The Book of Chocolate
The Book of Chocolate is bursting with information about chocolate. I received it as a Christmas present, and it has turned out to be an excellent conversation piece, filled with interesting tidbits and detailed history. It goes into good analysis of all the different regions that produce chocolate, processes of cultivation and export, the historical development of desserts and beverages, details on the varieties of flavors, a historical overview of the great chocolatiers and a connoisseur’s guide to gourmet chocolates – all beautifully supported by hundreds of beautiful archaic and modern photographs.
There are a couple of recipes, and some practical information, but at the end of the day this is a beautiful and interesting coffee table book, no more or no less. It was a lovely gift to me, and I appreciate owning it and occasionally happily flip through it.