Food Sensory Overload

Walking into Giant Eagle Market District in Robinson Township PA, I truthfully wasn't expecting much more than a glorified Costco. However, I discovered what I would forever refer to as my version of heaven.

I opened the door into the store, and it seemed innocent enough. Rows of refrigerated shelves of various fruits, veggies and other goodies greeted me like a old friend. A boring friend, at first glance, one that I saw during my weekly Wal Mart or Kroger excursions, but a good friend all the same. Then....I saw what all the excitement was about.

At 3 times the size of a megamart, the Marketplace was your one stop shop for everything from arctic char to ziti. And like every store in the 50 mile range from Pittsburgh, Steelers gear can be bought as well as hot wings to serve at the tailgate. One could browse for hours among the fruity lemon infused olive oil, dry aging New York strips, and 100 pound cheese wheels. Turns out, this wasn't your average market.

For example, how many stores do you know that have lettuce was being grown under bright growing lamps with hand written signs detailed the growing phases and types of lettuce being grown? I was fascinated! As a biologist by trade, I marveled at the little sprouts poking out of the metallic egg crate like contraption that sat shining in the middle of this SUPERmarket. Behind this wonder of modern technology were a plethora of made to order stands and tables to sit and eat it all at. I was also told by our waiter later that day (PF Chang's) that upstairs, beer can be purchased by the bottle and enjoyed with your selection of the day. Who wouldn't love that?


As I ventured further past the magic lettuce, I spotted a section with all sorts of exotic looking mushrooms. Shitake, oyster and even a white mold covered foot long log sprouting tiny fungi was in there. I also spotted a few grains of rice.....I was confused. Why would they keep uncooked rice with the portabellas and creminis? That's when I spotted them. Black truffles... out in the open???? I honestly have to say I was shocked. Coming from WV, I have never actually seen the specimen in whole form before. But as I soon discovered, black truffles were just the tip of the culinary iceberg that beckoned me forward.

More to come......