Trifter

When I traveled to Paris earlier in 2008 with the Black Paris Divas for their annual Black Paris tours, you could just imagine my sheer excitement when I learned that the wine would be provided by the tour organizers, free of charge, and free flowing.  So after the 7th day in Paris, we took a private motor coach ride to the wine region of southern France called the Dordogne.  The Dordogne is the region of southern France that my idol Josephine Baker lived for 30 years with her 12 adopted children labeled ‘The Rainbow tribe”.

So after a 2 hour ride from the bustle of noisy Paris, we arrived to the quiet country side of the Dordogne. We dropped off our luggage at our swanky posh Hotel in Sarlat, and while waiting to be checked in, the concierge greeted each of us with a glass of peach wine.  I was in heaven.

Our first day in the Dordogne we visited a small medieval wine cellar that housed hundreds of different wines from that region and Bordeaux.  On the main level of this wine cellar was a chocolate shop where they were giving presentations on the varying types of chocolates, and their medicinal purposes, from easing headaches, to lasting orgasms.  Needless to say, anything that had to do with sex and chocolate grabbed my attention right away.  Everything from dark chocolates, white chocolates, semi-sweet chocolate, chocolate covered fruits, and chocolate covered nuts were discussed.

During this presentation they even gave suggestions on how to savor chocolate by letting it melt between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. And in between each creamy morsel we would take a sip of a lovely chardonnay or Merlot.  Although I’m not a great fan of dry wine, I found it quite fascinating that the French would pair wine and chocolate together.  From what I’ve learned from wine experts in the states, wine and chocolates are disastrous together, but who am I to dispute a country that is famous for both.

I was just a visitor of France, learning the culture and cuisine with all my excited and fascinated ignorance. And we all know how the saying goes…”When in Rome do as the Romans do”