Chocolate: The Sweet History [Hardcover]

Beth Kimmerle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2005

With the same satisfying style that flavored CANDY, Beth Kimmerle returns for another trip into America’s scrumptious past with CHOCOLATE.This richly illustrated celebration of our favorite indulgence is beautifully presented with pho-tographs, vintage packaging, and candy graphics that bring to life the truly sweet history of an age-old delicacy. Delve into the detailed stories of well-loved chocolate companies as Kimmerle profiles America’s top chocolate makers and discovers some new chocolatiers creating a stir in the industry. Learn the history, discover the European roots, and read the fabled stories behind this American obsession. Whether you prefer dark or white, truffles or cup-cakes, enthusiasts will delight in this delicious diary of all things chocolate.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

*A history of chocolate from the author of CANDY:THE SWEET HISTORY. *Includes chocolate types and terminology with a clever glossary, a tasting primer, and a historical chocolate timeline. *Features classic recipes for chocolate confections, cakes, and cookies with easy-to-follow instructions and a simple guide to working with chocolate.

From the Inside Flap

With artistry and ingenuity American chocolate entrepreneurs have built family businesses into indulgent enterprises. Detailing chocolate’s elaborate history, from its bitter beginnings to its present form, Kimmerle highlights long-standing companies; telling the tale of family recipes, company mergers, and the advent of chocolate marketing.

Historical details including chocolate’s Aztec origins and the mythology surrounding the cocoa plant combine with a timeline depicting the development of the chocolate trade and the eventual spread of the delicacy to all corners of the globe. Learn how different growing regions produce distinctly different varieties of chocolate, and how to refine your own taste buds to recognize the nuances.

Complete with a tasting guide and simple chocolate-rich recipes, the love affair with chocolate will thrive on your coffee table and in the kitchen.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Collectors Press (April 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933112042
• ISBN-13: 978-1933112046
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 9.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #946,935 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Beth Kimmerle, chocolate and candy expert and historian, has served the confectionery industry as a writer and consultant. Beth worked for Fannie May Candies before advancing her talents to Starbucks Coffee Company. She has worked on candy museums and exhibits in Sapporo, Japan, Canada and currently, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

She is the author of four books documenting the history of America's confectionery industry. Her latest is titled, Blommer: An American Chocolate Legacy. Beth has made appearances on the Food Network, History Channel, National Public Radio, NBC's The Today Show and Martha Stewart Living.

Beth has been a featured candy-making instructor and lecturer at The Chicago History Museum, Princeton University, University of Chicago, and the New York Chocolate Show.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kudos and Congratulations on a wonderful book -- its a winner!, July 27, 2005

By 

bernie d. "bernie" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chocolate: The Sweet History (Hardcover)

I collect and invest in cookbooks. I also purchase histories of food. . .including historical narratives of appetizers, entrees, desserts, coffee, spirts, etc.

Kimmerlie's book is a classic. . I've ordered additional copies of her impressively researched, well-written, and wondefully illustrated book, as gifts for friends, and relatives. Her first "candy" book is also on my list of purchases that I purchase for valued colleagues.

bjd

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh Lordy!! Makes your mouth water :-(), January 24, 2006

By 

Little Miss Cutey (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Chocolate: The Sweet History (Hardcover)

What a delicious book. It's beautiful presented both inside and out and it talks about one of my favourite subjects: chocolate. It can't get better than that. Apart from the great pictures in here, there is a lot of information about this heavenly treat and also history about brands. Yoo-Hoo was created in 1924, the Godiva company was founded in 1926 and Hershey's Chocolate World theme park opened in 1973 are just some of the fun facts in the chocolate timeline in here. There is a section about descriptions and terms of chocolate. It lists the differences. Then later in the book there is more info about the various chocolate companies (Mars, Hersheys, Sees Candies etc). This book I'm sure will appeal to so many people of all different tastes and backgrounds because if there is one thing in the world that most people can agree on, is how good chocolate is.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great book of chocolate, March 21, 2011

By 

Derek D. (Knoxville TN) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chocolate: The Sweet History (Hardcover)

I ordered this book several years ago to do a paper. Yes, it is good enough to use as a reference for a college level paper. On a less serious note, it is also entertaining to read for chocolate lovers, and even though I completed my paper and class a long time ago, we still have this book.