Have you heard the news? Picnics – they’re back! That’s right – now you’re permitted to have as many outdoors meals as you choose without fear of imminent arrest or public shaming.
In normal times, a picnic would mean only one thing: a trip to your award-winning local market to pick up some tasty supplies. In our undeniable un-normal times it means the perfect opportunity for you to have some of our traders’ outstanding cuisine delivered direct to your home. And, once you’ve rambled, dined and returned, you’ll need a few things to brighten up the home which, in all honesty, you’re by now unspeakably sick of.
So, here’s our latest curated selection of five market purchases you would have made if we up and running as normal this weekend, a few nice things which are seemingly precision-engineered to make your week feel a little more comfortable and little less strange.
If, for whatever reason, you don’t see anything here which floats your boat, you can find our ongoing list of all of those traders whose products you can still buy right here.
Now, let’s get this public-space picnic pandemic party started…
1. Wookey Hole Cheddar from Winter Tarn
Winter Tarn are a Levy Market treasure whose unbeatable selection of cheeses, eggs and farmhouse butter has continued to keep locals going while we’re closed. Here’s a cracking rich mature Cheddar whose distinctive earthy flavour comes from the milk sourced from Dorset and its cave-maturing process. They also have a belting cheese box offer. Send all your orders through to orders@wintertarn.com.
2. Biscoff Ice-Cream from Exclusive Scoop
Regular customers will fondly remember Exclusive Scoop from whose converted bike trailer their incredible ice-creams would emerge, all handmade in Manchester using free-range cream from British farms. Now they’re delivering direct to homes. Their Biscoff flavour is an addictive, biscuity-creamy dream which just happens to be 100% vegan.
3. Seasonal Bottle from Florence in Flowers
After returning home from a lovely wander through the great outdoors, you may feel like you want to bottle up the spirit of the outside world. Well, now you can! Florence in Flowers, our florist stall, are now delivering these wonderful bouquets of seasonal flowers and foliage, guaranteed to brighten your lockdown.
4. Face Mask from Pumpkin and Peas
Make your new normal stylish and fun with one of these charming masks from local trader Pumpkin and Peas. They come in a range of fabrics and are made right here in Levenshulme. Remember, these aren’t medical-grade and should be used in combination with social distancing and hand-washing.
5. Become a Friend of Your Local Park
In the past few weeks a great many of us have discovered parks to be valuable natural resource amongst the urban setting in which we live. If you have the time, many parks would benefit from local volunteers to help nurture, protect and promote these wonderful spaces.
Cringle Park and Cringle Field
The Bee Sanctuary Movement – operating at Cringle Park, Highfield Park and elsewhere to create bee sanctuaries in our green spaces.
If there’s a stall you can’t see on there make sure to check back as we’re updating the list every day. Or, if there’s a trader who’s missing and whose stuff you feel you simply cannot live without drop us a line and we’ll see if we can find out what they’re up to.
You can also find regular recommendations on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts where you can keep abreast of all the latest Levy Market goings on.