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Giftshop
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Giftshop
About Paris Giftshop Notes by Jean-Thomas Cullen
08. Victoria Station: Cocoa in London
I've always had strong preferences about chocolate (technical term Theobroma, or Food of the Gods). One day, my wife and son and I were in London looking for a place to have something hot to drink on a cold, rainy, drizzle Sunday morning.
We were staying a few days near the big Victoria Station terminal of the London rail and tube system in Westminster, and we spied a café—restaurant across the street from the huge station. Shaking rain from our clothes, we sat down and ordered hot chocolates. The young waiter took our order, nodded, and rushed off to bring our piping hot cocoas.
I remarked to my wife: "Now we'll get some *real* chocolate, not that watery, bitter sugar-drizzle from the U.S."
Indeed, when our hot chocolates arrived, they were delicious, topped with little cones of whipped cream. It was wonderful—and only then did I notice the sticker saying it was Ghirardelli Chocolate from San Francisco. Ouch, mortification.
But there is a kicker yet to this story. More recently, I learned that Ghirardelli has been bought by (what else?) foreign owners; no, not China, not yet; but Lindt, the chocolatier from Switzerland.
What this says is (a) we should not be quick to form opinions and (b) we shouldn't be rubes today, believing without a question aforethought that the Eiffel tower pencil sharpener you buy in a Parisian giftshop is truly a product of the City of Lights. It may very well be made in China; or more silly, made in Bucksnort, Tennessee (just kidding). There is such a place in TN, by the way. I drove through there once when I was 24 and driving cross-country. It's a crossroads with gas station, truck stop, and gift shop. See? They are as fiendishly clever in Tennessee as they are in Paris about sweet-talking those tourists.
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