Chocolate, cheese and truffles at Art Vine Culinair

Odysseia olive oil: I was a bit hungover when I arrived (it was a Saturday, ok?) so I tried some bread dipped in Greek olive oil before I started on the wine again…

Reypenaer cheese: some of their cheese is matured for two years, which clearly takes a fair bit of effort. We tasted it with beer from down the road at the Brouwerij de Prael.

Tartufo di Massimo: I came to the conclusion that my problem with mushrooms extends to the cheaper black truffle (at least, when turned into a paste and spread on bread) but is miraculously not an issue when it comes to the more expensive white truffle. Especially when mixed with honey and slathered over parmesan cheese. Funny that.

El Sauco chocolate: If you’re of a mind to compare sex with chocolate (and frankly it seems like a reasonable comparison to make), then Pacari’s organic dark chocolate made with 65% cocoa from the Arriba Nacional bean in the rainforests of Ecuador, washed down with a small glass of sweet, French, red Pineau des Charentes, is about as close to a night in the sack with Brad Pitt as you’re going to get. I bought 50 precious grammes of the chocolate, and am rationing myself to a square a day. That’s about 20 seconds of foreplay in every bite.