Translate

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Chocolate




Chocolate's origins are ancient and all due to the efforts of the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztecs, and while the Maya thought that chocolate should be enjoyed by all, the Azetects held chocolate to be a sacred gift from the gods, which was mostly reserved for the elite. The word Chocolate has roots in the Aztec word "xocoatl" which referred to the bitter drink made from Cacao. Cacao comes from the Maya word "kakaw" and refers to the seeds used to make chocolate. The cacao tree's Latin name Theobroma cacao aptly translates to "food of the gods" (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/a-brief-history-of-chocolate-21860917/, https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-americas/history-of-chocolate).

Copy describing the books listed below is provided by the publishers.







A guide from the chocolate maker Dandelion Chocolate offers their approach to making chocolate with only cocoa beans and sugar and covers everything from bean-sourcing tips through their chocolate-making method, along with recipes from their kitchen.






With this book chocolate lovers can bring home a little piece of "The Sweetest Place on Earth(R)." Packed with great recipes, fun facts about chocolate making, and interesting history about the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, this is the perfect souvenir for chocolate fanatics of all ages and for the 5 million people who visit Hershey each year.Adults and kids alike will have fun making such delicious sweet creations as chocolate-macadamia crunch and chocolate peanut-butter eggs as well as non-dessert items such as chocolate mole sauce and French toast made with a special chocolate bread. Readers will also learn about the origins of the various Hershey products and find out how to make Hershey Kiss wreaths, non-caloric spa indulgences such as the Chocolate Fondue Wrap, and chocolate "play dough."Illustrated with dozens of great old and new photos--of vintage chocolate-factory workers, Hershey's Kiss streetlamps, the roller coaster at Hershey Park, etc.-- this book will delight chocolate lovers and chocolate-trivia buffs everywhere.







Complete with easy-to-follow instructions and 75 step-by-step photos, this is a treasure trove of information and inspiring recipes. Although many are intimidated at the thought of making candies at home, Jane Sharrock shows how to master a few basic principles that every candy maker should know. She makes it easy to produce delicious goodies in the home kitchen.





Martha Stewart perfects the art of cakes with 125 recipes for all occasions, featuring exciting flavors, must-try designs, and dependable techniques. Martha Stewart's authoritative baking guide presents a beautiful collection of sheet cakes and chiffons, batters and buttercreams, and tiers and tortes to tackle every cake creation. Teaching and inspiring like only she can, Martha Stewart demystifies even the most extraordinary creations with her guidance and tricks for delicious cake perfection. From everyday favorites to stunning showstoppers, Martha creates bold, modern flavors and striking decorations perfect for birthdays, celebrations, and big bakes for a crowd. Think comforting classics like Snickerdoodle Crumb Cake and Chocolate Angel Food Cake and treats that take it up a notch like Ombr? Strawberry Cake and Marble Souffl? plus a whole chapter on cupcakes alone. With Martha's expert tips, even the most impressive, towering cakes will be in your reach.




"Over the course of her baking career, Dorie Greenspan has created more than 300 cookie recipes. Yet she has never written a book about them--until now. To merit her "three purple stars of approval," every cookie had to be so special that it begged to be made again and again. Cookies for every taste and occasion are here. There are company treats like Portofignos, with chocolate dough and port-soaked figs, and lunch-box Blueberry Buttermilk Pie Bars. They Might Be Breakfast Cookies are packed with goodies--raisins, dried apples, dried cranberries, and oats-- while Almond Crackle Cookies have just three ingredients. There are dozens of choices for the Christmas cookie swaps, including Little Rascals (German jam sandwich cookies with walnuts), Italian Saucissons (chocolate log cookies studded with dried fruit), and Snowy-Topped Brownie Drops. And who but America's favorite baker could devise a cookie as intriguing as Pink-Peppercorn Thumbprints or as popular as the World Peace Cookie, with its 59 million Internet fans?,"--Amazon.com.






Save time, money, and your sanity with the 216 easy-to-make recipes that taste as good as baked goods made from scratch-just ask the folks who submitted the recipes and the home economists at Taste of Home magazine. Each recipe includes a full-color photo so your dessert selection will be easy-as-pie as you see just how impressive a no-fuss dessert can be. In addition to effortless cakes, there are incredible cookies, easy scones, simple biscotti, and yummy coffee cakes- each starting with a store-bought mix, but end up with a professional bakery look with a homemade taste.





The anecdotal memoirs of a woman who turned her consuming passion for chocolate into a successful career are accompanied by eighty recipes which range from simple-to-make treats to lavish gastronomic delights







"Corn. Chocolate. Fishing hooks. Boats that float. Insulated double-walled construction. Recorded history and folklore. Life-saving disinfectant. Forest fire management. Our lives would be unrecognizable without these, and countless other, scientific discoveries and technological inventions from Indigenous North Americans. Spanning topics from transportation to civil engineering, hunting technologies, astronomy, brain surgery, architecture, and agriculture, Indigenous Ingenuity is a wide-ranging STEM offering that answers the call for Indigenous nonfiction by reappropriating hidden history. The book includes fun, simple activities and experiments that kids can do to better understand and enjoy the principles used by Indigenous inventors. Readers of all ages are invited to celebrate traditional North American Indigenous innovation, and to embrace the mindset of reciprocity, environmental responsibility, and the interconnectedness of all life." -- Amazon.com.












No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Favorite Books Read in 2024

2024 has been a reading slump for me.  I struggled to select which books to read.  I also struggled to settle myself so I could just sit and...