Market Share: Hallowell Seafood & Produce

A few weeks back, the in-laws came to town bearing bags full of goodies (and in our house, "bags full of goodies" means really good groceries).

On a trip south, they had stopped at one of our favorite markets: Hallowell Seafood & Produce — quite possibly the best-kept secret in central Maine. Owned by Justin and Charles Underwood, the market is, as one news article described it, an upscale farm stand. And it's exactly the type of place you should visit if you're in Hallowell and in need of dinner inspiration.

The Underwood family has been involved in farming and fishing for decades (Justin is in his mid-20s and Charles is his dad), and Hallowell Seafood & Produce sells some of the freshest, most beautiful seafood we've seen. The crabmeat is especially impressive — claws intact, arranged in a starburst pattern rather than thrown willy-nilly into a tub. The in-laws brought so much haddock that we ate it for days — pan fried with butter and lemon, deep-fried with fresh tartar sauce — and the haddock was so good, we didn't mind eating it for days.

Now that the growing season is under way, the market's produce section will be filling up with amazing, locally grown veggies (we're not sure where the asparagus we had came from, but regardless of its origin, it was fabulous). Round out the selection with a small, well-edited selection of wines, Maine-made condiments and a drool-worthy cheese counter, and you've got the makings of a magnificent meal.

And if you can't stop yourself from buying too much, no worries: these are leftovers you won't regret.

Hallowell Seafood & Produce is located at 197 Water St. in Hallowell. For more information, call 207.621.0500.

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The Walmart Effect?

Here at The Maven, we're die-hard farmers market shoppers. In Orono, our market runs year-round, though it slows to twice a month in the winter, so we're a bit spoiled. We know pretty much everyone who grows, raises, catches or produces the veggies, cheeses, seafood and meats we buy. In some cases, we even know the name of the pig that our pork chops came from.

From a food lover's perspective, it doesn't get any better than this, and we bemoan our more frequent trips to the grocery store in the colder months. Nothing against Hannaford — it's a great market — but it's just not the same experience. In Bangor, the Natural Living Center is a nice alternative with lots of local foods, and we've been known to go a little out of control when we visit Whole Foods in Portland (but really, who hasn't?)

One place we've never bought groceries? Walmart. In fact, The Maven hasn't set foot in a Walmart in about four years. It's a little closer to 10 years for Jason.

But after reading Corby Kummer's recent article in the Atlantic — The Great Grocery Smackdown — we may reconsider. Apparently, the retail behemoth has gotten into the local foods game and the results, he writes, are surprisingly good. We're not going to rehash his article here — you really need to read it — but it provides a lot of food for thought. Does this cancel out any of our overarching concerns with Walmart? Not necessarily.

Because we haven't been there in a dog's age, we have no idea what our Walmart is doing and which, if any, local farmers it has on its roster (if you do, drop us a line or post a comment). But as we saw in "Food Inc." there's something to be said for a large corporation supporting groups of small, independent producers.

Will it replace our farmers market? Never. We wouldn't trade that experience for anything, including a lower price tag. Is it a benefit to have another, huge player in the marketplace supporting local agriculture? Only time will tell.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Please post a comment below or drop us a line at kristen@mainemaven.com.

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How Sweet It Is

Looking for the best sandwich in Maine?

We think we've found it: the Uncle Paul from Sweets & Meats Market in Rockland.

Julia McClure opened this gorgeous little gourmet shop a few weeks ago, and it is absolutely perfect. The selection is small and well-edited, the provisions are beautifully displayed, the space is to die for and the baked goods are enough to convert even the staunchest anti-sweet-tooth.

But let's get back to the sandwich.

Uncle Paul is a hunk of not-at-all-good-for-you goodness — and we like it that way. The sandwich features spicy, succulent, thinly sliced tasso ham, piled high with cumin gouda, fresh lettuce, tomato, housemade chipotle mayo and served on ciabatta. It's messy and delicious and we're quite sure you'll relish every bite.

Not your style? You can also try the Maggi Blue (pate, brie, mustard, lettuce); the Italian (prosciutto, pecorino, roasted tomatoes, lettuce, tomato, onion, oil and vinegar); a BLT; or the Plain Jane (turkey or ham, lettuce, tomato). The daily specials — a vegan with veggie terrine, for example — look great, too.

Finish it up with a sea salt caramel from Nutmeg chocolates and you'll be good to go. Until about 11 a.m. tomorrow, when you'll start craving tasso ham and cumin gouda again.

Sweets & Meats Market is located at 218 Main St. (South Main Street) in Rockland. Call 207.594.2070 for directions or visit Sweets & Meats online.

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Imagine The Pastabilities

Day four of our staycation started in Portland and included a long stop at Micucci's Grocery (45 India St.), where we always stock up on Italian staples. Our favorite? Delverde papardelle nests, a steal at $3.79. Micucci's has the best dried pasta selection we've seen in Maine (though Giacomo's in Bangor is doing a great job), along with all of the trimmings — fabulous balsamic vinegars, wonderful pickled vegetables and a deli that would make your mother cry. The bakery out back was packed at lunchtime and we can see why — the pastries looked sinful, and apparently the Sicilian slices (or slabs, as the case may be) are to die for. But we had a lunch date with Mom in South Portland, so we skipped lunch and headed straight to the checkout. A baguette from Standard Baking Co. beckoned, and we were on our way. Can't wait for papardelle, mushrooms and sausage — more on that later.

Because The Maven always takes a fakation, she's still writing, but this week's posts will be a little shorter than usual. We'll be back in full effect next week. And we can't wait to tell you about all the great goodies from Maine we've discovered on our travels.

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