September 2005    

Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light Author: Mort Rosenblum Publisher: North Point Press $24.00 Cloth (290 p.) ISBN: 0865476357 B&T         YBP Reviewed by Marcia Amidon Lüsted, Statusing Like most Americans, I grew up thinking that a Hershey's chocolate bar was as good as chocolate got, but after reading this book I am well on my way to becoming a chocolate snob. Rosenblum takes his readers on a chocolate tour around the world, describing not only the types of chocolate produced by the most renowned chocolatiers, but also the process by which chocolate is actually made. He visits cacao bean plantations in Africa and South America and explains how these beans go from pods on a tree in the jungle to some of the priciest chocolate creations in the world. He also discusses the history of chocolate, from the Mayans, to Europe, to modern big business. From here, Rosenblum visits Mexico in search of the most authentic recipe for chocolate chicken, and then he begins his exploration of famous chocolate makers, from everyday Hershey's to the exclusive Valrhona. Through interviews with individuals and companies, each with their own idea of what constitutes the best chocolate, the reader begins to understand that fine chocolate has flavors and nuances just like fine wine or coffee. There are also bitter rivalries between the premium chocolate makers, who frequently close their doors to visitors, refuse interviews, and have also been known to buy out the rights to the cacao beans from a certain plantation for years in the future, just to beat out their rivals. As for our American tastes, which run to Hershey's or Godiva, the French chocolate experts waste no time in calling this "barnyard chocolate" that tastes like wax to an educated chocolate palate. Some companies refused to sell their chocolate to Americans for years because of this feeling that we were unable to appreciate it! This is an entertaining and educating book that is guaranteed to make any chocolate lover start drooling, and it is also an eye-opening look at yet another kind of food that may be taken for granted by many people but is an object of the utmost importance to connoisseurs. I'll be looking for opportunities to try gourmet chocolate after reading this book, but I'm not totally giving up Hershey kisses yet. Published by YBP Library Services 999 Maple St., Contoocook, NH 03229 USA v: 800.258.3774   f: 603.746.5628 w: www.ybp.com   e: academia@ybp.com All rights reserved.