Product Description
Chocoholics rejoice! If you thought there was only one way to make hot chocolate, then a sublime world awaits. In HOT CHOCOLATE, the first book to come out of the growing trend of haute chocolate consumption, preeminent chocolatiers from around the world contribute more than 60 recipes, including concoctions like Lavender-Pistachio Hot Chocolate; Maple-Whiskey Hot Chocolate Toddy; Nutella Hot Chocolate; Malted Milkball Hot Chocolate; and the famousFrrrozen Hot Chocolate from Manhattan’s Serendipity 3. Food writer Michael Turback suggests adding rosebuds or cayenne, frothing with a Mexican molinillo, or adding dollops of schlagobers (Viennese whipped cream), and includes ingredient and tool resources as well as a fascinating account of the history of liquid chocolates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Delicious
The recipes in this book are amazing. They're so much fun to make and I really enjoy reading about the origins of the recipe. If you're into hot chocolate, I recommend this book.

Not for everyone
I found this book at the Scharfenberger store, and I've made two recipes out of it.If you like your hot chocolate milky and mild, this probably isn't the book for you.Most of the recipes are haute cuisine recipes, which means the chocolate is intense, rich, and nearly pudding-like in consistancy (although it's easy to thin out by adding some milk, if you prefer).

The best part of the book is that it encourages you to play with the flavors in your hot chocolate.Even if you don't have all the ingredients to actually recreate a recipe, with a little bit a knowledge and some experimentation, you can adapt the recipe to your ingredients and palate.

Adventures In Hot Chocolate
If your idea of hot chocolate is the watery stuff from the packets in the grocery store, this book will open up a whole new world for you.If you've experienced a great (usually expensive) cup of hot chocolate, this book has the sercets so you can make it happen at home. This book rocks either way.If you're new to the idea of gourmet hot chocolate, have no fear.Turback does a great job of explaining the ingredients, cooking process and even storage.

There are a number of interesting recipes.They are organized by ancestral hot chocolates (I skipped this chapter), European Classics (my favorite chapter), Modern Variations, Spiked Hot Chocolates (really my favorite chapter, seriously), nostalgic hot chocolates and hot chocolate pairings.I never made it past the European and Spiked chapters.

Here's the deal:this is real hot chocolate.Heavy cream, whole milk, half and half, good quality chocolate -- the whole nine.I've never been to Paris, but I read that the hot chocolate is served in very small cups with a spoon.It really is a dessert. This is a once-a-week treat.Anything more and you are taking your health into your own hands.This book helped me start a new winter ritual -- hot chocolate on Friday nights.It was a nice way to end the week during a particularly bitter Chicago winter.

This little book is a surprising treasure.Make someone's day and get them this book with a bar of good chocolate.

Undrinkable - but you could eat it. Maybe...
We tried the most basic recipe in this book as a special treat over the Christmas holidays. I'm sorry to say, that while we were looking forward to rich cups of chocolate (our first love), we didn't have cups of steaming ganache in mind. Make no mistake, you'd better be really into chocolate to buy this book. We thought we were, but two melted Lindt bars later (that's for 2.5 cups of chocolate), we quickly learned there IS such a thing as too much chocolate.

These recipes must not have been tested.
This cookbook has good ideas in it but it is impossible to get a good cup of hot chocolate from any of these recipes.The proportions are all wrong and when the recipes are followed you end up with thick, hot goo.It is unfortunate but that is the reality of this cookbook.Skip it, I wish I had. ... Read more

Product Description

A tantalizing collection of dessert recipes for true chocolate lovers

Chocolate lovers have more and more ways to get their fix with high-cacao, high-quality chocolate beckoning from grocery shelves all over the country. Intensely Chocolate offers luscious recipes for cakes, brownies, muffins, tarts, cookies, custards, candies, and frozen desserts that will make any chocolate lover drool. Here, you'll find new ideas, and classics even better than you remember them. From bittersweet high-cacao content to chocolates mixed with fruits, nuts, spices, and more-there's almost no limit to what you can do with chocolate. Intensely Chocolate gives you the ideas and guidance to turn this beloved ingredient into splendid desserts.

• 100 recipes cover beloved favorites like Individual Molten Mocha Cakes and exciting new ideas like Chocolate-Passion Fruit Ganache Tart.
• This lushly illustrated book also includes helpful information on available ingredients and how to use them.
• These recipes are perfect for today's high-quality chocolate, but simple preparations put these unforgettable treats within easy reach.

For anyone looking for a new twist on their favorite dessert or creative ideas for using high-quality artisan chocolates, Intensely Chocolate is the essential guide to the world's favorite confection. ... Read more

Product Description
This absorbing narrative follows the craft community of French chocolatiers--members of a tiny group experiencing intensive international competition--as they struggle to ensure the survival of their businesses. Susan J. Terrio moves easily among ethnography, history, theory, and vignette, telling a story that challenges conventional views of craft work, associational forms, and training models in late capitalism. She enters the world of Parisian craft leaders and local artisanal families there and in southwest France to relate how they work and how they confront the representatives and structures of power, from taste makers, CEOs, and advertising executives to the technocrats of Paris and Brussels.
Looking at craft culture and community from a cross-disciplinary perspective, Terrio finds that the chocolatiers affirm their collective identity and their place in the present by commemorating selectively their role in history. In addition to joining a distinguished tradition of American anthropological writing on the role of food, her study of the social production of taste in the invention of vintage, grand cru chocolates lends specificity and weight to theories of consumption by Pierre Bourdieu and others. The book will appeal to anthropologists, cultural studies scholars, and anyone curious about life in contemporary France. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Scholarly account of culture and history of French chocolatiers
At 260 pages long this book seems much longer as it is so crammed with detail. Based on research for a doctoral thesis and centred around chocolatiers in an area of South West France as well as Paris, Terrio had amazing access to the lives and businesses of French chocolatiers. She examines the way in which French chocolatiers have tried to craft a history and tradition for themselves that distinguises their business from other food businesses and from chocolatiers in other countries. That this history is substantially built on myth is fascinating to discover. Terrio also examines, exhaustively, the educational backgrounds of those in the profession and their struggle for respectability in a society that values academic qualifications over practical ones. Further, she looks at the social make up of the profession itself; the sharp divide between social classes in the chocolate business, in particular owners versus employees and new versus old (family) businesses. Additionally, Terrio sheds light on the cultural aspects of teh business that define that men should be the creators of chocolate and women the sellers. If anything the book is too long - the author dissects her subject from every angle and has a tendency to pad out her views. On the lighter side Terrio should win a prize for the most times the word "elide" has ever been mentioned in a book! In summary, quite a dense book, a bit overwritten, but still very readable and absolutely fascinating for anyone interested in chocolate and who really wants to gain a profound insight into the hearts and minds of the creators and purveyors of it in France.

French Chocolate
This book has a lot of great information in it but the author should have made it a "less heady" read. It reads as a doctoral thesis would read, which makes it difficult to tread through when you're just looking for light reading in bed at night or on a Sunday morning over coffee. When authors convert their research to a published book that's intended to appeal to the masses, they need to write using more general language to keep your interest. This isn't intended to "dumb down" the work or the information presented, but instead to just make it more enjoyable to read.

Better Than Chocolate !
Note the title: crafting the culture and history.Yes, crafting the chocolate will obviously enter in.But, we are presented with far richer and more nutrious satisfaction here.We are allowed to penetrate deeply into the French understanding of chocolate and at the same time becoming more and more aware of the significance of the internationalization of food products.I cannot imagine a student of french culture or a student of chocolate not being deeply pleased and satisfied by this study, which seems to have no comparable rival, even within French literature.

A bit of update to the heroic struggles of the French against the EC allowing MGV into french chocolate -- as of 2003, extra vegetative fats may now be added into the chocolates, up to 5% weight.So, check ingredients -- buyers beware ! ... Read more

Product Description
The Great book every chocophile has been waiting for, pastry chef David Lebovitz’s guide is a jam-packed snapshot of the global chocolate picture. In this compact volume, he gives a succinct cacao botany lesson, explains the process of chocolate making, runs through chocolate terminology and types, presents information on health benefits, offers an evaluating and buying primer, profiles the world’s top chocolate makers and chocolatiers (with a whole chapter dedicated to Paris alone!), and shares dozens of little-known factoids in sidebars throughout the book. More than 30 of his favorite chocolate recipes—from Black-Bottom Cupcakes to Homemade Rocky Road Candy, Orange and Rum Chocolate Mousse Cake to Double Chocolate Chip Espresso Cookies—are icing on the cake. His extensive resource section (with websites for international ordering) can bring the world’s best chocolate to every door. A self-avowed chocoholic, Lebovitz nibbles chocolate every day—and with THE GR!EAT BOOK OF CHOCOLATE in hand, he figures the rest of us will too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Fun and Educational
David Lebovitz is very funny. The stories he tells about his experiences are funny with a gem of chocolate wisdom in each one.

Great Recipe
I have made Black-Bottom Cupcakes following the recipe from this book. These cupcakes are great. They are easy to make, not machine needed and ingredients easy to find. Even my friends who do not like chocolate love these cupcakes. They ask me to make it for breakfast.

No nonsense. Just chocolate!
David Lebovitz, how I love thee. Thank you for writing this book! If you want to know about chocolate, look no further. It gives the essentials of chocolate, from how it's grown to where to get it to cooking/baking, in his usual easy to read style. He also includes wonderful scrumptious recipes which pretty much cover the whole spectrum of chocolate goodies. Love, love, love.

Descriptive book
I enjoyed this book.It had a lot of detailed information including website reference as well as a lots of yummy recipes I can't wait to make.

Chocolate facts and info as well as recipes
Excellent book.One of the very few books on chocolate that I own that actually contains lots of info about chocolate.Previously I've only collected recipe books but I have already read this book cover to cover and was delighted with all the information (valuable insights into chocolate manufacture, tasting, etc).The recipes look fantastic - I have yet to try them but I am very impressed by the information presented on chocolate.I wish I had purchased this book years ago before I started making chocolates and chocolate desserts it would have saved lots of time and mistakes. ... Read more

Product Description

The most stylish, approachable, and mouth-watering chocolate cookbook ever, from award-winning chocolatier Fran Bigelow

In 1982, Fran Bigelow proudly opened the doors to Fran’s Chocolates, a boutique storefront styled after European chocolate salons, where she could showcase the pure flavors of the exquisite confections she had spent years perfecting. Chocolate lovers in Seattle immediately beat a path to Madison Street to taste desserts as wonderful as anything in Paris or Belgium. Over the past two decades, Fran Bigelow has grown into a world-class chocolatier, operating two elegant shops that enjoy cult status in Seattle and beyond, by way of her mail-order and Internet business.

Now, in her debut cookbook, Fran reveals the magic behind her addictive creations: how she manipulates a few ingredients—butter, cream, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and nuts—to create sublime textures and highlight pure flavors in her elegant modern desserts. The seventy-five recipes included here range from extravagant celebration cakes and holiday specialties (White Chocolate Torte or Souffléd Chocolate Mocha Roll); to European style fruit and nut tarts (Chocolate Cherry Tart or Milk Chocolate Crème Fraîche Tart), soufflés, cheesecakes (White Chocolate Brie Cheesecake, a Fran specialty), homemade ice creams (Dark Chocolate and Ginger Bombe), and extraordinary renditions of American classics, including brownies, chocolate cookies, the ultimate hot fudge sauce, and a chocolate milkshake that will instantly transport you back to childhood.

Fran also tells you everything you need to know about chocolate, from the different styles of chocolate-making employed in Europe, South America, and the U.S. (and how each result in different flavors), to deciphering labels (which ingredients enhance meltability, for example), and how the amount of cocoa in different brands and styles of chocolate influences the final taste of a dessert.You will learn how to taste a truffle—preferably in two bites—and the language of chocolate “signs,” the squiggles atop candies.Recipes for some of Fran’s award-winning confections are also included here: chocolate cherries and nut clusters; chocolate stuffed fruits; easy cocoa-dusted truffles; and more ambitious dipped truffles featuring liqueurs, coffee, vanilla, and other chocolate-friendly ingredients; and chocolate fondue, a perfect party dessert for children and adults alike.

Whether you are a cocoa connoisseur or devotee of the cacao bean with cravings that won’t quit, Pure Chocolate is a must-have for any chocolate aficionado.

Seattle learned 20 years ago that all it thought it knew about chocolate had to be relearned over and over again with return after return to Fran's. That this fabulous experience has been packed in between two covers and sent home to the diligent cook, well, that's Fran Bigelow right there, sharing all she knows. --Schuyler Ingle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Pretty book
This book is pretty but I have yet to make anything from it. The recipes are too unusual. There doesn't seem to be anything "normal" in the book. I guess I'll have to check again but thus far the book is just a decoration for my bookshelf.

Fabulous chocolate recipes
I'm from Seattle and I'm familiar with Fran's Chocolate's. This book is the quality I expected from such a high quality chocolate shop. If you're a Chocoholic, this book is required reading.

A Great Book From A True Master (Mistress?) of Chocolate
I have a nice collection of cookbooks but as it can get a little "out of hand", I try to limit my new purchases...but: this one was a must and although I have only made the Chocolate Sables so far (they actually developed an even better depth of flavor after a day or two!), just reading this book is worth the price!It helps, of course, that I became familiar with Fran's incredible chocolates when I lived in Portland, OR!I knew her high standards and had faith the cookbook would follow suit.It did!!

Best book ever.
I love to bake and especially with chocolate.This book is worth its weight in Scharffen Berger!Such a good book...generally easy recipes if you are able to be patient, read the recipes thoroughly and follow the instructions to a "T".:)I've made every birthday cake out of this book, hosted several parties featuring the truffles in here, as well as the brownies...ice creams...it's just a fantastic book.I've tried almost all of the recipes and none have fallen short of delicious.

High end indulgence
By the time that I bought the ingredients for one of the recipes I had spent more money than if I had gone to her shop and bought the dessert.Beautiful book with enjoyable details from Fran like her inspirations.Makes a lovely coffee table book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (29)

Missing some basics to launch home experiments
If all you want to do is follow recipes and make the goodies in this book, then this is a good start.But while the author talks about inventing your own flavor combinations, he doesn't give you some basic recipes to alter to give it a try.There are differences in the ganaches you use to make rolled truffles, hand-dipped truffles, and filled centers.He touches on them to some extent, explaining that the cream to chocolate ratios differ.But he doesn't give a simple formula to start from nor does he give you basic dark or milk chocolate recipes for the variants in the ganaches.

A plus to this book was the instructions for tempering chocolate with a microwave.

A big minus was that he recommended freezing ganache slabs for hand-dipped chocolates and then cutting them.Cutting frozen chocolate causes it to shatter, ruining all the effort you expended to that point.Disappointing.

Overall, it's a good intro and gave me things to think about, but there were more answers it could have provided and didn't.

Very Educational.
Full of "OLD SCHOOL" techniques, and recipes. Great for anyone serious about learning about making chocolates. It reminded me of a chef's school book.

Making artisan chocolates
Great book to have at hand when ready to make chocolates. It is easy to follow directions, I like a lot.

Beginner to advanced
This covers the basics all the way through advanced techniques.I'm not advanced yet, but I keep practicing!

A great addition to a chocolatiers book collection
Another great book on chocolates and confections. Contains unqique processes I haven't seen in other chocolate books. Also covers the standard chocolate tempering and dipping techniques. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (19)

Prepare to buy chocolate
I don't generally read books about food: mostly I remember the urge to eat whatever's mentioned rather than the content of the book. Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light, was an exception (although I did end up buying some of the chocolates Rosenblum mentions in the book). It was a light read that discussed everything from cacao plantations to Nutella. There's a bit of snobbery, but that was to be expected.

There were some organizational and balance issues. For instance, Rosenblum jumps from a rather soft discussion of Hershey to potential slavery on cacao plantations in Africa. The book jumped around from topic to topic, rather than moving through the process of making chocolate or discussing chocolate regionally. Also, there were no footnotes or a bibliography, which makes me nervous about how trustworthy all the facts (like the origin of the word chocolate) are.

Overall, a worthwhile introduction to chocolate, but one that should be read with a bit of skepticism.

Properly researched and well written
I'm not one that likes journalists as a rule. But, get a good investigative journalist and get him caught up in a subject as fascinating as chocolate, and you're on to a winner. This is a book that flows as beautifully as melted chocolate in terms of writing style. And yet a lot of research has gone into the book, which gives it depth. In particular, I like the way that Rosenblum has taken the time to visit a very significant proportion of the world's greatest chocolate bar maunufacturers and chocolatiers. This provides the reader with a wonderful insight into what is required to make top quality chocolate as well as what happens when you place commercial aims above that quality. Good chocolate can be made anywhere, and the author explodes the long held myths that only the Belgians and Swiss know anything about chocolate. The section on the UK is a bit thin, but if Rosenblum had been writing this book today he would undoubtedly have marvelled at the magical creations of William Curley (voted Britain's Best Chocolatier in 2007, 2008 and 2009), the Gordon Ramsay of the British chocolate world, or perhaps Paul A. Young, chocolate's Heston Blumenthal. This is an excellent and informative book. My only criticism is that I'm not sure I really needed a whole chapter devoted to Mexican mole, a chicken/turkey dish with a chocolate sauce!

Modern Tales of Chocolate Pleasures
"I tasted a mix of star anise and crushed pink peppercorns infused into semisweet dark ganache. To soften the impact, it was enrobed in 41 percent milk chocolate. For a touch of art, it was topped with a dab of Venezuelan white chocolate. The palette ranges from cardamom and sesame nougat, Provencal lavender, Piedmont hazelnuts, lemon verbena, spring jasmine tea, to honeycomb and barley malt..." ~ pg. 275

If you are looking for a book about the history of chocolate I can highly recommend The True History of Chocolate. "Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light" concerns itself with a more modern exploration of the best chocolates in the world. From the start Mort Rosenblum differentiates between candy and true chocolate. He travels (he lives in Paris) to England, Africa, Switzerland, Belgium, Mexico and America to meet with people who are passionate about every aspect of chocolate production.

Mort Rosenblum seems to prefer French chocolates and shows obvious disdain when discussing the common Hershey bar (tastes like sugared wax), although he still dedicates and entire chapter to the subject. Then there is the issue of allowing palm kernel oil in place of cocoa butter. I have to agree with him about Godiva chocolates not being that good either. I myself fell in love with Valrhona Caraque for making fresh cream truffles at home. He mentions Valrhona quite often throughout the book.

Finally he mentions Leonidas chocolates which I've had the pleasure of tasting more than once in my lifetime. I remember first tasting them in Belgium and then later finding them sold right here at amazon. If you love dark chocolate look for Leonidas Belgian Chocolates: 1 lb Dark Chocolates Assortment - Signature Ballotin.

What I liked most about this book is how the author gets to the heart of the chocolate business, capturing every nuance of production. I have rarely been so riveted while reading a book, especially while he was discussing the realities of cacao farming and while interviewing chefs.

~The Rebecca Review

Not Interesting as a Book
This book would do well to advertise itself as a series of articles about topics and people related to chocolate and chocolate production, but marketed as the story of chocolate it's needlessly boring. The chapters are about the length of an article and don't seem to be interconnected except in subject matter. The first few chapters were very interesting, but around the chapter "The Chocolate Coast" I realized that these were the longest 140-some pages of my life. I would be more interested in the history and lore of chocolate, rather than chapter after chapter of how he followed someone around, was almost denied access to their secrets/factory, and then talking about the different fermentation processes and what the machines look like. He may fare better to talk about wines, because that's how the subject is treated and somehow it just doesn't fit. He becomes haughty about the inferiority of american chocolate, treating his audience as a oenophile would speak to someone who drinks wine coolers. As for the writing, it seems to steer wrecklessly between very dry and excessively nostalgic.

This book would be a winner with people interested chocolate economics, how different people use difference processes, and how chocolate is used in foods around the world. Unfortunately I wasn't looking for any of these things.

loved this book
This book was great to find out the background/history of chocolate and the inside to different "brand" names around the world.Though he skims over some "brands" and doesn't go into much detail on some, I still found it a good read. ... Read more

Product Description
"I left my wedding dress hanging in a tree somewhere in North Dakota. I don't know why that particular tree appealed to me. Perhaps it was because it looked as if it had given up and died years ago and was still standing because it didn't know what else to do..."

In her deliciously funny, heartfelt, and moving debut, Cathy Lamb introduces some of the most wonderfully eccentric women since The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and The Secret Life of Bees, as she explores the many ways we find the road home.

From the moment Julia Bennett leaves her abusive Boston fiancé at the altar and her ugly wedding dress hanging from a tree in South Dakota, she knows she's driving away from the old Julia, but what she's driving toward is as messy and undefined as her own wounded soul. The old Julia dug her way out of a tortured, trailer park childhood with a monster of a mother. The new Julia will be found at her Aunt Lydia's rambling, hundred-year-old farmhouse outside Golden, Oregon.

There, among uppity chickens and toilet bowl planters, Julia is welcomed by an eccentric, warm, and often wise clan of women, including a psychic, a minister's unhappy wife, an abused mother of four, and Aunt Lydia herself--a woman who is as fierce and independent as they come. Meeting once a week for drinks and the baring of souls, it becomes clear that every woman holds secrets that keep her from happiness. But what will it take for them to brave becoming their true selves? For Julia, it's chocolate. All her life, baking has been her therapy and her refuge, a way to heal wounds and make friends. Nobody anywhere makes chocolates as good as Julia's, and now, chocolate just might change her life--and bring her love when she least expects it. But it can't keep her safe. As Julia gradually opens her heart to new life, new friendships, and a new man, the past is catching up to her. And this time, she will not be able to run but will have to face it head on.

Filled with warmth, love, and truth, Julia's Chocolates is an unforgettable novel of hope and healing that explores the hurts we keep deep in our hearts, the love that liberates us, the courage that defines us, and the chocolate that just might take us there. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (88)

Julia's Chocolates very yummy!!!
Our book club read this and everyone loved it!! The author,Cathy Lamb, was even so generous to speak to us via phone the night of our club meeting!We also made our theme for the night "Chocolate". This book covered many subjects from child abuse,domestic abuse,alcoholism to just plain funny stuff that was very appreciated by a female audience!!!I would definitly recommend this book for any club or individual!

Great Book Club Read!
We selected this sensatively written book for our bookclub that includes a variety of personality types. It was perfect for opening up good discussion, dialogue and most of all, LOTS OF LAUGHS. We get through our struggles by keeping our humor. Just like the ladies in the book, we meet on a regular basis and we have all become better individuals and friends through our discussions of books. The characters in Julia's Chocolates were different than a lot of those found in the average "women support group" books. We loved Julia's Chocolates and would recommend it for any bookclub. We look forward to reading our next Cathy Lamb creation!

Hugely enjoyable despite being unbelievable
I finally read this book after three years, and I'm glad I did.I love how the book begins, with Julia throwing her wedding dress into a tree.It's a much fluffier and less beautiful dress than the one on the cover, so it takes a lot of effort for her to finally get the dress to stay in the tree.Then on to her magical life in Oregon.

Bad news first: A lot of reviewers have found the endings too tidy and perfect.The heavens open wide for Julia, her aunt, and their friends, and yes, it's a stretch.Another fairly common complaint is that there are no truly devout Christians in the book.The few likeable Christians are confused about God, while there's a healthy helping of hypocritical self-proclaimed Christians.

Personally, there are two factual issues that get under my skin a bit.Julia's love interest's ability to run a solo family law practice representing legal and financial underdogs, while keeping his practice afloat and paying for a loft in Portland and a brand new two-story craftsman home in the country, would be the raw envy of every lawyer I know if we envied pie in the sky.And Julia's magical chocolate-making abilities are equally implausible.Chocolate is like wine: good chocolate consists of good chocolate.You can't buy a few pounds of Hershey's or Toll House morsels and make world class chocolate.Making exceptional chocolate requires starting with Valrhona, Callebaut, or something similarly rare and expensive, and combining it (for confections) with well-chosen and high quality fillings and garnishes.(I don't make the rules; I would be splendidly happy to wake up in a world where great chocolate is plentiful and cheap.)In light of this, Julia's magic chocolate-making ability is literally unbelievable.

But despite these things, Julia's Chocolates is truly enjoyable reading.It's very cute and very passionate, and if in a few places it takes itself too seriously, it remains lots of fun to read.It's like a beautiful dancer who never stops smiling through her mistakes--you feel for it, and just have to applaud in the end.

Did anyone notice that the billionaire software designer happens to be a mind-reader?That at least made sense!

A Dramatic Madhouse
Since you can read the intro to the story yourself and it's been repeated with just about every review, I won't repeat it and just get down to brass tacks.

I felt the book was beautifully written, in that, technically all the words were spelled correctly and the phrases seemed to fit.What I found trying was the imagination of it all.Don't get me wrong - wild imagination is an awesome thing to have and I wish I had more of it.Given that, let's not pretend that too much imagination is a GOOD thing when writing a book unless the imagination can make sense.I did laugh at a few of the situations.

The story seemed scattered and unbelievable.Yes, Aunt Lydia had some wonderful philosophies on the body and who cares if a group of women get together to explore more than intellectual ideas or, shall I say it? - book reviews.That's not the point.Trying out a new idea or two while trying to work out your issues is ok, too.We've all done it.But how do you deal with all of the abuse, domestic violence, living in fear, being horny, confused, scared, reporting others for mis-treating children, unknown/unexplored philosophies of others, starting a business, extreme anger, cancer, starting a new life/job, being a concerned citizen, her own mother using her, people's childhood being lousy and not handling their OWN issues, being an advocate, reacting every time to another person's physic forebodence, even if it means putting her own life in danger, yet again?

This fantasy was so incredibly pushy even when the male figure (hero?) came into play.The main character was in a dilemma to know herself now she has to work to (again) please yet another story-figure in the book instead of shaking off the past, grabbing her cahones and walking away from everyone's belief system to find her own - even if it means giving up family and friends for it.The story was too scattered and dramatic and not in a good way.The final result of her "finding herself" was good but it took a mad, mad 383-page journey to get there.

Honestly, if I had this story in my heart to write, I'd make it a series so that the minor characters could develop into their own being instead of being an extension of Julia's hectic worries.

It was like looking at an insanely put together quilt.You seriously just don't know where to start looking for the symmetry because your eyes are just too busy trying to grasp all the colors.

Quirky, violent & inspiring - not a light summer read
Overall I liked this book, but certainly see why some have not.It is schlocky & unbelievable in spots, especially seemed hard to believe that she (a college grad, seemingly in touch with reality) didn't know her "Dread Disease" episodes were panic attacks.I'd have liked it more if it was quirkier & less violent, but I did find it to be inspiring.
Reminded me quite a bit of Sarah Allen Addison's "Sugar Queen", I probably like Sugar Queen better.

... Read more

Product Description
This beautiful book features a stunning selection of chocolate celebration cakes to suit any special occasion-from birthdays to balls, weddings to anniversaries, Christmas to christenings. This unique book features over 20 spectacular chocolate cakes from the simple one-tier to the more extravagant five-tier creations and amazing chocolate table centerpieces. Chocolate Cakes for Weddings and Celebrations includes practical information on selecting from the range of dark, milk, and white chocolates, working with chocolate, and storing chocolate cakes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not a Great book for wedding cakes. This book is for a very advance kind of wedding cake maker. Too complex for me
The book was too complex . This book is for a very advance wedding cake maker .
I wish i did not buy this book.
The cakes were for a very advance cake maker.

Too amazing to eat.
This book is beautifully illustrated with stunning cakes for special occasions. The recipes and instructions are easy to follow, although I think you need a lot of practise to make such perfect cakes. Great to look at even if you don't turn the oven on.

spectacular chocoholic's dream!
As an avowed chocoholic, I had to have this book also. It runs the gamut from dipping strawberries, making roses from chocolate paste and the best [in my opinion] on page 32, is a 3 tiered wedding cake with a marbled chocolate drape adorning all three tiers and secured at intervals with chocolate roses. There's also centerpieces, truffles, a list of suppliers, etc.
This is a must have for your library. The photos are incredible, everthing is clear!!!

Good, but not perfect
Beautiful photos. Great Ideas. Lots of instructions. What's not to like? Well, there isn't a mention of portion size or number anywhere to be found. I figured out that the larger cakes serve 150 wedding portions by finding one that is made of 150 molds filled with chocolate mousse.If you don't really know how to work with cakes and their decorations this book is a bit advanced- I'm a pastry chef and had problems with the first one I tried. It was worth the effort- a tasty cake and wonderful to behold. I'm going to try another of the cakes in a few weeks-and now I know how much time it might really take. YOU MUST PLAN AHEAD when usingthis book-like a week in advance. Otherwise- go for it, you'll definitely learn a lot

WOW, what a book!
Beautiful cakes!Wonderful detailed instructions for recreating the cakes and recipes too. ... Read more

Product Description
To some it is decadent, addictive, and even devilish. To others it is, quite simply, divine. Whether sinful or sacred, most everyone loves chocolate. But few of us really know what to do with it and are content to let others have all the fun. TOTALLY CHOCOLATE demystifies this cooperative comestible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fabulous Chocolate Mousse Bars
I purchased this for my wife a couple years ago and it's worth it just for the Chocolate Mousse Bars recipe.The chocolate covered peanut butter balls are delightful and the choice of using powdered sugar instead of other sugar sources creates a very creamy peanuty center.The recipes are surprisingly scrumptious for such a tiny, inexpensive book.Indulge!

"Sweets for the sweet"...a sweet treat of a book!
I had a student working on a report (actually it was his mother doing the inquiring, he was contemplating "other things") VEGETABLES.
The last part of the project that was being worked-on was for a recipe. His topic was carrots. I hate to tell you what transpired during the
recipe search, but he did not like carrot cake. The mother insisted that he did not need make it. He did not care whether he had to make
it or not, he sure did not want her to include that recipe!
I wound-up ordering the attached list of books. They came into the library a week ago. What a great little series. Do take the time to
peruse Amazon.They are a real "repast!" ... Read more

Product Description
In every form -- cakes, flans, crusts, sprinkles, sauces -- chocolate is the national favorite. Chef Trish Deseine provides 100 easy and original recipes, each one accompanied by a truly mouthwatering photograph. The dishes are arranged into practical groupings, such as Chocolate with Crunch, Chocolate for Kids, Chic Chocolate and Chocotherapy.

This delicious collection includes a special section on the tricks and techniques and the various tools used in professional kitchens to carve, mold, melt and form chocolate to suit every possible need. From dainty to decadent, there is something in this book to fill every fantasy about chocolate.

The tasty selections include:
- Honey-glazed chocolate madeleines
- Chocolate granola
- Chocolate body paint
- Rolled chocolate cake. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Eye Candy!!!
This book was simply delicious - candy to the eyes - I enjoyed each page so much I actually went and ordered another copy!!! Needless to say - I love Chocolate!!!

A chocolate lovers dream come true.
This marvelous soft cover recipe book about chocolate by Trish Deseine with photographs by Marie-Pierre Morel will make your mouth water by just looking at the cover.When you open the book get ready to be tempted beyond your ability to say no.Recipes for Banoffee, Triple Chocolate Brownie Crunch, Emmanuelle's Chocolate Cake, Jean-Francois's Stuck Cake (the picture on the cover) and Butterfly Cupcakes will keep you busy.If none of those interest you then there are others that will.

Organized around units like Chocolate Tool Kit, Chocolate Nibbles, Classic Chocolate, Chocotherapy, Chocolate for Kids, Chic Chocolate, and Tricks of the Trade, Chocolate will make anyone an expert when cooking with chocolate.Chocolate would make a terrific Christmas gift.

A wonderful addition to any cooks library. ... Read more

Product Description
This lively and meticulously researched book on the history, production, and global economic and environmental impact of cacao makes it the preeminent go-to reference for anyone seeking a fascinating survey on the "food of the gods." Consumer interest in chocolate continues to grow as its numerous health benefits become more widely acknowledged. Maricel E. Presilla is one of the world's foremost experts on chocolate and cacao, and her approach to the subject is scholarly as well as passionate. Recipes both savory and sweet round out the book, ensuring that chocolate lovers find inspiration as well as information in this insightful look at one of the world's most popular foods. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

chocolate
Chocolate Therapy is just what the title says.Lots of unique and delicious recipes.The book is full of really interesting facts and quotations about chocolate.I copied down many of the recipes before I gave it to my daughter-in-law for Christmas.

I feel better!
Yum! The first recipe I made from this book was the Instant Gratification Chocolate Parfait...one bite and I was sold on chocolate as therapy. The 15 minute Stress Buster recipes are right up my alley, and the Killer Brownies and Sinful Celebration Cake were beyond divine. The great quotes and chocolate trivia in the book are entertaining to read and the recipes are within reach of the casual cook, yet will fulfill any chocoholic's dream. I've given this book to several chocolate-loving people as a gift. ... Read more

Product Description
Based on the original Flammarion title, The Book of Chocolate, this lavishly illustrated book, now edited and brought up to date, takes readers on a journey through the history and production of the world's most seductive confection: chocolate. Learn how the cocoa bean, first enjoyed by the Aztecs, has traveled around the globe to produce endless variations of chocolate. Through the eyes of food critics, chefs, journalists, and historians, this book explores the rich history of chocolate, along with a modern-day investigation of its many flavors and forms.

A list of tantalizing recipes and a guide to the finest purveyors of chocolate worldwide make this volume indispensable to chocolate lovers everywhere.

If the list of recipes is not enough to bring out the chocoholic in you, just look at the delicious illustrations, specially commissioned photographs, rare vintage posters, and fine paintings all in honor of this favorite confection. ... Read more

Product Description
The secret of the uniquely, irresistibly seductive quality of chocolate, according to Sara Jayne-Stanes, is that it is the only substance to melt at blood temperature, "gently exploding into a warm, sensual liquid, filling your mouth with an incomparable, hedonistic feeling that you just want to go on and on ..." I think we get the picture.

Product Description
Take advantage of the health benefits of chocolate with this informative guide

Dark chocolate sales are on the rise as people embrace the concept that chocolate can truly be good for them. But how do they know what to eat, how much, and which kinds are the best?

The Chocolate Therapist answers these questions and more. This book has everything a person needs to know to select the best chocolate for health. Both informative and entertaining, it includes alphabetized ailments, each with a chocolate recommendation, followed by supporting research as to how and why it helps the body.

The Chocolate Therapist also includes a collection of chocolate necessities:

• Wine & chocolate pairing section with over 40 wines and three chocolate pairings for each wine.
• Wine aroma and chocolate flavor wheels to help readers discovers new flavors and combinations in both the wines and the chocolates.
• The Chocolate Bible: A unique compilation of websites, chocolate companies, international brands and research sites.
• A"Where Do You Hide Your Chocolate" section, a laugh-out-loud chapter for anyone who has ever hidden a piece of chocolate
• Over 60 alphabetized ailments from Alzheimer's to Weight Loss

The Chocolate Therapist helps readers discover what author Julie Pech has known for years. The only difference between guilt-ridden and guilt-free chocolate enjoyment is simply education, and this book has it all! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Better Than Eating Chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reading this book is better than eating chocolate. All my future chocolate consumption will be guilt free. I had to apologize to my wife--she is from Mexico and has been preaching chocolate for years. I was amazed at how yet one more healthy product has been distorted by commercialism. We better buy all the dark chocolate we can. If the FDA reads this book, chocolate will be pulled off the shelves and require prescriptions.

Not recommended
I'm sure that the author is genuinely enthusiastic about her subject and wants to communicate that to the public. However, I am not happy at all about the claims set out in this book. Yes, there is increasing scientific evidence to back up the suggestion that the polyphenols in chocolate may have some potential health benefits. As a result, major confectionery companies in Europe have started to make limited claims, based on this science, for some of their high cocoa solid dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids and over). These claims centre on the cell protection qualities of the polyphenols. However, solid scientific support for the wide number of claims made by the author in this book, is not, to my knowledge, there at present - you can bet that the confectionery companies would already be making any claim that they could scientifically back up. The "Supporting Evidence" section after each claim made in the book is, in my opinion, inadequate. To make such claims there should at a minimum be footnotes showing the relevant published scientific studies on which the author relies. The comments on the back of the book state that "The book is wonderful entertainment and it will certainly make you laugh". However, combining health claims with entertainment in this way is, I believe, treading on dangerous ground (particularly in Europe). A thoroughly researched and cross-referenced book on the potential health benefits of chocolate would be a fantastic addition to literary canon on the subject - but this is not that book.

Laugh-Out-Loud Funny, With Substance!
Julie presents scientific and historical research on chocolate in a clever, funny, and entertaining way. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learned far more than I expected to about the health properties of chocolate.Antioxidents, blood sugar control, neurotransmitters, amino acids,-- all this and more. I had heard chocolate was good for me and this entertaining book explained why and how, while I laughed along the way.

The Joy of (Dark) Chocolate
Julie Pech has compiled an informative, enjoyable and useful book on the history of dark chocolate and its medicinal purposes.Prescriptions for ailments from anemia to stress all have chocolate as their base.What a way to get well without side effects!Don't skip the sections on how to buy and eat chocolate.I was amazed at what I didn't know and what I've been missing out on.Recipes, resources and recommendations all make The Chocolate Therapist: Chocolate Remedies for a World of Ailments the perfect gift to include with each and every box of the dark delectable fruit (yes, chocolate is in the fruit family) you give from now on.

Chocolate IS Magic!
I loved the information, and how easy it was to understand the science behind why good chocolate is good for us. Julie's writing style is very warm and friendly, and she has a great sense of humour and down-to-earth approach about her subject. This book plus some good quality dark chocolate makes a great, inexpensive but wickedly indulgent gift for almost anyone.Her research helped me understand why a little good chocolate every day IS good for us, and now I don't crave the sugar-filled cheap stuff. ... Read more

Product Description
Maida Heatter is a genius-and an absolute delight! . . . Her style is friendly and funny, thorough and exacting. Maida tells you what size egg to use and she does so to guarantee success." --Foodies.com, which named Maida its "First Culinary Patriot"

Chocoholics unite! Maida's back and bringing the world's best chocolate recipes with her. Maida, of course, is Maida Heatter, sorceress supreme of all things chocolate. Now cocoa aficionados, food fiends, and master chefs everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief as Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts, the classic New York Times best-seller, returns after ten years out of print.

Maida is justifiably famous for her respected series of cookbooks, ranging from Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts to Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies. But it was always her Book of Great Chocolate Desserts that inspired the highest praise, admiration, and following from home and restaurant dessert cooks around the world. Chocolate creators know they can turn to Maida for tantalizing confections, cookies, cakes, pies, puddings, and sauces that transcend the ordinary and make for memorable dining experiences.

This jacketed hardcover includes all the original Maida recipes that have become favorites, along with changes and updates from the dessert doyenne herself. Those who have worn out, shared as a gift, or misplaced their original version-or who want to replace their later paperback edition-will welcome this book, as will anyone who enjoys cooking with and eating chocolate.Amazon.com Review
When it was first published in 1980, Maida Heatter's Bookof Chocolate Desserts became a New York Times bestsellerand then won a James Beard award. The book is Heatter's third, amouthwatering compendium of superb but easily achieved chocolatecakes, cookies, pies, puddings, confections, sauces, and more. Likeall of Heater's books, Chocolate Desserts balances good tastewith warm, meticulous instruction that anticipates and addresses everyquestion and concern a dessert-maker might have. Cooks at every skilllevel, from amateur to professional, will find Heater's recipes, andtheir results, a joy.

Arranged by categories like cakes, pastries,and cold and hot desserts, the hundreds of recipes are achocolate-lover's dream come true. There are classic Heatterofferings, like her Palm Beach Brownies, the ultimate in dark, chewyfudginess, and her Positively-the-Absolute-Best Chocolate Chip Cookies(they are). Other must-make treats include Amaretto-Amaretti ChocolateCheesecake with Chocolate Cigarettes, Chocolate Merry-Go-Round Cake,Chocolate Pecan Angel Pie, and 4-Star French Chocolate Ice Cream. Thebook begins with a comprehensive introduction to ingredients,equipment, and techniques and is filled throughout with Heatter'sinvaluable advice. Drawings by Toni Evans illuminate the exemplarytext. --Arthur Boehm ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Easy to follow recipes, but no photos to see final cake/cookie
I really liked the recipes, easy to follow and the side comments are great.I wish there could be more pictures of the cake/cookie.The only images are those on the cover of the book, other than that the book is great.

A Chocolaty Classic
I got my copy of Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts shortly after its original publication in 1980.It's stained and worn now, missing its jacket, the binding is beginning to come apart, and there are splotches of chocolate throughout its well-used pages.And that should tell you something: This is not a cookbook that sits on a kitchen shelf, unused.It is a workhorse, my go-to book whenever I get a Chocolate Jones or have to make something for entertaining.

Ms. Heatter's recipes are detailed to the point of fussiness, but I like to imagine that I am hearing her instructions as I work.

The recipes, in my experience, are foolproof.And most of them are ridiculously good.The recipe for hot fudge sauce alone is worth the price of the book, but there are many, many others I have tried and been completely happy with the results.Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies?Chocolate Angel Pie?Chocolate Pots de Crème?Frozen White Chocolate Mousse?Torte Soufflé au Chocolat?You're just scratching the (rich brown) surface.

You like chocolate?Get this book.Now.

As for Maida Heatter herself, why the woman does not weigh 650 pounds is beyond me.(Perhaps, by now, she does.)

Chocolate Cookbooks are all compared to this one
How do you rate a cookbook that you use almost everytime you have company?This book has some of the best, most foolproof chocolate dessert recipes that I know.Heatter's brownies are outstanding as are many of her cookie recipes.Chocolate Souffle Alice is the chocolate souffle against which we compare all others!We have found a few blah recipes (chocolate oatmeal cookies didn't seem to make it with my family)but the many wonderful ones outweigh the few disappointing ones.Try the Mexican icebox cookies alone make this book worth the price!

chocolate will end all wars
great book - chock full of chocolate treats... one for every day of the week.

Chocolate Heaven!
If you love chocolate and you love baking, this is the one book you MUST have. It is Biblical in the chocolate universe. Every recipe turns out perfectly. you could not overpraise this book so I will shut up now before I start. Buy it and be happy! ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring more than eighty recipes, the follow-up cookbook to Cocolat, from the author whose name is synonymous with chocolate desserts, offers such delights as Triple Mousse Cake, Chocolate Walnut Torte, and Chocolate Truffles--all with lower fat and fewer calories.Amazon.com Review
There are considerably fewer calories in Alice Medrich'slatest book than in Cocolat, herfirst, award-winning cookbook. In Chocolate and the Art of Low-FatDesserts, Medrich presents recipes that cut fat withoutcompromising texture or flavor--a chocolate lover's dream come true.With offerings like Black Bottom Bananas Napoleons (made withchocolate custard) or Double Chocolate Layer Cake (with less than athird of its calories from fat), Medrich proves that wonderfullyindulgent treats don't have to add to your waistline. The book won the1995JamesBeard Cookbook Award. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Ho-Hum
I have read all of Medrich's books so far-this being the last one. I know that this book has recieved accolades from the critics and fans alike, but I disagree.
For one thing, with the word chocolate highlighted in bold print in the title, it would seem to suggest that the book is primarily about chocolate; (the author writes books about chocolate after all), but half of the recipes in this work are not made with chocolate at all.
As I have written in other reviews of her books, the self-congratulatory text in her books are tiresome and it is evident in this one as well...when you look at the paragraphs in her introduction, it seems every third one starts with "I" and then follows with something like "my stuff was so fantastic..everyone was amazed!" You know, there is such a thing as humility, but it is certaintly not evident in these books. I prefer cookbooks with a forward written by someone else; a person with "know-how" to stand up for the author-to show examples why the author should earn our respect..this is what feels comfortable to me as a reader.
Also, the photos were not as good as shown in her other works and I had expected the same quality and consistancy, so this was a disappointment.
The techno-culinary babblings(informational writing) got pretty stale too, although some other readers may like this. Obviously the critics did...this book recieved an award.
Personally, I don't think this is her best work.I have seen several authors offer excellent low-fat recipes for desserts (Steven Raichlin is a good example) so the fact that Medrich has a few recipes that work here is not really that noteworthy. I know this review reads like I am a sourpuss but rest assured, most of my other reviews are not as harsh as this. It is only one opinion-mine.

An ingenious cookbook
I have yet to make something in this book that isn't delicious.So far, I've made the marble cake, brownies, tiramisu, chocolate chip biscotti (mmm, tasted just like a real cookie!), and chocolate souffle torte.Everything is easy, clearly explained, and RICH.Like another reviewer said, these are great recipes that happen to be low-fat.And there's no gimmicks, like "Oh, just substitute half the fat with apple sauce."Medrich teaches you how to maximize the flavor of your full-fat ingredients so you use less but taste more.I am so sad this book is no longer in print.If I lost my copy, I would die!

BTW, everyone thinks I'm a kitchen god.It's not me; it's the book!

Sigh
I am left to slobber and drool uncontrollably and often wonder aloud how heaven could improve on this magnificent art form.I fully suspect St. Peter and all the rest dine regularly on a menu culminating in these wondrous desserts.Now, this is what a low-fat, antioxidant is supposed to taste like.Sigh. . .

Simply Wonderful!
Clearly Ms Medrich has turned creating low fat, high flavor desserts into an art form! Many low fat recipes taste low fat, but not the ones in this book.It is comprehensive and included is everything from easy cookie recipes to stunning dressy desserts.Make sure to try Michael's Brownies, they are simply addictive!

The book is visually stunning, and also includes detailed information on ingredients and techniques which makes this into a real cooking reference. The book is well researched and one of my favorite subject books.

amazing!
I bought this book recently and was initially a little daunted because everything in it look so very gourmet -- it was intimidating to a novice baker. After my first attempt I very was pleasantly surprised -- the recipes are much easier to make than the finished product would have you believe. Chocolate Decadence, what I made, turned out to be absolutely amazing! It has the taste and texture of something rich and sinful you would get in a upscale restaurant, but in fact, it has very little fat and was a ton of fun to make. I definitely plan on trying more of these recipes -- this book is health conscientious, fun, and yummy! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Least Understood of the Chocolates
White chocolate is probably the least understood of the two sweet treats. Owning many dessert books that are abound with recipes for Chocolate of the darker variety - because of its desireable affects, I was very happy to find a book that specializes in the chocolate that not many recipes/cooks utilize. White chocolate, when great, is smooth, rich, silky and oh so scintillating. Why would anyone want to pass up a chance of romance? And to find a compendium of these amazing desserts, one would have to be mad not to own a copy. Thanks Amazon.

German White Chocolate Cake; White Chocolate Souffle; White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies (I'm in heaven); White Chocolate Cupcakes; White Chocolate Ice Cream, are few of the many delectable recipes contained within this one book.

Great for holiday baking, gifts, desserts for your fine wine dinners or just a night alone. You will not be disappointed with this book. This may be the only book you grab if the house was on fire... Enjoy.

How did I live without this cookbook?!
The fact that this cookbook is so hard to find is nothing short of a sin against gastronomy. I count it among our favorite cookbooks, and when we want to make a show-stopping dessert, this is one of the first cookbooks we turn to.

Since there is so much misinformation (or just plain lack of understanding) about white chocolate, this book starts out with some handy information. It includes notes on using white chocolate in baking and foods that pair well with white chocolate (or incorporate it well), instructions on how to successfully melt white chocolate, and some ingredient and equipment notes.

Our copy of this book is quite well-used. The white chocolate mousse with blueberry sauce is nothing short of astounding, but oh, this is NOT diet food! The orange white chocolate mousse isn't far behind in quality, and the vanilla white chocolate mousse will make you swoon. If mousses aren't impressive enough, how about white chocolate dumplings in strawberry soup? (We thought we'd died and gone to heaven!) Or a white chocolate Bavarian cream or white chocolate terrine. And that's only part of the first chapter of recipes!

Chapters include cakes, cheesecakes, and tortes; pies, pastries, and breads; souffles, puddings, and crepes; ice cream, frozen desserts, and beverages; and much more! Who could resist strawberry shortcake with white chocolate chantilly, Clay's chocolate ice cream with white chocolate truffles, or white chocolate-ginger truffles?

But if you really want your guests to come back over and over again, trust me when I tell you to make the white chocolate cheesecake with dark chocolate crust. When we lived in Boston and did yearly Thanksgiving feasts, at least 2 or 3 people would request that specific recipe every year!

These are fancy dishes, to be sure, but many of them are also pretty simple and well-explained. I won't tell you this book is for beginners, but you also don't need to be an expert. You'll certainly look like one, though, when you put one of these desserts in front of your guests! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Chocolate mixed with history, great fun
I found this book at the Hotel Hershey and had to get more for gifts once i got home to read it.Lots of great recipes from the Hershey area, chefs of the hotel and local restaurants. We especially enjoyed the tidbits of history collected via the local historical society from Hershey residents and factory workers. To us, this makes the book much more than a cookbook!There are chocolate main dishes, choc cocktails, and more. Recipes range from the simplest to more complex. There is something for everyone.We love the vintage look to the book and the high quality paper too. A great gift book. ... Read more