Food Factory

April 2015

The thing with being home so much is that the tv tends to be on for background noise. Or to feel like someone is talking to you.

I don't watch network news anymore. BBC sometimes, JLTV a fair amount ( that is Jewish Life TV - from Israel)

If I see a news story of interest then I google around and try to read it from several sources.

It is easier on my mind and I don't feel like life is a doomsday trip - at least not as much as I used to.    Life is on sort of a doomsday path, of course - but we knew that was coming. Well, if you believe in Bible prophecy at all, anyway.

There are things in life that do "take the edge off" of all of that anxiety. Pills. Yuk.  I found out that I am 'narcotic naive.'  YEA!  I can lick a pill and it works for me.  No need for me to be doped up to get through life!

Some people love chocolate and that gives them the 'calming fix' that they need.  Thinking of my chocoholic friends - and especially Roger - tonight, prompted me to tune into FOOD FACTORY.

Tonight's show was about chocolate, but not just any chocolate. The host was FRENCH - and he was showing how they managed to get that really, really silky smooth chocolate known as LINDT.

Accidents....the person who was doing the chocolate making some years back had it in the mixer and got distracted, then he went skiing. Then he came back in three days and the mixer was still running.  And the chocolate was as smooth as silk.   I love success stories like that!  Best chocolate ever!

I loved listening to the FRENCH guy - LOVE THAT ACCENT - and why are Americans so fascinated with accents anyway? But the whole story took me back in time. To France. To Paris. To a time when a pretty special French Tour Director pointed us to the LINDT shop near the Palais Garnier (Opera de Paris.)

Oh my goodness - I am not a chocoholic but I did accept a sample, because if I am going to eat chocolate, give me Lindt!

My first taste taught me something - this did not taste like the Lindt truffles I buy in America.  I also learned something. America is licensed to use the name but the recipe is slightly different.  No high fructose corn syrup for one.  Europe is highly ANTI-high fructose corn syrup. (Their sodas are better than ours as well!)

Needless to say, I thought I was a single step away from Heaven when I left that store!  Loaded with boxes of chocolates to take home, I might add.

And oh! Was Roger happy!  He LOVED chocolate and about the only chocolate he told me never to buy again was the 'stuff' from IKEA.  Ha!  Isn't that Swiss Chocolate?

Roger's Lesson:  If you need something to mellow you out, go ahead and enjoy the chocolate. It is good for your heart and for your soul. But be picky and go for the good stuff. 

And he believed that too! I'm thinking right now that he will be really happy if he is finding cold peanut butter cups on that Heavenly banquet table.

Personally - I think Heavenly chocolate will taste more like Lindt.  I also think that if you are going to embrace something, then pick something where they take time and patience to create it. Something where they use the purest and best ingredients. Something that, even if it is pricey, they have a product - like a single truffle - that is affordable. Because, after all, chocolate in moderation is probably pretty ok for your health.

But here is the really sweet part of my story.

I did not get to go to France this year because God moved my life in a different direction.

I certainly had my fair share of stress during those first two weeks in January as well.

But when Mitch showed up with a bag of goodies from the trip - look what I found.

FRENCH LINDT!
From my very favorite FRENCH tour director!


Now if that is not the sweetest thing ever, I don't know what is!
And I savor...not eat....savor....one almost every day - for my health.  And I do not share.
(I know, that's bad, I need to work on that!)

And I have learned that special people and special things come into your life for a reason, and very often we don't even know why. But I'm really thankful that years ago I got past that "American" logic that the "French hate us" because it is SOOOOO WRONG!   I am so glad that I went back to France last year and learned even more about a wonderful country and the wonderful people there.

I'm thankful that God is allowing me the time to continue learning - about a lot of things.
I have become even more thankful for people I have met, even if only for a little while, along this earthly journey.  As I recall them, I get to pray for them.  And I think that is one of the best things about this journey.

And along the way, I have given up the Dr. Pepper that I once loved dearly - and I finally joined Roger in his love of chocolate.

But for me - not any chocolate, just French Lindt!

Thanks, Pascal! This one is for you!