Island grocery run

Sometimes I feel like a modern-day forager when filling our Peaks Island pantry. When we lived in Brooklyn, you could pretty much get anything you wanted, at any hour of the day or night. Bodegas aplenty. Out here, grocery shopping takes a bit more forethought and planning.

For us, stocking up takes two forms: an off-island big haul and an on-island quick fix. We’re lucky to have access to two essential services that make getting groceries manageable: Whole Foods delivery and the always-there-for-you Hannigan’s Island Market.

Ever since COVID-19 went hot in Maine, Kellie and I have taken more and more advantage of Portland Whole Foods’ island provisioning service. Once a day, your favorite off-island grocer drops off a pallet of banana boxes at the ferry terminal on Commercial Street. It’s not that us islanders love bananas – although Quinn may disagree. Turns out old banana boxes are really useful containers to store and transport fresh groceries. They stack like Legos and stand up against salt spray of Casco Bay. Once the ferry docks on Peaks, the pallet is delivered by crane or forklift truck, depending on which boat is serving the island that day. As the ferry pulls away, islanders scurry to grab their goods, unpacking the boxes, leaving them down by Forest City Landing for future use. Who knew how easy it would be to get poblano peppers and 100% buckwheat soba noodles when 2.4 miles out to sea?

Another essential service is definitely Hannigan’s Island Market. Run by Bob Hannigan (naturally!), our island market pretty much has everything an islander truly needs. In fact, their slogan – prominently displayed on their box truck – aptly states: “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.” So far, its promise has rung true. Hannigan’s is great for the staples: eggs, milk, beer. But it doesn’t disappoint when it comes to more obscure items either. More unusual finds I’ve picked up at Hannigan’s include buttermilk, rubber gloves, and turmeric. We’re fortunate to have Bob – particularly during these pandemic times. He keeps our larders and our bellies full.

Taken together, island provisioning plus Hannigan’s keep me, Kellie, and Quinn stocked up. This summer we’re planning to dabble in the dark arts of home gardening as well. As long as the deer don’t graze down our little raised bed, we should have fresh veggies to roast, grill, and sauté in the warm months. More to come on my green thumb.