Okay, there might be a bit of shopping involved. But it’s the kind of shopping you can do in under ten minutes and without leaving the house.

Summer 2020/21 is quickly shaping up to be the summer of picnics. And we know how seriously Melbourne is approaching this new social sport. The last thing we want is for this sunshine-dappled endorphin-boosting pastime to become a chore.

In celebration of South Melbourne Market’s new home delivery service, we put SMM Direct to the test, so you can be the ultimate picnic host and bedazzle your mates with minimal effort.

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The SMM Lowdown

While you may have hit pause on traversing several suburbs for your favourite cheese or to frequent your preferred pumpkin vendor, South Melbourne Market is making sure that cheese (and veg, seafood, meat, pantry goods etc.) can come to you.

Melbourne’s longest-running market has adapted to these online shopping times, launching SMM Direct – an online marketplace and home delivery service, gathering together the market’s finest and chaperoning it to your door. It’s expanded the original 10-kilometre radius and is now delivering to homes across all of Melbourne, with some regional locations also in its sights.

Here are our picks of ready-to-go essentials that can be delivered straight to your door – so you can support small businesses, farmers and producers while putting on a picnic without lifting a finger.

Ready To Eat

These people-pleasing edibles come ready-made (but go on, say you made them yourself, we won’t judge).

If it’s a substantial feed you’re charged with, you’ll want to browse the line-up at Small Town Pie Co, where everything is made fresh each day using high-quality ingredients from the market. Consider the family-size pumpkin and ricotta frittata for a wholesome gluten-free option, or opt for 10 spinach filos for that perfectly portioned handheld-meal joy.

Pretend you’re totally enamoured with perfecting pastry at home by adding a rhubarb and apple roulade for dessert. Alternatively, keep sweet treats rustic with Emerald Deli’s honey joys and rocky road. If you’re known for being quite good at wielding a piping bag, Flour Patisserie’s macarons offer a fitting did-it-yourself disguise.

That French Savoir-Faire

France does simple food really well – a little bread, some cheese and charcuterie makes a meal, no matter the city or season. So it’s hard to push past the gravity and grace of well-chosen staples.

Bring the Euro-tinted vibes to you with a loaf of the Danish rye plus a couple of sourdough baguettes from St. George’s Sourdough Bakery. Add Australian prosciutto, a tub of hummus (how could we not) and marinated olives from Vangeli’s Deli, before turning your attention to Emerald Deli’s cheese room.

Take a wheel of organic English cheddar for a cow’s milk cheese, Monte Enebro for a soft-ripened goat’s milk option from Spain, and there’s Brebirousse, a luscious brie style made on sheep’s milk from France. For a mild and approachable blue, Tarago River Cheese Co’s silky double-cream Shadows of Blue from our own Gippsland backyard is unmissable.

Fruit Forward

It wouldn’t be a near-Christmas affair without a large box of cherries. Fruits on Coventry has you covered for an everlasting supply, plus peaches, nectarines and other delights that mark the arrival of summer.

The Village Juicery is peddling cold-pressed juices in easy-to-transport one-litre sacks. Think watermelon and mint or pineapple and basil. Or if you prefer your fruit intake in fermented grape form, Swords Select can sort you out with local wines.

More traders and products are being added to the site each week. Head to shop.southmelbournemarket.com.au to see what vendors are recommending is tasting great this week.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with South Melbourne Market.