Valentine's

Have you ever had a love hate relationship? Firmly in the February Blaw's and I am caught in the middle of a bad love triangle. My love triad is with my clothes, food and The Cheese Boutique. The Cheese Boutique, obviously never got the memo regarding , rude staff, lack of service and selection that is the deriguer of retail shopping in Toronto. I love and hate this store all at the same time. If you are looking for cheese, come here. If you are looking for cheese selection, come here If you are looking for cheese education, come here. If you are looking for smug service people who don't care about what they do, don't come here because you won't find it. My love is also based on the fact that, if you are looking for some obscure hard to find ingredient, come here. I was in France, bought a mustard from guy who swore up and down it was made by his wife on a farm down the road, found it again at The Cheese Boutique. The problem is that things you never even knew you needed, wanted or sometimes even knew existed in Canada are also here. And here in lies the hate, they just follow you home. I went in earlier this week to buy Duck Fat. Simple, one ingredient right! ( I am making casoulet this weekend) I walked out with, spices, peppers, real French beans for the casolout, and two fabulous cheeses, the mustard Violet and a great French stick. I had forgotten what I had come for. Went again today to get the duck fat only. Got Duck Fat, Walnut Oil, more French beans......And crap they had Truffles...............They had truffles bigger then my fist. As 'the husband' walked through the door on Friday, he got a truffle for Valentines. Saturday we sauted, filet Mignon and served with a Pechement and Truffle reduction. Yum.