French Elevators and Chocolate Mousse

Have you ever heard the saying chocolate makes everything better? I now believe this to be even more true, especially when paired with dog cuddles.

Last weekend, I made a couple batches of chocolate hazelnut mousse, a recipe I haven’t made in a few years and wanted to revisit into a creamier, more decadent version. I topped it with chocolate mascarpone whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It was the perfect dessert on Valentine’s Day after a showing of Wuthering Heights. Decadent, luxurious, chocolatey.

A couple servings, stored away in the fridge, came in handy on Tuesday.

I just moved into a new apartment with an elevator, which in France can be a bit rare. It’s small, but fits me, my husband, and our two dogs, with a few inches to spare.

Returning from a long afternoon walk in the park, we boarded the elevator and, almost to our floor, it stopped. It would not go up, but down seemed to work. A little stressed, with raised eyebrows, I pressed the button for the ground floor. About two feet from the end, the lights shut off. The elevator came to a halt, and my heart sank into my stomach.

The emergency phone was dead. The call button nonexistent. Our neighbors were out of town. A metal box inside a stone building. No cell service. Only darkness.

The flashlight on my phone lit up the walls as I texted, called, and DM’d everyone I knew. Messages not sent. Everything declined.

My chest tightened. I sat on the floor, schnauzer in my lap. I replayed movie scenes in my head and tried not to cry as my husband rubbed my knee. We pressed our phones to every crack we could find, but no bars lit up. Emergency in France would not go through, but after half an hour I decided to dial 911. It worked! Patched through to French firemen who calmly asked for the elevator number and repair service name on the sticker inside.

“We’ll send a technician your way.”

This may be where my Americanness comes in…I needed some reassurance. To hear sirens. To be told, we’ve got you, don’t worry. Even a stay calm Madame would have been something.

Another hour and a half passed. We could hear people walking by the building, going down the street, while we were trapped, consoling cramped dogs and debating whether to crawl through the top or kick out the glass door.

I called 911 again, now with 20% phone battery. I tried in French to request an ETA, to which they replied, “We’re getting a translator.” I’m still shaking thinking about it. “Someone is coming. They’re on the road”.

After over two hours of sitting in a cold, dark box, the lobby door opened. Lights came on. We screamed, “We’re here! In here!” Dogs barking and growling. We were met with a very calm, “Bonjour.”

A few minutes later, he pried open the door. We stepped down and, with tears in my eyes and a dog in my arms, I squeaked out a “Merci, Monsieur,” and climbed the stairs.

Life lessons this week…Forever taking the stairs. Never leave the house without a fully charged phone. Always have chocolate in the fridge for moments like these.

If you need your own dose of chocolate therapy, you must try my mousse recipe, it’s a lifesaver.

Jenn

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Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse

This mousse is a silky, ultra-luxurious dessert layered with deep dark chocolate and homemade toasted hazelnut butter. Olive oil and orange zest brighten every bite, giving it a modern twist on classic French chocolate mousse.

other recipes to try…

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Brown Butter Scotcheroos

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