

Bookings should be made via hestia-patisserie.co.uk. You can also keep up to date with Rebecca’s latest bakes and events on Instagram @hestiapatisserie

Rebecca is also building up her presence at local markets. You can catch her tomorrow, Sunday July 10, at Hockwold Hall or at the monthly Black Barn Farm Market at Salhouse and Creake Abbey at the end of August. She will also be giving demonstrations at the Foodies Festival at Earlham Park, Norwich, from September 9-11.

What’s in the box?

Savouries

Bacon and medjool date sausage roll or roasted red pepper, feta and almond rolls

Gruyere leek and chive tart

Mushroom XO and soy braised chicken croquette or Mushroom XO and soy roasted Jerusalem artichoke croquette

Salsa verde scone with Garden Pantry green tomato chutney and butter

Sweets

Brown butter peach scone with The Garden Pantry raspberry and amaretto jam and clotted cream.

Strawberries and cream meringue tart

Hazelnut and chocolate delice

To share

Coconut and lime mousse cake