Product Description
The first cookbook from America’s premier chocolate makers, filled with recipes, kitchen tips, and dazzling photographs

As Americans have become fascinated by chocolate, and especially high-quality chocolate, one name has risen above the rest: Scharffen Berger. Founded in1996 by Robert Steinberg, a physician and amateur chef, and John Scharffenberger, an award-winning vintner, the company’s confections have won a following among food professionals and home cooks alike. Now, in their first cookbook, the duo shares their passion with the world.

The Essence of Chocolate features more than one hundred spectacular -- and often simple -- recipes drawn from the Scharffen Berger files and from two dozen top pastry chefs. It is divided into three sections: "Intensely Chocolate," which includes such decadent treats as That Chocolate Cake, in which the sumptuous flavor of chocolate is the star; "Essentially Chocolate," with lighter chocolate desserts like White Velvet Cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache or Brown Butter Blondies; and "A Hint of Chocolate," with recipes that use chocolate’s spicier qualities to their best effect, like Vegetarian Chili and John’s Cocoa Rub. And all will work magnificently with any high-quality chocolate. Filled with helpful tips, sumptuous photographs, and the story of how chocolate is really made, here is a book that is every bit as seductive as its subject.Amazon.com Review
Established in 1996, Scharffen Berger has become America's preeminent maker of cooking chocolate. Essence of Chocolate, by the firm's founders and food writer Susie Heller, offers more than 100 recipes for a broad selection of delights like Chocolate Pudding Cakes, Chocolate Marbled Gingerbread, Cocoa Caramel Panna Cotta, and Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake, as well as savory edibles made with chocolate like Tortilla Soup and Chile-Marinated Flank Steak. Unusual recipes also include the likes of Chocolate Chunk Challah and TKOs, a homemade version of Oreos that leaves those favorites on the supermarket shelf.

Arranged by chocolate intensity, the recipes come from the company's files and from chefs including Flo Braker, Jim Dodge, Thomas Keller, and Stephanie Hersh. Although the formulas vary in difficulty, most are within the range of all cooks interested in making something terrific. Readers should note, however, that the recipes require chocolate with specific cocoa-solids contents--62% semisweet, for example--that may be difficult to find.Most cooks will know, however, that one high-quality chocolate of similar cocoa content can usually replace another. With narrative sections in which Steinberg and Scharffenberger trace (at perhaps excessive length) their career trajectories,interesting asides such as "Bread and Chocolate," lots of chocolate lore, and a good primer on how chocolate is manufactured--plus color photos--the book makes a happy addition to the chocolate lovers' kitchen library.--Arthur Boehm ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Great book
I love the fact that this book has historical info on chocolate, as well as recipes.So far, the recipes have been pretty easy to follow.I'm an experienced baker, but haven't played with chocolate too much before this, and I really enjoy the book.

Almost Everything You Want inChcoolate Book
This huge book's only down side is the size.It cannot lay flat very easily unless you are dealing with recipes from the center of the book and the recipes chapters are inter-spaced with chapters about the history of chocolate, the science and development of chocolate, and the story of Scharffen Berger the company.A few of the recipes could also use a bit more information but in general they are very clearly written and have beautiful photographs to demonstrate what the candy, cake, cookie, drink, whatever should look like.

There is an excellent selection of recipes to chose from and many offer hints for the less experienced cook or for ingredients you might have difficulty finding.I tried three recipes for this review and you can read more about them here [...] if you really want.The cookies, candy and bread I tried were all for types of treats I had never made before, never, not even assisted someone making.All three turned out excellent and were eaten up very quickly by family and friends.

While I agree with one other reviewer that the ending of the company's story is somewhat sad it reflects a business and cultural reality where making money can easily overshadow true passion. Scharffenberger and Steinberg don't lie to us so I can't take off any stars for them telling us like it is.Heroes, villains, or merely businessmen their story is honest and gets a thumbs up from me.

Chocolate Loving Cook's Dream
It seems that so much of what I make involves chocolate in one way or another so I was very excited to stumble upon this book.However, I also couldn't help but be skeptical.With so many cookbooks devoted solely to chocolate would this cookbook be worth a purchase?The answer was a resounding yes.

What makes this cookbook stand out from so many other chocolate-focused cookbooks on the market is the sheer variety of recipes.Inside you'll find not just classic recipes like rolled truffles, fudge, and simple chocolate cake, but also more unexpected recipes like a chocolate-laced BBQ sauce, homemade chocolate liqueur, and a salad that calles for cacao nibs as a garnish.The result is a cookbook that not only covers the basic chocolate recipes a cook would want to have in his or her repetoire, but also unsual ones for the more daring.Thus, even if you already have a good collection of baking books on hand this cookbook serves as a great supplement.I have also been impressed with everything I have made.The BBQ sauce solicited rave reviews and the salad with cacao nibs and chocolate liqueur were also heavenly.I also consider these dishes to be the beginning for me, there were so many dishes that sounded and looked appealing that quite a few have landed on my "to make" list.

In addition to being a great cookbook, Essence of Chocolate also includes quite a bit of history about the production of chocolate, techniques, and the story of their company.To be honest, I was least interested in the story of their company, but those who are fans of the chocolate brand may find this interesting.
Overall this is a very solid cookbook.I thought I would find only one or two recipes that differed from the books already in my collection, but instead found a wealth of gems I haven't come across elsewhere.Highly recommended.

One for the Collection
If you're buying books on chocolate, this one should be in your collection.
Lovely

Memoirs with a bitter ending, nice recipes...
I would like to rate the book separating the story from the recipes and the artwork. The story is just amazing, how John and Robert started Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker from nothing an how they learned about chocolate.It just leaves you with a really bitter aftertaste when you learn they sold their factory to a huge company that never specialized in fine chocolates. Sad.
As far as the recipes, there is a mix: some very simple and some very sophisticated. The good thing is that, because of the way they are presented, you don't need to be a pastry chef to be able to make them. It's one of those books that make you want to cook, it doesn't scare you.The photos are impressive.

Memoir: minus two stars. Reason: too disappointing they sold it, it just doesn't fit the story, such hard work, why selling it? To Hersheys!!! Unforgivable.

Recipes: 4 stars. Reason: some of them are confusing when it comes to ingredients, and the "Dulce de leche" one is SO sad it's even insulting. They could have done a better job at researching how to make good "Dulce de leche", it is not too hard. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Fantastic!
I borrowed this from the library but now I want to buy it! I made the port wine soaked cherry brownies for a friends' birthday and they are the best brownies I've ever had. Highly recommend this book.

My favorite chocolate cookbook!
Absolutely Chocolate is filled to the brim with cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, puddings, mousses, ice creams, candies, sauces, and more. There's the usual section at the front about chocolate, but I have to say it's better than most. For example, there's an incredibly useful sidebar on the cocoa content of your chocolate, how it will affect your recipes, and how to alter your recipes if you're going to use chocolates with unusually high cocoa contents. There's also an extended section on the difference between using cocoa and chocolate in cooking.

I've tried a handful of chocolate cookbooks, and this is one of the ones I'd recommend most highly. While the "Death by Chocolate" series is great for folks who enjoy serious kitchen time and complicated recipes, Absolutely Chocolate has plenty of simpler recipes as well. The results are amazing and impressive, and there's a fantastic array of recipes to choose from. There's a limited number of photographs (there certainly isn't one for every recipe), but they're gorgeous and evocative. Recipes are clear and well-ordered, and often include extended sections of tips and instructions to help you out (such as tips for a perfect pots de creme). The cookbook is large, hard-backed, with glossy pages, so it should stay open fairly easily and stand up to much use.


[NOTE: review book provided by publisher]

Absolutely Delicious!
I checked this book out of the library, and just had to have my own copy. So far, I've only made the first Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, and it was absolutely wonderful, and quite easy to put together. My son-in-law even said the cookies were good enough to sell.
One thing I really like is that most of the ingredients are readily available, not strange esoteric things like in some other cookbooks. I intend to try as many of them as I can.

Packed with invaluable information on how chocolate is made, what's the right pick to suit baking needs, and more
ABSOLUTELY CHOCOLATE: IRRESISTIBLE EXCUSES TO INDULGE is packed with invaluable information on how chocolate is made, what's the right pick to suit baking needs, and more. This information pairs well with over 125 recipes for all things chocolate, from layer cakes to pies and cookies, making for a photo-filled recipe and reference handbook for all general lending libraries strong in desserts.

It Inspires Me!
Oh my goodness! I'm so excited about this beautiful cookbook! If you are a chocoholic and love divine chocolate desserts, you will love this book as much as I do. There are 55 full-color photographs throughout, along with 125 mouth-watering, company-perfect, holiday-delicious recipes. The book offers recipes like: Chocolate Chunk Scones; Brownie Cream Cheese Bites; Chocolate Orange Biscotti; Chocolate-espresso Mousse Torte; Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes; Fastest Fudge Cake with Ganache Drizzle; and soooo much more. This is a big, beautiful cookbook that inspires me to make lots of wonderful treats. (My family is going to love me!) It would also make a nice holiday gift for a home baker.
... Read more

Product Description
Everything there is to know about chocolate and coffee. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wow!
The best way to describe this cookbook is as an "ALL-IN-ONE, COMPREHENSIVE, COMPLETE REFERENCE GUIDE WITH HISTORICAL STORIES & DETAILED COLORFUL PICTURES THAT ACCOMPANY EVERY SINGLE DELECTABLE RECIPE THAT IS COMPRISED OF ALL THINGS RELATED TO COOKING WITH CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE"!!!

This book is actually 2 books in one.The first section is specifically catered to chocolate - the origins of chocolate, types of chocolate, historical facts & figures along with LOADS of recipes (candies, truffles, cakes, etc.).Then you dive into the second portion of the book with just as much information about coffee (beans, different coffee recipes, how to savor, etc.).

I mean, the author really did her research on this and seems as if she pretty much dedicated her entire life to teaching on these two favorite foods.Even if you never try a single recipe, buy the book for it's vast amount of information alone. ... Read more

Product Description
The possibilities of chocolate as an ingredient are endless. Not just for dessert, it can be used to season meat and poultry, as well as sweetened and served in decadent cakes, sweet confectionaries, creamy ice cream, or hot and cold drinks. It can be melted, baked, whipped, and frothed, and it can be combined with a variety of other ingredients to create a multitude of different tastes. COOKING WITH CHOCOLATE offers more than seventy recipes for mouthwatering entrees, desserts, and drinks featuring chocolate. Easy step-by-step instructions and enticing photographs throughout add to the joy of cooking with one of the most versatile and beloved foods in the world.

Make delicious dishes including:
• Steak in Chili and Chocolate Sauce
• Roast Pork Ribs in Chocolate Rum Sauce
• Banana Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Rugelach
• Chocolate Creme Brulee
• Coconut Chocolate Milkshake
• Cioccolata (Italian Hot Chocolate)
• Bittersweet Chocolate and Espresso Truffles

This cookbook is a chocolate-lover's dream come true. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Cooking with Chocolate..
I only received this cook book shortly before Christmas so my review is brief..but I was able to try some of the recipes and they came out very good..
also I would like to mention that as I use pure organic chocolate [cacao] you cannot believe how wonderful all the chocolate recipes taste in general..
I just wanted some additional chocolate cook books so that I could expand..
[ and the chocolate powder replaces cocoa powder]
Give the organic pure chocolate powder a try. .
I order from Amazon... and it lasts for the longest time.. ..
you will never want to use cocoa powder again..
[ I also use organic dark chocolate to cook with too ] !!!
for a special treat this is more than special !!!
... Read more

Product Description

The My Cooking Class Series takes a refreshing approach to learning the art of home cooking. The recipes are presented in complete visual sequences from start to finish, and every ingredient and every step is shown from above in full color so it's as true to life as possible -- just like a real cooking course. Written instructions accompany each recipe, and specialized tasks, such as making homemade pasta, are clearly demonstrated. Variations, notes and glossaries are welcome additions to each "class."

My Cooking Class replicates a professional cooking course and will transform how home cooks learn to prepare dishes and meals. Every ingredient, pot, pan and tool is shown, not just described, making this new visual cookbook format deliciously simple.

Home cooks will have more fun baking with chocolate when they use this highly visual cookbook. Chocolate Basics makes cooking with chocolate easy, and the results are consistently tasty too. The pictorial format of each recipe takes the mystery out of working with chocolate for beginners.

The book covers:

• Basic creams, ganaches and mousses

• Fondants and other soft chocolates

• Cakes

• Chic chocolates, including truffles and squares

• Special dessert mousses

• Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside

• Childhood favorites, like lollipops, dipped candies on a stick and cookies

Product Description

Product Description
This comprehensive and inspirational cookbook caters to the chocoholic in all of us.Chapters cover cakes, small cakes and cookies, hot desserts, cold desserts, and candies and cookies. Balances exciting new ingredients and recipes with a wide selection of traditional favorites.Includes 120 easy-to-follow recipes, each illustrated with full-page color photographs.The What's Cooking series also includes: Baking, Barbecue, Chicken, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Low Fat, Pasta, and Vegetarian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great
I agree with the other review - wonderful book - also love Bellefontaine's Cookies Galore - absolutely one of the best cookie cookbooks I have (and I have over 400 cookbooks).

The best chocolate cookbook
I can't remember the last time I picked up a cookbook and wanted to try each and every recipe in it. This book has a wonderful photo of every recipe and has easy to follow, brief instructions. What is really helpfulis that it illustrates the step in each recipe that needs an additionalexplanation.These desserts are all ones to be proud of serving and yetthey are easy to prepare. ... Read more

Product Description
This compendium is packed full with 500 recipes for mouth-watering chocolate delights. Accompanied by more than 100 full-colorphotographs, the book is filled with ideas for every kind of snack, sweet treat, dessert, or cake for every occasion. Packed with suggestions and tips to ensure easy, fuss-free entertaining, 500 Chocolate Delights is the only book on cooking and baking with chocolate that you will ever need, and one you will want to turn to time and time again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

For those who like variety in desserts this is a must have.
The 500 Chocolate Delights provides 125 recipes for a variety of cookies, cakes and other chocolaty things from everyday use to special occasions.Each of the 125 recipes has four minor variations that tweak the item into a different version by adding a new flavor profile. Overall it is an average cookbook but for those who are skilled in baking like my wife it provides base recipes that can then be used to make their own variations while using this as a widespread springboard and because the recipes are chosen for easy variations they lend themselves to creating your own as well.We have only found a few recipes to be a little vague on the directions but overall have not had too many problems with this book.Overall well recommended for those that are looking for a lot of cookie recipes that can be built on.

As a note for those who are frequent buyers of the 500 series this one does repeat several things from the cookies, cupcakes and cakes books so not as much new comes out of it but still some good ideas.

A review from México
I like the recipes in it and the different variations for them. All recipes are made from scratch and this is something I look for in a recipe book, easy to follow instructionsand the best of all it has a lot of pictures.It's a good selection for someone who likes chocolate. ... Read more

Product Description
Cacao importer and chocolate expert Maricel Presilla takes chocoholics to new territory—to the almost primeval plantations of Latin America, where the world’s first, and today’s finest, cacaos are grown. Presilla, who is at the forefront of the revolution in fine chocolate making, explains that the flavor and quality of chocolate depend on the complex genetic profiles of different cacao strains and on cacao farmers carrying out careful, rigorous harvesting and fermentation practices. With 25 recipes from internationally known pastry chefs and chocolatiers like Pierre Hermé and Elizabeth Faulkner, and directions for making chocolate at home, THE NEW TASTE OF CHOCOLATE elevates our taste for this food of the gods to a whole new level.Amazon.com Review
The first time Maricel Presilla tasted cocoa from her grandmother's farm in eastern Cuba, she expected the papaya-looking fruit to be full of Hershey kisses. Instead she saw lumpy, tan-colored seeds in a sticky, sweet-tart ivory pulp that reminded her of lychees, and it didn't even smell like chocolate. In The New Taste of Chocolate, Presilla follows the life of a cocoa pod from a sapling through harvest, fermentation, roasting, and production to arrive at what we all recognize as chocolate. Formally trained in cultural anthropology, Presilla relates the history of chocolate from even before the Aztecs. With attention to detail, she gives an overview of cocoa plantations and their farming practices and the different strains of true cocoa, Theobroma cacao. About two dozen unusual, interesting recipes follow, each by a different chef or pastry chef. Wayne Brachman's Pecan-Guaranda Chocolate Tart with Mango and Papaya reminds us of cocoa's tropical roots, while Pierre Hermé's Chocolate Croquettes with Coconut, Pistachio, and Pearl Tapioca Sauce are pure elegance. You'll never look at chocolate the same way again. --Leora Y. Bloom ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Inspirational
This is the book that inspired me to delve further into the world of chocolatology. It was instrumental in teaching me the basics and left me with a desire to learn more. It was the first step in my journey to becoming an award winning chocolatier.

Coffee table book that also has true substance
_The New Taste of Chocolate_ has the beautiful pictures of a coffee table book, but it has a lot of academic substance and a lot of value to the reader.

The main chapters are:
- Growing Up with Cacao
- A Natural and Cultural History of Chocolate
- From Cacao to Chocolate
- Identifying Cacao
- Tasting Chocolate
- Recipes

There is also a glossary, and a list of companies to order fine chocolate from.

For a beginner like myself, who loved chocolate but hadn't progressed much beyond Hershey's with Almonds when I read the book, _The New Taste of Chocolate_ was very educational.It explained the path from cacao bean to chocolate bar, and it also explained the difference between dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate.It explained how cocoa powder comes from chocolate, why chocolate is so difficult to make candy with if you don't know what you're doing, and why fancier recipes will sometimes specify chocolate manufacturer and cacao percentage.

It was also quite interesting to read about the guidelines for tasting chocolate.The discussion about criollo, forastero, and trinitario cacao plants was very fascinating from a scientific standpoint.I later found that what is true for cacao trees is true for many other types of plants (including wheat): the plants that make the tastiest & highest quality edible parts are also the least productive and most delicate, so growers & breeders have to choose whether to grow something that will almost certainly produce a less-desired but still profitable crop, or to grow something that has an uncertain yield but is highly profitable should the plant actually produce anything.

The recipes were also interesting.After reading this book, I became more adventurous in my chocolate-tasting and started trying some of the European imports I see in the local grocery stores.My only regret is I am now knowledgeable enough and my tastes are spoiled enough that M&Ms and Hersheys with Almonds seem pretty bland.

Riveting reading for the chocolate lover
For anyone with more than a passing interest in chocolate and it's origins, this is an absolutely riveting read - packed with information and astonishing anecdotes.

The Story of Chocolate
The first chapter is a view of chocolate from both a historical and botanical perspective.The next chapter traces the complete life cycle of chocolate, from seedling, to mature tree, fruit, harvest, drying, fermentation, shipment, factory processing, and transformation into chocolate bars.The third chapter concentrates on the diversity of different cacao tree varieties, from criollo, to forasteros, to trinitarios.The last chapter is a collection of recipes that were developed for specified brands of chocolate.

The main strength of this book is that it teaches the chocolate lover that it really does matter about the cacao beans, just as it matters with coffee beans or wine grapes.Where was it grown? What variety is it? How was the fermentation and drying handled? Was it shipped properly? What types of beans were blended? What does the final product taste like? Is it high quality or just another mass-produced blend?

The flavor of chocolate varies all over the place, and one must know about the cacao beans it was produced from.This book makes a strong case for the opinion that if the consumer does not demand better quality chocolate, the great producers of the world will not give it to them. I learned that the expensive "boutique" brands of chocolate (E Guittard and Scharffenberger to name only 2 local such companies) really are worth the extra money.If nothing else, this book should raise the awareness of the chocoholic of the quality of the chocolate.The good news is that the chocolate companies really are capable of producing superior quality chocolate if the consumer demands it.

On the whole, this book is a mixed lot.It will inspire you to try all of the new, expensive "boutique" brands of chocolates.The recipes are intriguing in concept, but rather ordinary; only a couple of the Mexican-inspired hot chocolates are of interest.The most important part of this book is the list of resources listed in the back where you can learn about and buy all these chocolates.Also listed are books, classes, and websites that are very valuable sources of information.

On the other hand, once you finish reading the book, it will then become just another coffee table book. You will not be tempted to open this book again, except maybe to get that special website for that special brand of chocolate that you cannot find in the grocery store.

A Really Nice Book
I have read a lot of chocolate books, but this one took my breath away.Beautifully written.The author's love of cacao shows through on every page.Great pictures. Very informative. ... Read more

Product Description
Dramatic, seductive, playful, infinite in its variety, otherworldly in its taste: It's chocolate, and here's all the impetus you need to indulge your passion for it every day of the year. The beloved Alice Medrich, renowned for impeccable recipes that produce stellar results, has written Chocolate Holidays especially for people who love to bake but don't have enough hours in the day. Without compromising on flavor, texture, or ingredients, she pares down the preparation steps, teaches us resraint, and comes up with fifty amazing recipes, each a little jewel of elegance and simplicty.

An ideal year in chocolate might start with a New Year's brunch starring Chocolate Blini with Berry Caviar. Then there are Valentine's Day chocolate scones and St. Patrick's Day Irish Coffee Chocolate Mousse. And of course any "holiday" your imagination can conjure up is a perfect reason to indulge: perhaps a decadently rich hot chocolate served in demitasse portions to exorcise those end-of-February blues.

Spring might whisper chocolate Giant Krispy Easter Treats or a Passover Chocolate Nut Sponge Torte, or white chocolate-glazed Apricot Orange Cupcakes for a wedding shower. Summer suggests fruit and ice cream desserts such as the Independence Day red, white, and blue sundaes, followed by autumn's pies and tarts laden with chocolate and nuts. And no matter what you've been putting on the table for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays past, it will be out-chocolated by Alice's Chocolate Cranberry Pudding and her Chocolate Hazelnut Roulade—both unequivocally year-end musts.

In Chocolate Holidays, Medrich unlocks the secrets of our favorite sweet, offering chocolate desserts for every season, for every reason.

First published in hardcover as A Year in Chocolate (Warner Books, 2001) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Ummmm
I love chocolate. And now I love Alice Medrich.
As soon as I read that she was the Queen of Chocolate, I had to put her to the test. I checked this book out from my local library and made very recipe from cover to cover.
Yes, EVERY RECIPE. No, I'm not kidding.
Alice Medrich is the Queen and this book is her court. Buy it. You will never regret it.
Finally, someone found a way to encourage the eating of chocolate all year long. Let's celebrate with a slice of Chocolate Poundcake.

love it!
I have yet to make all of the recipes in this book, but the ones I have tried have been excellent. The detailed instructions make it almost impossible to mess up, and you end up with beautiful and delicious desserts. I bake a lot, but the recipe for chocolate cake in this book made the best cake that I've ever made (or eaten). The recipes can be a little time consuming, but they are worth the effort.

Chocolate Holidays
The cookbook was purchased as a gift for my sister-in-law.The recipes were not as main stream as I had hoped.Hopefully the recipes will be worth the effort.

The "patron saint of chocoholics" has something for every holiday
author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family

from the Canadian Jewish News, Hanukkah 2007

While Jews of Eastern European descent celebrate Hanukkah with mountains of latkes, Sephardic Jews fry sufganiyot. But for everyone - and every holiday - there's always...chocolate?

Yes, just about everyone's favorite ingredient never goes out of season, claims award-winning author Alice Medrich, whose book "Chocolate Holidays: Unforgettable Desserts for Every Season" (Artisan) offers 50 luscious, decadent recipes to crown every holiday and celebration.

"I wanted to do a season-to-season book," said Medrich by phone from her Berkley, California, home. "Other ingredients we like to cook with change with the seasons. The constant is chocolate."

Jewish cooks know that Hanukkah is all about the oil. The symbolism goes back to ancient times, when Judah Maccabee and his tiny army defeated the Syrian-Greeks and recaptured Jerusalem. In attempting to rededicate the Temple, they found only enough oil to burn for one day. Miraculously it lasted eight days, and we've been celebrating with a frying frenzy ever since! But who says traditional potato latkes are the only fritter fit to fry?

"Chocolate Banana Blintzes are fried, and Hanukkah is a great excuse to serve them," noted Medrich. "They are just so delicious, a fancy party dessert that's easy to do." Restraint, she said, is sometimes the secret ingredient. "A little burst of chocolate sauce in a hot crepe with bananas is more seductive than a chocolate blintz with chocolate filling," she writes.

Another lesser-known Hanukkah tradition involves the story of Judith, a beautiful Jewish widow, who dined with the enemy general Holofernes. She plied him with cheese to make him thirsty for wine, and when he fell into a drunken stupor, she beheaded him with his own sword. Because her bravery is said to have inspired the Maccabees, some communities remember Judith by eating cheese during this holiday.

A delicious way to honor this unsung legendary heroine is with Honey Drizzled Chocolate Cheese Fritters, a recipe Medrich adapted from one by Marcella Hazan. The ricotta cheese batter with finely chopped chocolate and a hint of orange may be prepared up to two days ahead and fried within two hours of serving. Keep them warm in a 200°F. oven, and drizzle them with maple syrup instead of honey, if you prefer.

Hanukkah wouldn't be Hanukkah without latkes, but grandma never dreamed of pancakes like this: Chocolate Latkes, with not a potato in sight. Heaps of chocolate and coconut combine to produce a crunchy, yet chewy cookie with a soft, almost brownie-like interior. Fill an edible chocolate-coated pretzel basket with the latkes for an eye-catching centerpiece. Smaller baskets can even hold chocolate Hanukkah gelt, coins traditionally given to the children on the holiday.

Medrich, whom the San Francisco Chronicle once dubbed the "patron saint of chocoholics," was the founder of Cocolat, the legendary and innovative Bay Area pastry company that revolutionized chocolate making from the mid 1970's to the early `90's.

"Chocolate Holidays," a revised edition of the previously published "A Year in Chocolate," includes an extended section on ingredients, equipment and decorating ideas as well as "chocolate notes," taking the guesswork out of selecting among chocolate varieties.

"All the changes and updating of chocolate make it more interesting to work with," noted Medrich. "There are different blends of beans that now engage us."

Whether she's brewing a simple hot chocolate or spinning sugar for chocolate cream puffs, this master teacher encourages rather than intimidates with clear, precise instructions. The most important tip for a beginner in working with chocolate, she advises, is what the French call mise en place, setting out and preparing all the ingredients in advance.

"Baking is meditative. There's a sequence of things that you do. It's not free-form like cooking. Once you measure and prepare everything in advance, you dance through the steps. There's a sense of discipline about it, the familiarity of doing a favorite recipe. It's a pleasing ritual."

Medrich is passionate about chocolate year-round and claims to eat it every day. "I'm certain there are health properties in chocolate," she noted, "but it shouldn't be an invitation to gobble down a lot of candy or desserts with extra sugar, cream and fat. Enjoy the good stuff, and don't eat too much of it."

No matter the holiday or season, chocolate's seductive powers to comfort and astound are almost universal.

"Of all the special, quote, unquote, gourmet foods, chocolate is one of the only ones we have all loved since childhood," Medrich observed. "It's not an acquired taste. Maybe we liked milk chocolate and have grown to like bittersweet, but it's always been there for us. It's not intimidating. We didn't have to learn to like it, like coffee, wine or caviar."

good for gourmets
This cookbook is a fun, neat cookbook - especially for those looking for recipes to bake for Jewish holidays.However, this book is certainly not for the amateur baker.Even if you are a chocoholic, like me, don't buy this book as your first cookbook. ... Read more

Product Description
No one knows chocolate like Marcel Desaulniers, whose bestselling, award-winning books have made his name synonymous with luscious chocolate desserts. Now Desaulniers has created the ultimate holiday baking book for chocolate lovers everywhere, packed with full-color photography. The 72 chocolate treats and desserts you’ll find inside are guaranteed to draw oohs and ahhs from your family and friends, and many are also straightforward to make—which means you’ll have time to enjoy Christmas, too! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Product Detail
It is a good book in good condition as described. The book, however, does not have pictures for all recipes.

I'm having a chocolate nightmare!
I was very disappointed with this book, especially with the chocolate toffee recipe.The recipe directs you to cook the ingredients to 360 degrees, I new better than to cook it that long but I still followed the directions, and ended up with very burnt flavored candy

Happy Holidays, Marcel
Marcel Desaulniers has created a holiday wonderland of recipes that will excite and tintilate.The end results are delicious and of course, crowd pleasers.This is a must for your Marcel Desaulniers collection.You will love the directions that you are taken on your holiday sliegh ride through this wonderful cookbook.

Chocolate Elegance!
This chocolate cookbook promises beautiful chocolate creations that
actually come out looking like the photos---even if you're an amateur
like me! Highly recommended~ I have to get his other cookbooks next!

Extravagant.
I had requested Death by Chocolate for mothers day and was surprised to also receive I'm Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas.I'm finding I use Chocolate Christmas even more then the requested book.

Many of the recipes are very straight forward.I never have to hunt down an out of the ordinary ingredient.The results are always fantastic.I'm finding I make these when I'm truly trying to impress.The end results are always decedent, and extravagant.Great way to knock peoples socks off.

The recipes also seem to allow for creativity to give it your own flair.

I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Forget everything you ever learned about making and baking chocolate desserts.Using Andrew Schloss and Ken Bookman's time-saving one-pot method, all you need are a pot, a spoon, and a pan to make these fifty delicious chocolate desserts.Gone are the electric mixer, the arsenal of bowls and utensils, the sifting of dry ingredients, and the separating of eggs.Instead, mix all the ingredients in one pot andpour the batter into a pan.That's it.Every layer cake, brownie, tart, and mousse is ready to pop into the oven in less than ten minutes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

small but mighty
my sister-in-law, silly girl, actually gave this to me when she was cleaning out her cookbook collection. "I never use it," she said.

ha! she never knew what she was missing: i LOVE this little cookbook.

there are only 50 recipes, but all the ones i have tried are exceptional. not just good... exceptional. my kids beg for the chocolate chip marble coffee cake. and the black and white almond ring: it's amazing. chocolate pate??!! in one pot??!! last year i made the almond ring for a school function and i had people begging me for the recipe.

so there are only 50 recipes.. if i have 50 easy, wonderful, CHOCOLATE recipes that take little time, prep, and are delicious i think that is well worth it. if you love to bake, and chocolate, you should have this book.

One-Pot Chocolate Desserts
The book is great the way it simplifies recipes. I look forward to making a lot of the recipes for my family and friends.

So easy, so scrumptious
I remember working in a bookstore and trying to find a great, simple book that had a great, simple chocolate cake recipe in it.Well, I found it...and let me tell you that the double layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting I made is still the best baked good I have made.It used so few ingredients, and people were raving forever.Buy it.If you like making chocolate desserts and like 'em easy and yummy, you can't go wrong.

All it's promised to be...
Yes, this book is all the writer promises it to be. Simple-as-can-berecipes, that turn out to be the best cakes, cookies and desserts anychocolate lover could ask for. This book lack pictures, and isn't as fancyas other cook books, but the writer fills the pictures place with friendlyhelpful remarks and descriptive names (like "Down and DirtyHot FudgeSauce"). I have several chocolate cook books, but for a quick,choclate dessert or treat, I open up this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

An Enlightened review
This is an article originally published in the Ottumwa (Iowa) Courier Feb. 17, 2010.

By JEFF HUTTON
Courier Associate Editor
If Camilla Saulsbury had her way, chocolate would be listed as its own food group.
But since it's not, she has found a way to incorporate the dark, rich goodness of chocolate into sweet and savory recipes that are decadently light and easy to make.
In her new cookbook, "Enlightened Chocolate," Saulsbury has created more than 200 recipes from cakes and cheesecakes to salads, sauces and roasts. All involve the use of dark chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder -- lighter and healthier alternatives than traditional chocolate and processed cocoa powder.
"I love chocolate," Saulsbury said during an interview with the Courier from her home in Texas. "And it's good for your health, too."
Saulsbury says our obsession for chocolate is grounded in science. Researchers have long pointed to the fact that chocolate makes one feel better. And the antioxidants that dark chocolate provides is evidence of the health benefits.
And so it made sense to Saulsbury that she should not just focus on sweets and desserts. Chocolate can be incorporated into all sorts of dishes -- from breakfast to dinner.
"There really is a very long and rich history of using chocolate in savory dishes," she said.
Chocolate is used as a flavoring agent in many rubs and sauces. Saulsbury's grilled pork kebabs with Cuban cocoa-rum glaze is just one example of using cocoa powder in a savory dish.
"I realized I could use [chocolate] is spicy [and savory] cuisine ... that was really fun ..." she said.
Saulsbury said the cookbook is the result of trying new ideas with healthier versions of chocolate. She's hopeful readers will do the same in their kitchens.
"I hope that after they use the cookbook, [readers] will find a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder and start paying with it; incorporate chocolate into their recipes," she said. "You can have your chocolate every day and not feel guilty about it."

Absolutely a beautiful book!
I bought this book to incorporate healthier options of eating foods that were decadent in flavor and had good for you ingredients. This book does not disappoint! Whether you're looking for yummy treats or flavorful dinner meals, this book is a must! Who knew all the ways you could use chocolate and get spectacular results!

An Amazing Gem of a Book
I'm thrilled with this book. Got this as part of a corporate gift basket filled with high-end chocolate & cocoa powder, agave nectar, and other sweet, yet better-for-you luxury treats. But this is a great, useable book--high-end and everyday type recipes, yet all very easy, with readily available products from the average grocery store. I am now officially addicted to the recipe for chocolate yogurt (unsweetened cocoa powder, plain yogurt, vanilla, honey, although I use agave nectar, topped with berries). And my husband thought the Cuban pork kebabs were one of the best things he has ever eaten--and he loves great food.

Not all that thrilled
I love dark chocolate and thought this would be a source of enjoyable and healthful recipes after reading all of the reviews - but I actually didn't find the recipes all that interesting.I tried a couple of them once, but after about a week I lost all interest in the book. It's now a dust catcher instead of a recipe treasure.

Not good for low glycemic eaters
I bought this book because it got great reviews, contained a wide range of recipes and used only dark chocolate.You can reduce calories and fat grams in chocolate recipes without using lots of 'lite' ingredients. However, in this book low-fat and non-fat products are used extensively, including egg substitute.Even for an experienced baker it is difficult to judge how to rework the recipes for non-reduced products.For someone who eats low-glycemic, this is not a good cookbook.Also, the author insists on using non-Dutch processed cocoa whereas Cooks Illustrated feels that dutched cocoa gives better flavor.So now I have a box of each.Warning - do not substitute!it messes up the leavening. ... Read more

Product Description
Our unique, kid-friendly Smart About series continues with something for your sweet tooth! Smart About Chocolate is "chock-full" of fun facts about the history of chocolate, from the Mayans to Milton Hershey! Kids will learn how chocolate comes from beans of the rain forest's cacao trees and how candymakers in England and Switzerland first produced the chocolate we know and love today. Includes recipes and recommendations of classic books about chocolate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Informationally sweet
Written in a nonlinear, post-modern style, the book, CHOCOLATE; A SWEET HISTORY, is both interesting and fun.The author's choice to impart a wealth of information in the style of a young boy's school report makes the book entertaining.The amount of information contained within the pages is impressive.It includes a chronological history of chocolate, present-day manufacturing of a Hershey's bar, the benefits of eating chocolate and recipes for chocolate treats.Although the book is written in a simplistic style, the information in the book is comprehensive and advanced (including the name of the chemical, phenylethylamine, which causes the happy feeling people experience when eating chocolate).The pictures are interesting, colorful and fun with most being drawn in a cartoon style with balloons to provide the text.Other pictures seem as though they were taken during a family trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania.Children from elementary school through high school will find this book informative and entertaining, however it is truly geared toward elementary students.

Something Truly Bitter-Sweet.
SMART ABOUT CHOCOLATE: A SWEET HISTORY is one of the SMART ABOUT series of children's books. These books are written and designed to inform students about a wide variety of topics that they probably have some interest in, but don't know much about. The books are written in the form of an essay that a "student" writes for a school report.CHOCOLATE: A SWEET HISTORY is filled with all kinds of photographs and illustrations that complement the information it contains. The book gives a history of chocolate and how it was first used, how it has changed moving from one continent to the next, and how it is produced. The book is only 30 pages long but is very informative. For instance, I learned from reading this book that the scientific name fro the cacao tree is theobroma cacao which literally means "food of the goods". I also learned that most of the worlds cacao beans are imported from Africa and that the Aztecs found cacao beans so valuable that they eventually started using them as money. The book is very colorful and has plenty of illustrations to catch even the most disengaged of young readers attention. Towards the end of the book a recipe for making chocolate yum-yums appears. The final page of the book is a sort of bibliography that lists a few other titles that student might be interesting in reading if they like chocolate. Overal, a tasty bit of reading. ... Read more

Product Description
Chocolate milk, chocolate fudge, chocolate frosting on chocolate cake. Children love chocolate, and this book, filled with fun facts, introduces them to the flavor's exotic story. It begins in the rainforests of South America with the bitter seeds of a strange tree. The Aztecs served their human sacrifices chocolate mixed with blood. Conquistadors sent chocolate home to Spain where, sweetened with sugar, it became the rage among aristocrats. But not until 1847 was the first solid chocolate candy made, and only in the past century has the sacred treasure of ancient kings become the popular treat of millions.

Profusely illustrated and meticulously researched, Chocolate accompanies a major exhibition that travels from Chicago's Field Museum to 10 other sites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Pure Mayan Gold
Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest is one of the most attractive books I've come across in some while.This is far more than a picture book though.Chock full of chocolate history, kids of nearly any age will find this book enticing.

Very Educational and Enjoyable
I'd like to first point out that I gave this book 5 stars.Second...Amazon is selling this book at only $3.39 at this writing.This is a REALLY good deal and I'm going to buy the book.Now for my review:

I saw this book on display in the children's section of my local library.It has a very appealing cover to it and the word "Chocolate" written in it's title so...I HAD to check it out.

When I brought it home I thought it would be way to advanced for my 5 year old to be interested in but I wanted to read it myself. It is written for children maybe twice her age but she was VERY interested in the history of her favorite food and remained attentive to the whole book.

There were words and situations I had to give her a background on--such as what an African slave was/is.Unfortuneatly, slaves are still sometimes used in the production of chocolate to this day according to the author Robert Burleigh.

We loved the looks of this book...the lay-out, the yummy chocolate colors, photos, and illustrations are very eye appealing.

We now know a lot about the rainforest cacao (ca-COW) trees, the pods,the seeds and the complicated process that it goes through to become the chocolate we so love.Good thing we live in today's world.We also learned of chocolate's ancient infancy which at times was violent. Cacao was once only for royality and the very rich--not for 5 year old chocolate freaks like the one that lives in my home.We learned a lot and we loved this book!

A concise, yet thorough history of a wonderful food.
Most of us carry out an intense love affair with chocolate. To some, it is a fundamental part of our love affair with another human and to a few, it ignites the passion in their life. This book describes the history of chocolate, and like some foods, one wonders how it was first discovered. Until I read this book, I did not realize how chocolate is made. It is derived from the seeds inside the fruit of the tree and requires a great deal of processing before it reaches the form that we love. This was an interesting book to read, well illustrate it is a concise, yet thorough introduction to the history of one of my favorite foods.

Read this one with a Hershey bar!
Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest tells the story of chocolate.The book begins by discussing where chocolate comes from and who discovered it.It goes on to describe how the ancient Maya and Aztecs drank chocolate regularly and offered it to their gods, and how the Spanish added sugar to chocolate to give it the sweet taste.The book also describes how chocolate making has changed over time and how it is made today.In addition, the book includes a glossary of terms used in the book and an author's note about some of the things he learned while writing the book.

I would recommend this book for ages 10 and 11.Children these ages will enjoy learning about the history of chocolate.I do not feel that this book would be appropriate for younger children due to the discussions of human sacrifices and slavery.I would recommend using this book during the summer as part of a fun segment on chocolate.Having chocolate available for the kids to eat would be ideal because it is difficult to get through this book without craving it. The book is filled with wonderful photographs and illustrations.These pictures add to the story by showing children the plant that chocolate comes from and some of the items that the Maya and Aztecs used to make and consume chocolate.There are also step-by-step photographs detailing how chocolate is made today. ... Read more

Product Description
Sexy, rich, and good in bed -- chocolate is the ultimate indulgence. And Luscious Chocolate Desserts is the ultimate chocolate cookbook. Lori Longbotham, author of the best-selling Luscious Lemon Desserts, delivers more than 70 of the best recipes for tantalizing cakes, sumptuous tarts and pies, velvety puddings and souffles, plus melt-in-your-mouth cookies, ice cream, and candy -- all with enough chocolate to satisfy even the deepest craving. Recipes run from simple-to-prepare chocolate pound cake and chocolate mousse pie to more elaborate desserts such as chocolate profiteroles with chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce and the decadent mocha tiramisu. For those who don't know their cocoa from their cacao, this compendium for chocoholics educates readers from bean to bar, including how to choose from the many forms of chocolate available in today's markets, plus the basics of storing, chopping, melting, and -- the best part -- tasting them. Luscious Chocolate Desserts is pure chocolate satisfaction for proud chocolate lovers everywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

fancy and friendly
When you say don't judge a book by the cover or the many pages inside it's a lie especially when it applies to a cookbook full of receipe for chocolates deserts!I am glad I bought it, I am planning on learning to make chocolate souffles and the many other yummy looking chocolate desserts. I highly recommend it. It's a girly cookbook so buy it for your girlfriends and wives!

Ultimate chocolate!
If you like chocolate then you will love this book.I've made several recipes and have loved every one of them.Rich and indulgent are two words to best describe these desserts!

Inculdes the "Original Chocolate Decadence" recipe
Worth the price just for this one recipe, but I have tried others in the book and so far all are excellent. If you have not tasted Narsai's recipe for Decadence, you have not lived.

The ultimate chocolate lover's desert guide
A former food editor for the Gourmet, Lori Longbotham, the author of Luscious Lemon Deserts, delights readers with her next endeavor Luscious Chocolate Deserts. Beginning with a short history of chocolate, ending with a glossary of chocolate terms and explanations, and packed with appetizing chocolate-laden recipes in between, this book is the ultimate chocolate lover's desert guide.

This 144-page book includes high-gloss and high-quality photos of gorgeous chocolate creations to compliment the recipes and information provided. The photographs alone almost make this book a must have, but when the recipes are added to help the reader create these chocolate masterpieces, this book is required reading for chocolate lovers everywhere.

The best appeal to this book is that the recipes offered range all the way from simple, down-home chocolate pudding to the extravagant and decadent delights found only in restaurants. Yet the recipes are provided in easy to follow formats and use ingredients that are not difficult to find at any local supermarket. Then just for fun, Ms. Longbotham throws in such interesting ideas as Grilled Chocolate Stuffed Bananas.

For the chocolate lover, or even for those who just occasionally like to indulge, this recipe book is a great addition to any kitchen, and makes an excellent gift for your chocolate loving friends.

Chocolate Zoom Magazine
[...]

A must for chocolate lovers
Lori Longbotham's two lemon books-Lemon Zest and Luscious Lemon Desserts-are two of my favorite cookbooks. I like chocolate even more than lemon, so I was happy to see that chocolate was the next in her "Luscious" series. She includes great versions of homey desserts like Chocolate Pudding and Chocolatiest Crinkles, but there are also lots of grown-up treats too-like her unusual Nib Nougatine Brownies and the dreamy Chocolate Panna Cotta. Just about all of them are easy to make, and, as always, her instructions are clear enough even for inexperienced bakers. Also, as a special bonus, you can now get a version of this book called "The Chocolate Deck"-very portable, and a great gift for any chocolate lover! ... Read more

Product Description
Dark chocolate lovers will fall head over heels for each of the more than 60 indulgent recipes in Deep Dark Chocolate. Everyday treats include Black Magic Chocolate Espresso Cookies and Crunchy Nut Bittersweet Caramel Barswhile fancy delights like Papa Haydn's Chocolate Gateau and Little Chocolate Cheesecake with Mocha Affogato offer up irresistible decadence. Whether the recipe calls for bittersweet or semisweet chocolatecocoa nibscocoa beansor all of them togethereveryone at the dinner table will be saving room for dessert! With gorgeous chocolate-drenched photographs and a quick primer that reveals the essentials about this highly sought after treat (it's high in healthy antioxidants!)Deep Dark Chocolate keeps the bittersweet-tooth forever satisfied. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A book for chocolate lovers!
I am a chocolate lover and received this book as a gift.It has pictures that make you CRAVE chocolate.The recipes sound wonderful and I can't wait to try them (just not sure which one to make first)!It includes several tips too!Great book!

Dark Chocolate Lover
I just love dark chocolate so much and bought this book from chocolate factory shop with eating free samples of chocolate and, of course, walked out with buying more dark chocolates. Good book for dark chocolate lover. I just ordered one from amazon for my best friend, although she is not really chocolate person. Heyy everybody loves chocolate, she must too and you must too!!! (says who?? Me, since when?? Today) :) ... Read more

Product Description
Nick Malgieri, who taught us everything we need to know about baking in How to Bake, takes on chocolate, the world's favorite food. With the authoritative accessibility he brings to his teaching, Nick bridges the gap between the professional baker and the home cook. He knows techniques and ingredients and he teaches them with hand-holding efficiency. In ten chapters, Nick offers a primer on basics and every kind of chocolate from coca to chips and white chocolate (and why it isn't really chocolate in the strictest sense) to big dark slabs of the world's favorite luxury food and the many, many ways to enjoy it.

Information on storage, handling, and the fundamentals needed to create chocolate confections is clear and concise. Recipe sections include everything you need to know to turn the food of the gods into desserts for us mortals: cakes and cookies, creams and custards, ice creams, pies and pastries, sauces and beverages, truffles and pralines, dipped and molded chocolates, all adapted for the home cook.

Illustrated with four-color photographs throughout, all 380 luscious recipes will send a shiver of delight down the spine of every chocolate lover. Chocolate is definitive without being intimidating; it is a true home companion for anyone who wants to cook with chocolate.

This book is lavish with color photos. The chapter openings, shot withthe artistry of Irving Penn still lifes, are so breathtaking you cantaste them. --Dana Jacobi ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

A must for any serious or not so serious baker
I turn to this book constantly!It has so many excellent recipes in it.If there is one baker who has truly inspired me, whom I would love to meet, it's this guy!!The Chocolate Raspberry Bavarian is a family/friend favorite.Some of the recipes can seem challenging, but with patience, you'll realize how simple they really are.Nick Malgieri isn't one of those bakers who thinks you'll know what went wrong--he anticipates the little 'oops' and gives step-by-step 'how to fix it'.I can't tell you how many times his instructions have saved my recipes.He's a must in any kitchen.

The best chocolate recipes ever
It's not an exaggeration to say that this book changed my life. Really. The recipe for caramels alone is worth the price of the book. Now I have people bugging me for caramels all the time especially around the holidays but I don't mind.
If you love chocolate, buy this book.

Chocaholic Must Have
Its the most expensive book that I've got in by collection, well.. glad to say that I think I used my peso(Philippine Money) wisely coz I haven't regretted this purchase.So far since last christmas season when I first got it, I tried 3 recipes all successful.Its the first time I made brownies where the middle isn't raw which is a good thing, coz that has been my problem ever since.Not any more! The pictures are fantastic but I with there could be more, I mean who gets tired of looking at chocolates? Nobody that I know :)

Chocolate made easy
I bought this book for two reasons: first, I am a chocophile. Second, Malgieri's reputation. I have his book "How to Bake," which is excellent and all the recipes I've tried work. That is one of his fortes. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to plunk down a chunk of money for a cookbook with recipes that don't work. These do.

My one an only criticism is that he's not a chocolate fanatic in the true sense. His information and recipes are good not great. If you want the definitive work on Chocolate by a true connoisseur get "Death by Chocolate" by Marcel Desaulniers...exquisite! Malgeiri's book, however, is good in it's own right and deserves a spot on your book shelf.

Good Book, Not as Great as His Others
I have tried several recipes from this book. All have turned out well or excellent(just by following his detailed recipes), but none have produced to-die-for results. Which is disappointing with a chocolate book. And considering I am a big fan of his other books, this is a double disappointment. I do find his recipes helpful, there are many tips on getting a good result in the intructions, and lots of pictures. The first chapter does a crash course in chocolate, which is limited, but is all one, who does not work in culinary arts, needs to know. The recipes range from cakes, cookies, breads, ice cream, drinks and candies. If you are looking for a good, all-around chocolate book, this one should be considered. ... Read more

Product Description
The world loves chocolate and chances are, with the majority of the population saying their favorite flavor is chocolate, you do too. This enjoyable book will serve to deepen, not only your love, but also your understanding of chocolate.

Some may think that chocolate is simply a treat, something that satisfies a sweet tooth. After reading this truly pleasurable and educational account by two leading nutritionists, you will agree that chocolate is much more than that. You will discover it encompasses a culture, a cuisine, a treatment, and much more!

The authors begin by revealing how to truly savor chocolate. Even the most avid chocolate lovers will pick up tips on how to intensify the full chocolate flavor and expand their sensual experience.

Next, they illustrate how cultures around the world enjoy chocolate, and how chocolate, more than just a flavor, holds a special place in holidays and celebrations globally. While exploring other cultures, they journey to the rainforest and explore the origins of chocolate. They then trace its history through the centuries, from the Maya and Aztec cultures, where the chocolate phenomenon began. Over the ages, this dark, delectable food has been viewed as a gift from the gods, as valuable as gold, a medical treatment for illness, a social indulgence for just the elite, and finally a treat to be enjoyed by everyone.

Today, science has proved what was revealed to ancient civilizations so long ago: chocolate does have healing powers. At the end of the 1990s, the authors were among the first to communicate to the media the exciting news that dark chocolate may enhance health. They helped to launch the first heart healthy chocolate brand for a global chocolate company.

Replete with luscious photography and enticing recipes, this delightful, even mouthwatering, book will bring your appreciation for this gift of Mother Nature to a new level.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A well-rounded discussion no cookbook collection will want to miss
There are numerous chocolate cookbooks on the market - but this one identifies elements of savoring chocolate to gain the full chocolate flavor and explore chocolate experience, supplementing a lively history of chocolate uses and places with insights on world chocolate specialties, science, and even some recipes. It's a well-rounded discussion no cookbook collection will want to miss.

A Mouthwatering Chocolate Adventure
As I was reading this book my mouth wouldn't stop watering.It is a must read for anyone who enjoys chocolate.After reading this book, not only will you be able to tell all your friends interesting facts about the history of chocolate, you will be able to host a chocolate tasting party, make chocolate bath and body products, and create some amazing recipes as well.But the best thing of all, by reviewing the health benefits of chocolate, it gives everyone a reason to eat more of this tasty treat! ... Read more