Cheese lovers' alert: Rainbow expands 2005

Maybe I'm behind the times - my foot has slowed down my travels of late - but I was just in Rainbow Grocery tonight* and the cheese section is bigger. That's right, what I consider the best cheese selection in San Francisco now has room to grow.

Now there are places with more cheese and there are places with staff in cute white aprons who'll cut pieces off giant blocks for you, but for "ya just can't go wrong" selection, trust Rainbow.

Their tasting notes are hugely helpful in selecting the right cheese and they're always right at hand to answer questions.

Tonight's cheese is a Welsh Harlech with horseradish and parsley. It is a soft snacking cheese whose creaminess is set off by the love bites of horseradish. Delicious!

*Thanks to my pal Len who picked me up from work, let me shop as long & slowly as I needed and then transported me and my groceries home AND reminded me that I'd worked my foot very hard today and I needed to ice it. Sitting here with my foot on ice and sipping on gin & tonic, I raise a toast: "To the very best friends who are always there when you need them!"