Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #498998 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-31
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
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. Another, complementary, view of its attraction is indicated by the scientific name accorded it by Linnaeus: Theobroma, food of the gods. Chocolate:The Definitive Guide is a loving homage to this extraordinary substance by one of Britain's finest professional chocolate makers. It's difficult to convey the riches of this marvellous book. Sara Jayne-Stanes begins by outlining the history of chocolate, from its prehistoric Mesoamerican origins to its current paradoxical status as both bland, trashy global comfort food and expensive luxury commodity. The latter of course is her preoccupation. Chocolate, it seems, is as susceptible as wine to thevagaries of climate and terroir.

Utterly thorough instructions on the preparation of chocolate for any and all types of cooking are followed here by a series of recipes that will have chocoholics on their knees. From sauces, petits fours, cakes and gateaux, through puddings, ices and mousses, there is nothing that isn't rich, exciting and fulfilling. So, a fabulous recipe for Brownies; or a Roule Marquis from Michel Roux; or Shaun Hill's Warm Chocolate Cake with Cherry or Apricot Compot; or Frozen Mississippi Mud Pie; or, to climax, a trio of plain, milk and white chocolate truffles. As if that weren't enough, a few savoury recipes involving chocolate are appended: The famous Mexican Mole Poblano, of course, but also a Spanish dish of fish stewed in onions with chocolate and mushrooms and a Bordelaise one of lampreys in a red wine stew spiked with chocolate.

Chocolate addicts, and you know who you are, will need no encouragement.(Need I say, the recipes are all most achievable.) For the rest of us, Sara Jayne-Stanes offers a legitimate route to shameless pleasure. --Robin Davidson

Synopsis
Providing a history of chocolate, this book also covers how and where the coca plant grows, how chocolate's made, the different varieties, all the manufacturers, sources of information and suppliers, and recipes for confectionery, cakes, biscuits, pastries, pies, puddings, sauces and decorations.

From the Author
The ecstasy of chocolate, the world's favourite food.
Chocolate - The Definitive Guide is a result of a number of years research as a passionate chocolate lover and maker, visiting cacao-growing and chocolate producing countries, factories, shops and talking to anyone and everyone who has an interest in chocolate. I hope I have gone some way to illustrating the historical, geographical, social, religious and political elements and why the world's favourite food is the world's favourite food. I want you to share my experiences and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This book is about cacao, cocoa and chocolate - enjoy it.

Customer Reviews

A Chocoholics Delight!
If you like chocolate, you'll love this book. It is informative and entertaining. From the historical genesis of cacao bean, through its evolution as a drink, to the confectionary on sale today, Sara Jayne Stanes tells the story with knowledge and style. If you are looking for a single book that shares historical context, recipes, makers and retail outlets, then this is the one to buy. Now where are those Valrhona truffles....?

chocolate
Grub street are always reliable for producing quality titles on food and this is no exception. Short on colour pictures if thats your thing but otherwise good clear precise recipes in an aggresivly no nonsense style. Chocolate can be hard to work with, and Sarah gives instructions explicit enough to avoid disaster. The truffles are really magnificent as promised.