Cross Training

     Back when I was in high school, just after the Civil War, cross training sneakers had not yet been developed.  We had separate footwear for each sport.  In the Fall it was a Converse cross country sneaker, a elfish looking canvas shoe that we wore.  In the Winter Chuck Taylor sneakers were the footwear of choice for basketball players.  And in the Spring baseball team members all had cleats on their shoes.  A special shoe for a specialized function.  Then everything changed.  Cross training athletic footwear came into being for athletes and wanna-be athletes alike.  It was a one shoe fits all events phenomenon.

     The same seems to hold true today in the world of what Alton Brown of the popular Food Network program Good Eats calls "mega marts," the large, often franchised, grocery stores throughout the country.  Not only do they sell produce and packaged and canned goods, but also provide take home meals and even have buffets for eat in convenience for individuals and families on the run.

     Recently during Hurricane Sandy I frequented 3 of these grocery store buffets, being semi-homeless and without the ability to cook a hot meal.  While each did provide warmth, light and a place to recharge electronic devices, the quality of the meals offered varied greatly.  The first night I dined at a local market that advertises their nightly buffet and purchased the "all you can eat" option on Senior Citizen Discount Day.  My take on it?  It was expensive, even with the 5% discount and the choice of food disappointingly limited.  Buffets, by their nature serve up food that is usually cold and dry and that well describes the meal I reluctantly ate.  The accompanying salad bar was also slim in its offerings and the desserts almost non-existent.  Perhaps the only redeeming quality about the buffet at Henning's was the soup.  It at least was warming and hearty.  I could not say the same for the rest of their dinner menu.

     The following evening on the recommendation of a friend, decided to try the buffet at a local grocery chain, Shop-Rite.  I had heard that they had a good Oriental buffet and went there to a new store with high expectations.  The dining area was bright and warm and even had a large flat screen TV hanging on the wall where I could catch up with the misery of others displaced by the storm.  The food, however, did little to lift my spirits.  It consisted of mostly fried chicken and pork served with a syrupy goo of vegetables.  I'm not sure when the rice had been cooked but if there had been a "sell by" date on it, I know it would have been expired.  Unlike the first night's meal this one was sold by the pound and was only a little less expensive.

     The final night of my buffet caravan was spent at the cavernous Whole Foods store in Plymouth Meeting.  Their buffet area is larger than some entire grocery stores.  They provide a wide variety of options with about a dozen soups, vegan & salad stations, and meat, sides and veggies all kept at the appropriate temperature.  And just off to the side a station to make to order sandwiches with the bread and rolls baked on site, along with lots of pastry desserts.  There was so much available that I had to do an initial reconnaissance of the area before making my selection.  The downside?  The seating area is very institutional, reminiscent of a high school cafeteria.  And the cost was again by the pound and was the most expensive of the three "cross training" market/restaurants.

     In evaluating my experience I would say that cross training dining is just a step above a Wendy's, McDonald's or Burger King it and costs more, too.  Just like those old sneakers that did one job and did it well, I think for my money next time I will look for a bonafide restaurant that doesn't sell groceries on the side.