Real Chocolate

by Chantal Coady

Chantal Coady is a most exemplary chocoholic. The author of Real Chocolate and owner of Rococo, a specialty chocolate shop in London, Coady's resumé includes such enviable accomplishments as starting the Campaign for Real Chocolate and launching The Chocolate Society. Obsessed by chocolate, Coady always dreamt of opening a chocolate shop, and over the more than 20 years since she opened one she's become an expert on all things chocolate, and these days Rococo even makes its own. Real Chocolate begins with a comprehensive history of chocolate through the ages, introduces us to Rococo, and best of all, waxes poetic about just how good for us chocolate really is. Apparently it's one of the most nutritious and easily digested foods known to man, containing a multitude of vitamins, minerals, and complex alkaloids; is an instant anti-depressant; and has antibacterial properties. Recipes in this mouthwatering volume are categorized as savory or sweet--and there are a remarkable number of savory ones, including Eggplant and Tahini Crostini, made extra-rich by the addition of cocoa powder; Chocolate Tempura with cocoa nibs in the batter; and Lacquered Duck in Chocolate Sauce. Sweet options include White Chocolate Pannacotta, Dark Chocolate and Cherry "Crème Brûlée," and a stunning Pear and Chocolate Tart. And since it's so good for us, why not start by delving into chocolate a big mug of Coady's Old Fashioned Hot Chocolate--smooth, thick, rich, and absolutely delicious. --Leora Y. Bloom

Genres: Food, Cookbooks

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This chocolate cookbook has beautiful color photos, recipes, and a history of chocolate. It has savory recipes (I like the chocolate-vinegar) as well as desserts, and I like knowing that chocolate can also be part of a main dish. Some of the dishes, however, are a little more gourmet than I am comfortable with cooking, but maybe someday . . .

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owning this book has deepened my love of chocolate, and made me experiment with a food which health experts say is very good for you.

This book is stuffed full of beautiful pictures of chocolate and would be worthwhile as a coffee table style book on that basis alone. Coady is clearly very passionate about chocolate and that comes through on every single page. She explains how chocolate is made, what divides most supermarket type chocolate from 'real' chocolate and presents every step of the process of chocolate - selecting beans, roasting them, mixing in high quality ingredients, tempering and setting chocolate, the 'snap', the texture, the colour... the first half of this book is brilliant for anyone curious about chocolate.

The second half of the book is chock-full of recipes for chocolate that will make you think differently about chocolate being 'just' a sweet. I've made a few recipes from here for savoury dishes and they've all been amazing. There are a few I'm not ready to try yet - I still have to get my head around salted chocolate sushi - but I think just about anyone could find something to try from this book.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful cook book. Unfortunately, the ingredients are such that I probably won't be making any of the recipes here.