You Had Me At Foie

Anne squirmed in her seat, bored with the lecture on ancient Roman cooking. The boredom resulted not from the subject matter but rather from the dreary monotone of the speaker. The rest of the seminars and speakers at the Atlanta Food Journalist Conference had been quite exciting. She had been initially intrigued to learn more about the history of Roman cookery but had not counted on the bland lecturer.

She was about to sneak out, to head for the pool, when she heard “foie gras.” With those two words, she sat back into her seat, her mind drifting into the past, remembering him…

*****
On a snowy December evening, while walking the streets of Seattle, Anne popped into a small French bistro for a bite to eat. It had been a long and busy day and she just wanted a quick dinner before heading back to her hotel to sleep.

Despite the inclement weather, the restaurant was very busy but Anne spied a single spot available at the long, marble bar. She squeezed past the crowd to claim the lone stool. She thought that she might have a sandwich, maybe a croque-monsieur, and a glass of Burgundy.

As she sat, her bulky leather bag swung and struck the man seated to her left. Not a hard hit but enough to jostle his arm as he was taking a drink of dark red wine. Though the glass was fairly full, only a few droplets of wine fell out, barely missing his pristine white shirt.

She apologized profusely, hoping to quell any anger but his quick smile indicated his lack of concern. He made a few jokes, his wit disarming her. Though he was not conventionally handsome, he seemed to possess a certain charm that appealed to her. She felt that maybe her evening might turn out more enjoyable than expected.

Dining alone has its place, but food and wine are usually better when shared with friends, or at least good companions. Though she had not planned on dining with anyone, Anne had no trouble adjusting to the situation. She had little concern with talking to strangers at restaurants and bars. She knew how to take care of herself.

He introduced himself as Sebastian and then made a simple recommendation to her, the same appetizer that he had finished only a short time before. “I highly recommend the foie gras.”

The word ‘foie’ swirled through her mind. Anne loved foie gras, in all its forms, in any multitude of dishes. It was such a seductive and alluring food that just the word ‘foie’ triggered a catalyst of emotions within her. To her, foie was almost as good as sex. Very close but still second place.

His suggestion immediately drew her to him and she was desirous of knowing more. Just the fact he enjoyed foie gras meant much to her. What else about him might peak her curiosity? Did they share other commonalities? Despite her growing interest, Anne also knew that boundaries existed.

She looked down at her left hand, staring at a large diamond. Though she loved her husband, he disliked foie gras. That had always been an issue between them and, over time, Anne realized that this minor difference was a symptom of a larger conflict. Lately there had been a growing rift between them, and Anne had felt lonely at various times.

She could see that Sebastian bore a wedding ring as well. So even if she were single, or interested, he was unavailable.

Anne ordered the foie gras appetizer and a glass of wine, a fine, albeit pricey, Sauternes that Sebastian also recommended. While she waited for her food, they chatted, discussing a diverse selection of topics including food, wine, books, travel, and even philosophy. Their tastes converged in many areas, and the divergences seemed more complementary than divisive.

Sebastian was quite intelligent and a stimulating conversationalist. In many ways, Anne felt like they were old friends who had met once again after many years. It felt so comfortable, so right. She could not deny her growing attraction to Sebastian.

Anne felt that it might be mutual as well, if she was reading him correctly. He was very attentive, often looking directly into her eyes. And he seemed to be ignoring the young, hard-bodies that walked through the restaurant. Anne understood that she was older, had a little muffin-top, but still felt that she was attractive. She might not look like a model, but still received compliments and admiring looks from men.

If this had been a first date, Anne would have considered it a major success. And she probably would have taken him back to her hotel. She was not shy when she truly wanted something or someone.

Then the foie came, a fairly large piece of seared foie, atop thinly sliced apples with a light sprinkling of cinnamon. There was crispy, smoky bacon atop the foie, triangular slices of thick French toast and an intriguing blueberry sauce. It looked amazing and when Anne tasted it, she almost moaned in ecstasy.

The silky texture of the duck liver, pairing so well with the saltiness of the bacon and the sweet of the apple and blueberry. Pure hedonistic joy. The sweet honey and peach flavors of the wine enhanced this decadent dining experience.

As she slowly savored each piece, she noticed that Sebastian was watching her, smiling. He knew exactly how she was feeling, the pure joy of the foie. A strange but compelling bond was forming from their shared love for this delicacy. No words were needed to explain the mutual feeling. It simply existed, almost in tangible form.

When her plate was finally empty, which seemed to happen too quickly, she felt a bit crestfallen. Sebastian then suggested they share another plate. He too desired more but did not want to eat the richness all by himself. Anne was not blind to the intimacy of this suggestion, a type of culinary foreplay.

Logically, Anne knew that she should politely decline, pay her bill and leave the bistro. If she stayed, if she shared foie with this entrancing man, Anne knew she would cross a line. She could envision the rest of the evening, how it would proceed. The intimacy would extend much further than just sharing foie gras.

Anne pondered her decision, head or heart? She intuitively knew that if she declined and left, that he would not try to stop her. He would not try to convince her otherwise. He was leaving the entire decision in her hands. The offer was on the table and she could accept or decline.

She pondered over her husband, the growing rift, her loneliness. He was thousands of miles way. Sebastian was also married though that did not seem to be an impediment to him. Was he in a similar situation as she? It was not an easy decision and Anne sat for several minutes considering all of the potential ramifications.

Finally, Anne turned her face from Sebastian and softly said to the bartender, “We would like to share another dish of the foie gras, please.”

The next few hours passed as expected. They shared the foie, growing more and more intimate. Her hands touched him more often and he made a number of sincere compliments about her. Her smiles were wider and his eyes burned with desire. Each moment that passed led to a deeper connection between them. Boundaries were ignored and they dwelled in the moment, as if their lives might soon end.

They left the bistro together, holding hands, and shared a cab to his hotel where he stated he was staying for a few days on business. She too was staying at a nearby hotel, attending a sustainability conference, though she was supposed to return home tomorrow night. This was her last night in Seattle, her last opportunity to spend any time with Sebastian.

Without a word, she exited the taxi and followed him into the hotel. They strode through the lobby, arm in arm, and rode the elevator to the eighth floor. Anne trembled slightly as she held tightly onto Sebastian. She knew that she still could end it without repercussion but she had made her choice.

When they entered his darkened hotel room, lit only by the moonlight through the glass doors leading to a small balcony, they remained silent as they fell into each other’s arms and passionately kissed. They made love for hours and then lay in each other’s arms, quite sated. The excitement of a new lover, the forbidden allure of their actions, their insatiable hunger.

Anne drifted off to sleep as he lay next to her, stroking her long black hair.

When she awoke the next morning, Anne found herself alone in the king-sized bed. She called out to Sebastian but there was no answer. She rose from the bed and looked around but he was not there. In fact, there was nothing to indicate he had even been staying here. No luggage, no toiletries, nothing. The most disconcerting thing was that the door was locked from the inside!

Anne quickly dressed and then left the room. She went down to the front desk to find out if Sebastian had suddenly checked out or not. Anne saw the clerk who had been at the front desk when she had entered the hotel that evening with Sebastian. She queried the clerk, who was working a double shift, and the answers only heightened the conundrum.

First, the clerk indicated that the room had been empty for three days. Second, the clerk did not remember seeing Anne and Sebastian enter the lobby. Third, the clerk could not recall ever seeing anyone resembling Sebastian. It did not help that Anne was unaware of Sebastian’s last name.

Completely puzzled, Anne left the hotel, trying to understand what had happened. She would swear that it was all real yet what had happened to Sebastian? It made no sense that she had imagined it all. It was far too vivid, too detailed to be a mere dream.

That afternoon, she returned to the French bistro and fortunately the bartender from the evening before was working again. Yet he could not recall Sebastian either. He remembered Anne but could not remember who might have sat next to her. Anne remembered that Sebastian had paid in cash so there would not be any credit card receipts.

It was a mystery that Anne could not resolve. Yet the memory never diminished. It would soothe her when she was sad, and elevate her when things tried to take her down.

When she thought of Sebastian, picturing him in her mind, she would say to him, “You had me at foie.”

***
As the lecturer stated, “Thanks to everyone for coming,” Anne woke from her reverie. She smiled, glad the lecture was over but more pleased at her memories of Sebastian. It had been but a single night, a secret she had revealed to no one, but had meant so much to her. Despite the strangeness that arose, the mystery of whether he had been real or not.

Anne had never stopped seeking for Sebastian, checking out every restaurant and bar she visited that served foie gras. She never lost hope, despite the years that passed. And she would continue to look, never abandoning the possibility that she might meet him once again. But if she never saw him again, he would live on in her memories.