Chocolate
Chocolate is one of the most universal refreshments in the world. Almost anywhere you travel, you will find it in some form. Yet the average person knows very little about chocolate. I chose to read two very different books about chocolate to expand my cocoa knowledge. One outlines the history of chocolate from its discovery to the modern day, while the other provides a behind the scenes look at the big business of chocolate production at two of the chocolate giants. These books left me not only hungry, but also with a craving for even more knowledge about the sweet.
I began my quest for chocolate knowledge by reading The True History of Chocolate by Sophie D. And Michael D. Coe, both anthropologists. Unfortunately, Sophie became very ill and passed away after doing all of her research for this book and completing rough drafts of the first two chapters. Her husband Michael picked up where she left off and completed the book. The True History of Chocolate traces chocolate's journey from its humble beginnings as an unsweetened drink in Mexico through thousands of years and all of the continents to its current role as a household treat. The book is very fact packed, almost to its detriment, as there is little anecdotal information. However, this is little problem made up for by the way the history of chocolate is set in the social and economic context throughout the book. The detailing of the chemistry of chocolate was a highlight. Sophie's attention to research detail combined with her husband Michael's expertise in pre-Columbian history make this a tasty treat of a book. An excellent overview of chocolate, its history, and its impact on civilizations throughout the world.
After working my way through the enticing history of chocolate, I grabbed a hot cocoa and curled up with Joël Glenn Brenner's The Emperors of Chocolate. Brenner, a former Washington Post reporter, takes the reader on a wonderful tour of the politics and business practices at Hershey and Mars. Her writing flows as smooth as chocolate milk and is just as rich and flavorful. Eight years in the making, The Emperors of Chocolate is a great read. Forrest Mars and Milton S. Hershey and their companies are described meticulously, and the contrasts that shine through are amazing. The intrigue and rivalry between these two companies are more interesting than I had ever imagined. The modern chocolate business is very exciting to read about, despite the somewhat disappointing lack of oompa-loompas. Part business book, part biography, and all documentary, this book has a chewy caramel center that will satisy your hunger for well-crafted prose backed up with top-notch research.
The things that stuck with me from these two books are the fact that chocolate was only recently sweetened, and that milk chocolate, perhaps its now most ubiquitous form, was very hard to come by. The cocoa butter and milk are apparently like oil and water, and can not be easily coaxed to mix into a smooth edible product. This is just one example of my newfound chocolate knowledge. I recommend both of the books highly. I also recommend having some chocolate candy on hand while reading these titles, because they will definitely hit you in the sweet tooth.