Today's cultural difference came to light last night when I ordered a port (porto) towards the end of dinner. In Britain I have only ever drunk port after dinner*. So it seemed natural to take a port with my café after dinner.
The french were aghast! Every last one of them thought I was mad for having port after food and that I'd completely lost it because I was taking it with my coffee.
It was as though I had made an incredibly serious faux pas like having sherry before 5, red wine with fish or passing the port to the right. All of which are understandably as grave as high treason or killing a swan.
Even the waitress was gob smacked. She had to ask twice to confirm she has heard correctly. I felt like she was asking me something like "Are you sure you would like ketchup with your chocolate cake?"
Port in france is seen as an apéritif, like Ricard or Pastis, both of which are taken with ice. Thus there was two ice cubes in my port glass which needed to be promptly removed.
Even with all that the port was exactly what I needed.
*Obviously excluding "certain" times at Uni, if you know what I mean.
