March at Laliberté

Well, February came and went, as it always does. But this time felt extra speedy. March is upon us! I'm sure, like me, many of you were outside this weekend enjoying the warm sun, the joy of longer days and an end to some seriously hard-core rain. My poor chickens got to experience lakefront living for a while there, but they didn't really seem to get quite the same type of joy out of it that I would.

Winter Vibes

Going into January and February, I had expected things to be a bit quieter. In theory, these are slower months, so we arranged staffing and cheese orders accordingly.

And then… you kept coming.

Saturday mornings in particular have been significantly busier than we anticipated. If you’ve waited a little longer than usual, or if we’ve temporarily run out of something you came in for...thank you for your patience. We are working on it!

We’ll be ramping our cheese orders back up and adjusting staffing to match the pace. The last thing we want is to run out of your favourites.

And speaking of favourites…

Cheese Stats

For the past two months, and really just all the time, your clear favourite — by a very wide margin — has continued to be Délice de Bourgogne. What is it about this cheese?? Is it because it's few short steps away from butter? Is it the tanginess? Is it the ability to pair it perfectly with bubbly? Whatever it is, it is the most popular cheese in the shop by a large margin.

Following a fair way behind is Saint-Agur, that creamy, buttery blue that converts all of the “I’m not a blue cheese person” crowd. And rounding out the top three: Cave-Aged Gruyère, a drier-textured, cave ripened version of the typical Gruyère that we buy for fondues and general melting.

Honourable mentions go to Triple Crème de Charlevoix (our wonderful Canadian-made go-to alternative to Délice) and Beemster, that beautifully caramelized Dutch favourite.

We’re Heading to Europe

Later this month, we’ll be heading back to Europe to eat and drink our way through Italy and France. But it won't be all play. We’ll be meeting with the producers of our new, soon-to-arrive balsamic range from Italy, exploring a beautiful new line of olive oil, and forming new partnerships with producers creating great products that we love.

Our goal is always the same: to bring back products that remind you of the flavours you experienced on a trip to Europe, whether it was last month or 10 years ago, to help round out your pantry with delicious pairing items that make it easy to put together a curated spread at a moment’s notice, and to introduce you to beautifully made ingredients — long-aged balsamics, olive oils with bite and grassiness and beautifully packaged items made with simple, delicious ingredients.

Ankia and I have been “prepping” for the trip by watching Stanley Tucci’s Finding Italy, which feels like very serious research. We’ve only booked so many days in Italy before heading to France, and I have to say… there are simply not enough days to eat everything I want to eat.

Our First Wine & Cheese Event of 2026

And speaking of exciting things…We’re hosting our first Wine & Cheese event of the year. In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re partnering with the wonderful Gabrielle, owner of The Wild Vine, for an evening focused entirely on cheese and wine made by women.

Gabrielle will be leading the wine tasting portion of the evening. If you’ve ever heard her speak about wine, you know you’re in very good hands. Thoughtful, knowledgeable, and passionate in a way that makes you want to drink whatever she pours you! She’ll be selecting and pouring wines that thoughtfully pair with our cheese selections and accompaniments, with a focus on highlighting women in wine.

For our part, we have curated a selection of cheeses developed by women in Canada. From soft creamy, brie-style cheeses, to aged cheddars, we will focus on the amazing women who have worked hard to create these unique flavours and textures.

The event will be hosted in the shop on Sunday, March 8 at 6:30pm. It will be an intimate, relaxed evening of tasting, learning, and celebrating women makers.

Tickets are available to purchase here. Space is limited.

What’s Happening in the Shop

Ankia has been busy shelling dried beans from her farm. Roc D'Or, Cassoulet, Taylor Horticultural and Brown Teddy are available to purchase at the shop. Inspired by a customer who mentioned it last week, I made the wonderful New York Times Cheesy White Bean Tomato Bake last night. Baked 'till the mozza & pecorino were melted and bubbling on top, and eaten straight out of the pan with crispy, olive-oil-slathered baked baguette. Stanley would be proud.

We are so happy to be selling Peugeot! These beautifully crafted grinders are a timeless addition to any kitchen or table. Made in France since 1840, Peugeot mills are known for their exceptional grinding mechanisms. Where beauty and function meet.

A a new line of French soaps, all smelling absolutely delicious!

Lemony soap-on-a-rope, verbena exfoliating soap and passionfruit are a few of my favourites.

Anybody else have their mouth washed out with soap as a child for swearing? Doesn't seem like it would be too bad with these!

For me, March will fly by. Between preparing for Europe, finalizing details for our International Women’s Day event, and trying to make sure we don’t run out of Délice (again), the weeks are already filling themselves in.

I look forward to April, the warmer weather, the first patio hangout and the smell of the first lawn mowing.

Thank you, as always, for showing up, whether it's on a busy Saturday or a quiet Tuesday and for trusting us with your tables.

See you in the shop.

---