My family and I have strong ties to Pittsburgh despite living in the Akron, Ohio area. Several times a year, however, we always make a point of visiting Pittsburgh, especially right before Christmas. Nothing spells Christmas quite like the Strip, and in particular, PennMac. The thought of the cheese/olive room is enough to bring a tear to my eye. I stocked up on jarred sauces, which are reasonably priced, generously portioned, and most importantly--fresh and delicious. We stacked loaves of bread in the car as well. Seeing all the salted fish (for the upcoming feast of 7 fishes) was beautiful. The most memorable part of the visit, however, was in a small, rather grimy room that boasted huge canisters of home-made wine and small glasses. Initially under the impression that I was intruding upon the staff holiday party, a smiling worker told me that customers were welcome to sample the wine. I was a little wary of trying the un-labeled wine, but it was wonderful and warming. While not available for sale, the wine tasting was a delightful way to warm up from the particularly vicious cold and mingle with other customers. Armed with an arsenal of goods to take back to Ohio, we returned home, satisfied and entirely in the Christmas spirit.