Essential Chocolate Bookshelf
Gifts for the Chocolate Lover
Whether you’re baking, creating chocolate confections or learning about the origins and history of cacao and chocolate we’ve distilled what’s available to an essential few. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
I’ve read a lot of chocolate books over the years , yet I keep coming back to a critical few that have become timeless resources. My devotion is evidenced by dog-eared pages and smudges of chocolate that dot my favorite tomes. One of the secrets I’ve come to recognize is that most chocolate books include recipes, even ones that aren’t billed as recipe books. I can imagine the conversation between the publisher and the author as they’re thinking about how they’re going to sell books, “What do you mean your book about chocolate doesn’t include any recipes?”. Can you imagine?
The recipes in these more serious tomes are often the most unique and interesting ones. They may include historical or regional chocolate recipes or even savory recipes (it’s not just about molé). It makes every chocolate book that much more delicious. I can learn something and try a new recipe that fits the theme of the book.
As we approach the holidays I wanted to share my favorites with you. In these pandemic times there’s nothing better than curling up with a book about chocolate, except, perhaps, moving into the kitchen to try out the recipes. With many of these books you’ll be able to do both, depending on your mood.
Included in my list are a handful of more academic books without recipes. I hesitate to call them “academic” because they are page-turners that are well written and hard to put down. They offer some of the best discussions and historical examples of the social, political and economic issues that have gone hand-in-hand with cocoa and chocolate over the centuries. Don’t let them scare you away.
I’ve created an Essential Chocolate Bookshelf on our website to help you find books worth your time. These are my favorites.
What am I missing? Give me your favorites in the comments.