Food purveyors make it easy to avoid grocery store
I haven’t had it in me to step into a major grocery store in more than seven weeks.
Seeing the lineups for entry and hearing stories of fellow shoppers who ignore physical distancing rules — or just plain manners — make me want to eat every last dried lentil in my pantry and then move on to the pinto beans languishing alongside them, variety in my diet be darned.
Long waits for deliveries can be challenging for people trying to stay home, too. We’re advised to shop for two weeks at a time to limit outings. But the delivery schedule is so clogged that you need to start planning your next order as soon as one arrives at your door.
There are few better places to be, however, than Niagara during a pandemic, especially when it comes to accessing fresh, high-quality food without setting foot in a store.
Local restaurants and food artisans pivoted quickly to operate as alternative supermarkets, all the while keeping their businesses afloat and staff on the payroll.
Rather than shutting down — and crippling their supply chains in the process — they quickly rejigged websites and reservation apps, then took to social media to advertise their new services.
Many farmers, fixtures at local markets until the novel coronavirus cancelled those, have also started offering contactless delivery of produce or pickup at the farm.
Here are just a few to follow on Instagram to help you fill your fridge while flattening the curve.
Thank you. Stay well, all.
Restaurants Restaurant Pearl Morissette
(@restaurant_pearlmorissette) in Jordan wasn’t designed for takeout. But with a fridge full of meat and a cellar full of wine, something had to give when the state of emergency was declared. The kitchen quickly shifted gears, selling prime cuts, sourdough loaves baked with heritage grains, and vegetables from organic and regenerative farmer-suppliers and their own gardens. Orders are taken through their reservation system where they also offer wine — theirs and other vintners’ — for delivery or pickup on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Rev-a-lee Bruch Café (@revaleebrunchcafe) in Vineland converted its restaurant website to an online shop offering themed boxes for weekly delivery and pickup. Its popular local essentials kit, along with curated offerings for Mother’s Day, brunch, and date night, feature fresh and pantry products from local purveyors. Items from Small Batch Juice Co., The Bagel Oven, Dillon’s Small Batch Distillery, and groceries from Hewitt’s Dairy, Pilot Coffee, and Ontarieau, among others are included. Kits can also be modified for plant-based diets.
Commis Culinary Work Space (@commis.culinaryworkspace) set up shop to provide commercial kitchen space to local food entrepreneurs. The operators of the business incubator are now packing and delivering a variety of themed market haul totes every Friday and Saturday throughout Niagara. The totes, which come in a branded, reusable shopping bag, feature some their clients’ products, along with fresh and storage produce, bread and meat from local bakeries and butchers, wine, honey and that quarantine gold, freshly milled
flour. In an effort to spread cheer, they’ve also been giving away free food-filled totes to followers and people in need of a pick-me-up.
Mahtay Café (@mahtaycafe) is a staple for caffeine and quick bites in downtown St. Catharines. After shutting down for a few weeks, the St. Paul Street eatery has re-opened to offer its usual fare to go along with an online grocery service selling fresh juices, loose-leaf teas, tofu and alternative milks, wine and beer for pickup or delivery for a small fee.
Bakeries
Con Gusto Artisan Bakery
(@congustobakery) launched with delivery service before setting up a permanent bricks and mortar location in west St. Catharines years ago. When the state of emergency was announced, this living wage employer went back to its roots, delivering bread and sweet treats free throughout most of Niagara with two days’ notice. The bakery recently added all purpose, whole wheat and hard bread flour, instant dry yeast and eggs to their menu, alleviating the frustrations of home bakers met with bare shelves at the supermarket.
In an effort to get flour to the people, de la terre in Vineland offers same-day curbside pickup, or delivery throughout Niagara of advance orders for its sourdough loaves and limited pastry options. Hard bread, whole wheat, rye and light spelt flours, and their trusty sidekick, yeast, are also available.
Farms
Linc Farm at Southbrook
(@lincfarm) was a fixture at the St. Catharines Farmers Market. These days, farmer Juliet Orazietti is clocking many miles delivering her pork beef, and lamb to Niagarans every Saturday. She also sells pastured eggs, lard soap, and beef bones and pigs ears as treats for our most loyal four-legged quarantine companions.
About midday each Monday,
Ohme Farms (ohmefarms) in Vineland posts a photo of a of fresh, organic produce available that week on a first-come, firstserved basis. Then farmers Sascha and Agnes Ohme box it for pickup and limited delivery on Fridays. Their veggie boxes, which sell for $25 with optional add-ons, have included carrots, turnips, lettuces, herbs, sweet potatoes, spinach and black garlic. They go fast and last a week
or more.
Mingle Hill Farms (@minglehillfarms) owner Emily Rozema has gotten creative, offering build-your-own and curated bundles of her fresh vegetables and microgreens, for pickup at the West Lincoln farm starting this week. Options to add other items are available, too. Her current specialty spring bundle includes coffee, eggs, bread and honey from local businesses alongside her certified organic cold weather crops of radishes, lettuce and bok choy.
Other staples
Nathan Young of In the Smoke
Cookery (@inthesmokecookery) offers free weekly delivery throughout Niagara of his smoked meat products, including brisket, burgers, pulled pork, sausage, ribs and bacon. Ice cream startup Anita Gelato (@anitagelato) will keep you screaming through self-isolation with free weekly delivery of its pints. A rotating roster of three flavours are offered each week, including one dairybased, one fruit ice and one nut milk option.