Part of the pleasure of picnicking is choosing your favourite treats and creating a unique spread to enjoy with your favourite people in Subi’s great outdoors.
Let’s face it. We’ve all endured very average picnics over the journey of our lives. From school day’s out with terrible lunch boxes, to sandwiches deconstructing during the journey from fridge to blanket. Soggy crisps. Warm wine. Boiled eggs staring up at you from daggy containers. I won’t go on but you get the picture.
The vision of a perfect picnic may have met its height in the Golden Age when staff would set up your picnic spread under a shady tree, with beautiful dining room-level accessories and none of the inconvenience of having to pack up all the left overs once the sun went down. The Impressionists were also responsible for an unobtainable level of picnic idealism – particularly Édouard Manet and his saucy Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe which would raise a few eyebrows if recreated around Lake Jualbup.
So let’s put all that to one side and create our own dreamy picnic, starting with a gorgeous throw blanket from Threads of Africa (Dianne has a stall at Subi Farmers Market), or Spoilt at Subi, and then build the vibe from the base, up. Bring some Ecology napkins (Dallimores) and your linen sets the scene.
Next up, create a menu which includes something sweet, something savoury, a salad perhaps and some breads, dips and pâtés. Pack a ready-to-serve spritz (like Limoncello Spritz from Porters Liquor) or try a bottle of pink fizz, topped up with fresh fruits from Golden Choice or MCQ, and mint sprigs, and soda water.
Simon Johnson Providore and Farmer Jack’s are well-stocked with tasty picnic staples, and, with a little creative flair, you can transform even a simple round of sandwiches into a work of art (top tip: it’s how you cut the bread. Think fingers rather than triangles).
Don’t forget that the Australian wildlife sometimes turns up to spoil the party – so invest in a netted bamboo server (Dallimores) – no flies will dare to ruin our day with this piece of kit. Gorgeous picnic ware is also the order of the day (and again Dallimores or Table Culture are your go-to for big bowls, serving cutlery, plates and tumblers). A pretty Ecology ruffle pink cake stand elevates your home bakes to something out of a Nigella dreamscape while a selection of unusual dressing ingredients transforms a simple watermelon, red onion and feta salad from ho hum to hurrray.
Mini homemade quiches in little ceramic fluted bases tick the box – packed with beetroot and asparagus and other seasonal veggies. A homemade focaccia, studded with rosemary and rich with olive oil, travels well and is a great base for spreads and pâtés.
If you have the time and inclination, make a cake in advance – try our rhubarb teacake for a spin on a traditional classic – or if you’re running short of time, head to Layers Bakery or The Baking Corner for a box of your favourite patisserie.
Baskets from Nosh Gourmet Gifts will ensure you’ve got the right receptacles to store your carefully curated feast and drinks. We love their pale pink vintage-style eski to keep things cool when the temperatures rise.
Source some vintage cutlery from local charity stores or chuck some bamboo disposables in your basket.
Picnics don’t need to break new ground or reinvent the wheel but with a few well-chosen star components, they’ll confirm your status as picnic royalty.
By Gabi Mills
