Chocolate (v. 1) [Hardcover]

Paule Cuvelier (Author), Cathy Selena (Contributor), Natacha Nikouline (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 2008

Beautifully produced and presented in an attractive box, this two-volume celebration of one of the world’s most beloved confections is a must for chocoholics everywhere. Its mouthwatering photographs, taken by one of France’s leading food photographers, are feasts for the eyes, making Chocolate an ideal gift. In the first volume, The History of Chocolate, chocolate lovers can discover the fascinating story behind this global favorite, and how the discovery of the cocoa bean and its subsequent transformation into a valuable commodity changed the face of history. This volume looks at the processes involved in transforming the raw bean into delectable confectionary, as well as the cultural role it played, with the establishment of Europe’s finest chocolate houses and its acceptance at all levels of society.The second volume, The Taste of Chocolate is devoted to appreciating chocolate in all its myriad guises, and includes useful tips on the optimal conditions to savor this black gold and how to find the perfect accompaniments, whether fruit, cheese, wine, or spices. It explains the terms used by the professionals—defining garniture, couverture, or ganache, for example—and the specialist techniques used in preparing the basic material into delectable confectionary. This connoisseur’s appreciation of chocolate is rounded off by a collection of irresistible chocolate recipes, including Chocolate-Cherry Mousse, Grand-Marnier Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Fondue with Fruit, and Chocolate-Praline Tart. Dare to indulge…

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...it's a delicious read any time you want to indulge in chocolate facts, fantasies, history and even recipes....This no-calorie set is half the price of a good box of chocolates and won't leave you feeling guilty when you're finished." ~The Charlotte Observer

"If the recipes don't make you drool, we guarantee that the pictures will." ~Florida International Magazine

"Both halves of the whole include lavish, lickable photographs by Natacha Nikouline, for a final product that's well, good enough to eat." ~Gayot Publications

About the Author

Since 1989, Paule Cuvelier has been Director of the renowned Maison Debauve & Gallais, founded in 1880, and whose original creator concocted chocolate confectionary for the kings of France.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Flammarion (January 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2080300555
• ISBN-13: 978-2080300553
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #597,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luxurius excellence., May 27, 2008

By 

C. Terzis "cterzis" (Nicosia Cyprus) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chocolate (v. 1) (Hardcover)

I was pleasantly surprised when I received this book. It has 'Class' spelled all over it. It was written by the president of the ancient ( about 200 years old ) Maison Debauve & Gallais with the assistance of the staff of the chocolaterie. It is not one but two books, about one hundred pages each, in a chic case, bound by a brown ribbon. The pages are glossy and there are lots of photographs.
The first book deals with the history of chocolate in general and its introduction to France. It goes on to describe the Cocoa cultivation and production, all laced with beautiful photographs. The second part of the first tome deals with the French chocolate tradition in general and with the Debauve & Gallais chocolaterie in particular.
The second book I find even more interesting. It starts with the nutritional qualities and descriptions for each kind of chocolate. Then it lists the characteristics of chocolate beans, cocoa and chocolate from different growing regions and countries. This is followed by a guide on how to taste chocolate properly (you don't just munch it!), which is followed by the best section of all, the recipes. There are about forty recipes. Sometimes one buys a book and out of its 100-150 recipes maybe 5-10 turn out interesting or good. In this book all the recipes are handpicked. As a matter of fact I would rather have this as a recipe book than many others in the market. Recipes include:
Chocolate and hazelnut cake with kirsch
Grand Marnier cake
Walnut brownies
Chocolate and almond cake
Chocolate and praline tart
Chocolate and almond cookies
Moist chocolate spice cake
Dark chocolate mousse with goat cheese
Ganache filling
Almond and/or hazelnut praline
Truffles
Earl Grey palets
Fondant chocolate cake
Chocolate mousse
Chocolate and coffee charlotte
All recipes are in both Metric and Cups and spoons. A word of caution though: The measures in Cups and spoons are not always the same in all the recipes. For instance a stick of butter is given as 100g in some recipes and 80g in others. In other recipes 1/2 stick of butter is given as 75g which would make one stick 150g! I use Metric so I don't mind, but if you use Cups etc, maybe you should consider using Metric for these recipes, it is more accurate anyway and gives consistent results.