Cheese

About 10 years ago, Richard told me that he had been interested in the number of cheeses that are produced, buying many of them from the Springbank Cheese Company on the corner of 14th Street and 24th Avenue.

I had stopped in there myself, buying the gourmet cheeses and there are a lot of expensive cheeses there. 

At the same time, Richard was beginning to shop at Costco, and he told me that in his experience, cheese was 1/3 cheaper at Costco, not the infinite variety as the Cheese Company, but as he was trying to prioritize his budget, he would buy his cheese at Costco (especially if there were a coupon also involved). 

He must have planted that idea deep in my psyche, as I began to spend more time in the cheese aisle on my trips to Costco.

This was especially useful around Christmas time, and I was starting to get quite the collection of cheeses, which meant I could easily pull together an interesting cheese tray.

I kept buying cheeses, even when the holiday season passed, and even though I don’t particularly like cheese.

I did notice that when Betty would come over to my house, and I would tell her I was all out of snacks, she would tell me, “No, you already have lots of snacks!”, and she would open the fridge and pull out cheese with a bright smile on her face, as if to remind me that I had forgotten that I did have snacks available. 

So, the two of us would often have little cheese parties. 

A few days ago, Rebecca looked in my fridge and said, “What is up with all this cheese? Don’t you buy anything else?!”

Last night I did peer in there, and I could find the following: Forest Farm-Coastal Rugged Mature, BeeMaster Gouda, Merlot-infused Bellavitano, Castello Harvarti, Castello Extra Creamy Danish Blue, Squeekers Cheese Curds.

And there is also a big block of Armstrong Yellow Cheddar in the fridge, since Moiya had called and said it was on sale for only $20 (why would I say No).

As well, there are 6 packs of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. I always think I will make those up into cheesecake, but instead, I slice them longitudinally and roll them in cracked black pepper, and reroll them from someone who might come by for a cheese snack.

There is also a big tub of feta cheese, but surely that is something everyone has in their fridge.

We have been trying to use up products in the fridge in preparation for leaving for Victoria. So, we have been having very high-end grilled cheese sandwiches.

As well, Mary has given me the idea that poutine does not have to be made from low-end cheese curds: any cheese is possible.

I haven’t seen the buying of a cheese as a hobby, really.

It is just that it is hard to pass by cheese that has a coupon attached. In fact, I have found it very satisfying.

Arta