Heaven

About 4 years ago, when I was in the heat of building a business and had very little time for travel, Dave took a biking vacation with his Dad. They came to France to bicycle in the Dordogne. Each day he would call me and tell me about the views of the rolling hills, the beautiful castles, and the unbelievable food. The scenery sounded enchanting, but my greatest heartache was being deprived of the experience of tasting the food. The Dordogne is known for it's foie gras, and for those who know me, you know that foie gras is my ultimate weakness. I know there is so much controversy about it, but I just can't resist it. It’s flavor, the way it melts in your mouth, the sensual feeling that infuses me after I've eaten just a little. It's always served in small portions because it's so rich, so I am always left yearning for more. It's like my craving is insatiable. And whenever I have some, I melt into a puddle of bliss. Each night Dave would tell me about the meals he had and how this foie gras tasted like this, and that one tasted like that, and they served it over duck today, and the served it in a salad yesterday. And I just wanted to cry. I was sitting at home, busting my butt crunching numbers for my business and he was immersed in the sensual pleasures of the French countryside and cuisine. When he came home, he told me how much he missed me because he could just imagine the rapture in my eyes as I luxuriated in all that he had experienced. Then he told me that he would take me there one day.

When we moved to France, one of the first things he wanted to do was to take me to the Dordogne, and to Sarlat in particular. So we checked out train rides and it was going to take us 11 hours to get there! We checked out flights, and they were $500 a person! We thought about driving, but it would still take 11 hours! Oh my, this seemed like so much trouble, but we live in Lyon! We get the best food in France right here in Lyon, right? I convinced myself that our foie gras is just as good as theirs, and we procrastinated on taking the trip.

Last weekend, after our string of guests finally ended, I was exhausted. It has been months of entertaining and hosting people. As much as I love being hostess, and as much as I love my friends and family even more, I was completely worn out. So, Dave suggested that we go away for a weekend to thank me for taking such good care of everyone. And no place could surpass Sarlat. Evidently, this is what I deserved, and what he craved, this weekend. So, he booked the train tickets, reserved a hotel, and took 2 days off of work, and whisked me away to Sarlat. (Well, whisked me away as fast as the French train system made possible.)

The train ride was long, but a very welcome respite from everything. I was forced to take downtime and just read a good book. It put me into a very relaxed mood, and by the time we got to Sarlat I was completely wound down. I was ready for good food and whatever else Dave had in mind for me.

We arrived at about 6pm, checked into our hotel, and immediately went out to dinner. While in Lyon, I have eaten lots of excellent foie gras, but I wasn't able to get any seared foie gras anywhere, so I was aching to have some. Dave took me to a cute little place right by our hotel, and I ordered a seared foie gras for my dinner. It arrived, I cut it with my fork, and put it in my mouth. And oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh..............OMG I melted. It was soooooooooooo good. Sooooooo...just what I needed. Dave hadn't started eating. He just sat there watching me take that first bite. A huge grin crept across his face as he watched my face transform with that first bite. This was going to be a very good weekend.

Each meal was more delectable than the last. Each new dish burst with new flavors. I was in absolute heaven. Between mealtimes, Dave took me for drives into the hills. We visited castles, sipped wine on lush green lawns next to the Dordogne River, under picturesque bridges, and walked in cute walled towns. Another one of Dave's surprises for me was Chateau Milandes. It was the chateau owned by Josephine Baker, American cabaret dancer who became famous in Paris. Being a dancer myself, I loved walking through it. Seeing all the pictures of her life, looking at the gorgeous costumes and headdresses, and seeing how she decorated her own "little" country chateau was mesmerizing for me. It was also heart-warming to hear about all the things she did to "change the world" with her money and her reputation. She did a lot to help with the Civil Rights movement in the US. She helped with the French resistance. And she adopted 12 children to try to give them a better life. She was a woman who did things with her money. Her story truly inspired me.

After that, we came back to Sarlat and roamed the cobblestone streets to find another little restaurant to experience. We walked into a tiny little side road and stopped at a secluded restaurant to look at the menu. As we stood there reading, a kind gentleman opened his door and exclaimed that this was a very good restaurant. We laughed with surprise at his enthusiasm. Dave asked, "Are you the proprietor?" “Bien sûr!” he exclaimed, "Thats how I know!!" His excitement was irresistible, so we walked inside. And we weren't disappointed. After all the visual stimulation of the tour through Chateau Milandes, this was exactly the gastronomic sensation we needed to even the score. We had a walnut aperitif (walnuts are another thing for which Sarlat is known), another melt-in-your-mouth foie gras, and a delightful soft, creamy local goat cheese to finish it off. It was a day straight from heaven. I melted into the soft sheets of our bed that night with the thought “if this were the last day of my life, I couldn’t have asked for better.”

The next morning, we woke up before dawn and caught our train home. As we sat next to each other, my head resting on Dave's shoulder, I thanked my amazing husband for taking me to heaven for the weekend. He laughed. "That's where angels belong," he whispered. "I love you."


To see pictures of the beautiful Dordogne, go to:
http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee52/travelnuts/The%20Dordogne/