- Hardcover: 208 pages
- Publisher: Ten Speed Press (Oct 1 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1580081436
- ISBN-13: 978-1580081436
- Product Dimensions: 25.4 x 20.6 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 975 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #730,090 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
From Amazon.com
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
From Publishers Weekly
Presilla, a marketing consultant for a Latin American chocolate producer, explains the history, science and production of what many consider the world's most delectable snack. Guiding readers into the Latin American tropics for an extended look at Theobroma cacao, the "source of every chocolate bar and truffle ever made," Presilla also offers a primer on cacao farming, historical tidbits (e.g., Europeans used to flavor chocolate with aromatics like rosewater and ambergris) and a lesson on chocolate appreciation for would-be connoisseurs. Chocolate fiends in search of instant gratification should flip to the last chapter, a sampling of recipes that includes noted pastry chef Laurent Tourondel's heavenly Two-Toned Candied Cacao Beans Dipped in Chocolate and a recipe dating from the Italian Renaissance for Chocolate Jasmine Ice Cream. However, while some of the writing is wonderfully evocative (cacao pods are compared to "parrots and macaws perched on trees"), much of it is verbose ("The stars of the Marper experiment were several lines of IMCs from the Iquitos Maranon River Area, and the Peruvian Scavinas, Nanay, and Parinari selections"). And while industry professionals may lap up the sections with such titles as "Imperial College Selections 1 to 100," most lay people will find such morsels unappetizing. That's a pity, since on the whole Presilla's is a useful reference work that will appeal to anyone with an interest in artisanal foods and their production. Color photos not seen by PW. (May)Forecast: Chocolate has so many passionate enthusiasts that this book could attract attention, especially if it gets enough advertising. Unfortunately, since the book's primary potential is as an impulse buy or a gift item, it has not been blessed with a catchy title or cover.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Riveting reading for the chocolate lover,
By A Customer
This review is from: The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Cacao with Recipes (Hardcover)
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.
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Story of Chocolate,
By jerry i h (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Cacao with Recipes (Hardcover)
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.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Really Nice Book,
By A Customer
This review is from: The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Cacao with Recipes (Hardcover)
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.
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