I have a number of friends who are lactose intolerant and have discovered this in the last couple of years. I picture the doctor’s office, where they tell you of your allergy, with a shotgun in one corner-offering cheese lovers like me an option to end their lives then and there rather than continuing their days without soft and oozy cheeses. Or gently aged hard cheddars. Or moist and squelchy buffalo mozzarellas.
Last night, out with a few friends at a neighbourhood place, I ordered
Fresh Pear, Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Maple Dale 8 yr Aged Cheddar, fresh sprouts and crabapple Vinaigrette.
partly because of the pears in season but mainly for the tangy and somewhat crunchy aged cheddar they promised. I imagined the wine in my mouth following the bit of cheese and the bit of pear. Fall heaven.
Waiter comes by after we have had a chance to sample our dishes “how is everything?”- I told him that the cheese ran over my dish but did not stop to make a real appearance- could I have a little more?” Correct answer ‘ why yes, of course” his answer “chef is in a bad mood and says the cheese is expensive and he gave you the correct portion”
Wow.
Apparently customer is always right only when the chef is taking his mood stabilizers or the cheese is not expensive. As a chef in bad mood can mean chef spits on food or drops food on floor before it comes out to you, the otherwise outspoken side of me ate my lactose free salad as was.
Piss me off.