If you like cheese - and by that I mean real cheese; cheese that will make your eyes roll back in your head and your knees go weak - then you're going to want to hit Chris' Cheesemongers in the St. Lawrence Market. I feel 100% dedicated to endorsing these guys since they introduced me to one of the world's finest edible creations: a Roquefort called Papillon Noir.

This French sheep's milk cheese is assertively flavoured, with a bold scattering of blue-black mold, but it's not overwhelmingly strong. The initial flavour is actually rather mild, with the taste developing as the cheese melts on your tongue, climaxing in the aftertaste which then disappates into a slight saltiness. The end result: your mouth will be begging for more.

The texture is incredible, too: soft and creamy with just a hint of crunch. I love letting a small chunk melt in my mouth - it's a great way to experience the full extent of the flavour.

The best way to eat this cheese, though, is spread on perfectly ripe Black fig. Cut the fig in half lengthwise and spread a generous amount of the cheese across the tender insides. Bite in, skin and all, and you will discover pure, unadulterated pleasure. The delicate, sweet flesh of the fig balances beautifully with the salty, slightly pungent cheese. (This also makes a very sexy appetizer that's super easy to prepare!)

Go to Chris' (or, if you must, another supplier) and ask for a sample of this cheese. I dare you to resist its charms!

Chris' Cheesemongers
St. Lawrence Market,
93 Front Street
416 368 5273