The Fresh Market

1320 McFarland Blvd #100

Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

When I began cooking Cameroonian food at the start of this semester, I knew I would want to see how much of my recipe shopping I could complete at a larger store. However, I think I underestimated the number of options I felt I would have in a more corporate chain. There are several options for highly specialized African markets in Birmingham and Atlanta, but I want college students and young professionals to understand the accessibility of African culture in Alabama. When I ventured to the Fresh Market on a rainy Thursday with a list of ingredients, an open mind, and a smartphone to Google my abundant questions, I expected to have a less-than-satisfactory experience. I was wrong.

I adore specialty grocers. Every time I go home to Birmingham to stay with my parents, I stop by Whole Foods for a gigantic piece of house-made pizza, a sample of organic tomato slices, or a fresh kale salad topped with nuts and berries. Even better, there was always an aisle filled with gorgeous international items and produce. I would have been set to cook all the Cameroonian recipes with just that one aisle. When I moved to Tuscaloosa to start my college career, though, I discovered that not only was there no Whataburger, there was no Whole Foods location available for me to do my overpriced organic produce shopping. 18-year-old Regan was devastated.

Soon after I began school, I discovered the oasis that is the Fresh Market and its always-friendly employees. Although Tuscaloosa lacks a Whole Foods, this chain is a pleasant second best. Adorned with bright lights and surrounded by appropriately-watered plants on a freshly paved parking lot, the Fresh Market in Midtown Village was a haven for specialty grocery shopping from its opening day. The store contains a huge section of fresh produce, ready-made and sliced fruits and vegetables, freshly packaged nuts of all kinds, and delicious international meal kits. Across the shiny floor, a long window frames the butcher’s array of fresh meats, and several aisles of specialty packaged foods sit next to a prolific selection of wine and beer. I’m still pleasantly surprised every time I enter and see a gorgeous layout and clean shopping area. Although the prices are higher than a larger chain like Walmart or Target, I would choose to shop at the Fresh Market for the quality of the products any day.

Even though I frequent the establishment on a regular basis, when I entered the store for my shopping trip, the first thing I noticed was the special carts the employees had set up by the salad bar to demonstrate a pasta salad recipe they were featuring that week. They gave me a recipe card and a free sample, and when I requested information about the location of several ingredients I was shopping for, the employee in charge of the cart promptly pointed me in the right direction. On this specific shopping trip, I was searching for ingredients for my favorite Cameroonian recipe, ndole, which I’d already cooked once and wanted to attempt again. Ndole is a hearty stew comprised of beef, ground shrimp, peanuts, spinach, and several spices to flavor the dish, so naturally, the ingredient list is massive. In addition, I planned to purchase plantains and fry them as a side for my stew.

However daunting my list may have been in a large store like the Fresh Market, the plantains were immediate victims of my grocery cart. In most places, I would have had to search for what usually seems like hours to find a specialty produce item like plantains, fishing one out from beneath piles of bruised bananas and the occasional overripe avocado. At the Fresh Market, the soft lighting and never-too-crowded atmosphere of products (or people, for that matter) allowed me to locate the plantains in no time at all.

I cruised through the well-lit store with my little cart and reusable bags, the employees of the store always smiling and asking if I needed assistance. When it came time to search for the proteins of my recipe, I visited the butcher’s section of the market, and was helped swiftly and efficiently with the beef for my stew. I then quickly located the shrimp I needed to sauté to garnish the dish, as well as the spices I needed in a convenient section of the store that features ready-made and measured bags of hard-to-find seasonings. I knew I would be looking for a range of proteins and spices, seeing as West African cuisine often calls for large amounts of both (to my constant delight). I also located the international aisle of the market, where I would be able to find anything I needed for a recipe that required sauces or canned goods that Target would not carry. The only significant complaint I have about these parts of my shopping experience is the pricing of the bagged spices, which was rather high. As I already mentioned, though, this price point most likely stems from the positive experience and hands-on attention to the product that every customer receives when shopping at the Fresh Market. Training employees and purchasing quality products for supermarket shelves are both expensive endeavors, understandably so. Although the prices are not feasible for every college student wishing to have an adventurous cooking experience, the selection of items is almost always worth the trip.

 

 

Overall, I had a pleasant and painless time hunting for the foods I needed to make ndole a second time. I completed my journey by grabbing a small container of organic spinach that would serve as a thickener for the stew, in all its meaty glory. I realized I was hungry, so I decided to head home (I couldn’t have resisted the temptation of the cookie and candy aisle much longer). As I approached the checkout line, I was greeted by the cashier’s friendly smile. As she rang up my items, she offered a survey on the receipt that would give me the chance to let the store know how they could improve their customer service. Even though I had nothing critical to note about the market, I would recommend that any patron complete the survey to inform the employees of the Fresh Market that they always do an absolutely wonderful job. I would definitely return tothe store for my regular grocery needs, but the Fresh Market’s collection of international and specialized products continues to shine through for me as a consumer. Be sure to stop by the next time you’re hankering for a fun, if not pricey, culinary adventure.