Editors, Vineyard Gazette;

We just returned from 51 glorious days on-Island, including several when it didn’t even rain.

During those days, about 90 per cent of what we ate was grown, raised, laid, trapped, hooked, baked, jelled or smoked locally, mostly up-Island.

We didn’t get down-Island much because the bike paths to Edgartown and Oak Bluffs have largely reverted to jungle. Literally, a few cracks in the pavement are so pronounced that they support their own little ecosystem.

We would like to acknowledge our appreciation for these amazing displays of gastronomic artisanship collectively produced by the 23,000 year-round residents, which somehow the three million residents of our off-Island home in greater Boston are hard-pressed to match. On the other hand, they do know how to maintain a bike path.

In particular, and I’m sure I’m leaving some vendors off, we would like to thank New Lane Sundries for its raspberry jam, Fielder Family Farms and Radio Farm for their sungolds and cucumbers, Enchanted Chocolates for its buttercrunch, Island Autism for its eggs, Beetlebung Farm for its blueberries, Morning Glory for its corn, the MV Smokehouse for its chowdah and Menemsha Fish Market for its lobster meat.

And to our two favorite local Chilmark haunts, Grey Barn and Mermaid — thanks to them, I now feel put-upon when I have to drink milk that has actually been pasteurized. Mermaid’s lassis, sungolds and pea shoots are the best. And you’ve never tasted raspberry yogurt better than mixing New Lane’s jam into Mermaid Farm yogurt.

Finally, Grey Barn is worth camping out at overnight to get a shot at their pastries and breads, not to mention the award-winning cheeses. And we love their pepper bacon.

I’m sure there are many other places that we simply didn’t get to that uphold the same high standards, but in general of all the charms of Martha’s Vineyard, the food is what we like the best.

Al Lewis and family

Newton