David Lebovitz has a good post about food that's too good to use. I have a similar philosophy that I call "use the good stuff." I swear I even wrote about it ages ago but I can't seem to locate the post now. Anyway, I'd keep bottles of wine and treasure jars of jam for so long they'd be no good once I got around to using them. I decided life was too short and that it was important to use the good stuff. And now I do, mostly. I saved a beautiful birthday gift of 1989 Laurent-Perrier Champagne too long (no situation ever seemed good enough to justify its drinking) and when I opened it, it was passed and I was so sad. It was just the kick in the pants I needed to remember to use the good stuff.