Growing up on the Chocolate Diet

by Lora Brody

Softcover, 1990 Reprint ed., full number line 10-1. 253 pages. A memoir with recipes. Cover lifts and has minimal edgewear, a very good copy. Reprint ed., 1st printing.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, Cookbooks

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Okvegascowgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first truly "foodie" book I ever read, and I was surprised to find it didn't deal exclusively with chocolate! Instead, it is a lovely combo memoir/cookbook that I have re-read countless times. From Ms. Brody's childhood experiences that were indelibly stamped by food memories to her utter cluelessness about entering the food industry, her ability to paint a clear life portrait framed by food is unparalled (except perhaps by the late Laurie Colwin.)

[Kathy Kattenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is much more than a cookbook. It's also a memoir of the author's growing up in a Jewish family (despite the Irish-sounding name), and loving chocolate, and books, and boys, and a whole bunch of stuff. It's really well-written, engaging, and just charming. I loved it. Among my hundreds of books, I only have a few that I would not consider parting with, and Growing Up on the Chocolate Diet is one of them.

[Libraryassistant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3-1/2 stars. There were a lot of funny moments, and a lot of good sounding chocolate desserts that will probably never make. Unfortunately, I wanted it to be more like Lori Colwin’s Home Cooking books but it wasn’t that.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had picked this book off the shelf of my eccentric Spanish Immersion teacher's library of weird-books-to-have-in-a-sixth-grade-class. I believe it was her first year teaching something other than kindergarten and she wasn't quite sure about what 11 and 12 year olds were reading. I must have just flipped through it all those years ago after whizzing through a test because as I read through it this time around, there were only two specific parts that I remember: Brody's trip to France and all the decadent descriptions of the food there, and her take on skinny women who never eat the wonderful meals they prepare. Her no-nonsense humor and frankness struck me in some way--I remember this book 20 years later. I'm much younger than she but the wistful descriptions of her adolescent life make me feel like I'm sitting in the theater with her slowly savoring junior mints or sharing a sleepover with her aunts. I'm almost sad that I didn't read the whole thing when I was 11 as it would have made me feel better about flying by the seat of my pants through life for so long.

I remembered the way I felt when I read this book but I had a hard time finding it without knowing the title or the author (My sixth grade mind didn't care about things like that). It wasn't until I started working in a library and needed something at the desk to help pass the slow times that I remembered this book and started a new search for it. After a few odd searches, "chocolate recipe memoir" turned up a hit and I immediately found it on interlibrary loan. I received it four days later and read when I could.

I hadn't realized that it was published in 1984 so the data in it is a bit outdated. I don't know how many of the places she cites are still in existence. It's interesting to read about professional chocolate consultants before gourmet chocolates had their renaissance in the 00s. It would be interesting for her to revisit this now, 30 years later.

I gave it four stars because I actually borrowed it to test it out and see if I wanted to purchase a copy of my own. I decided against it in the long run. I'm not a cake baker or a torte maker. I can make these things but I don't think I actually ever would. I may change my mind someday because I did like the memoir. You can be certain that I'm going to request a peppermint stick ice cream at my local parlor and thoroughly enjoy it with some hot fudge in the near future.

[Danica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretentious & boring. The writer tries very hard to be self-depreciating but it seems forced and not funny at all when she is trying to be. Perhaps it's due to the condescending tone of much of the book (ex. "Yes, these desserts are expensive to make. If you can't justify the expense, then satisfy yourself with reading the recipe and eating a bowl of cornflakes." )

I actually found her snooty retelling of how a reader dared to question a recipe of hers more amusing than any of her 'catering horror stories'. I mean, she pretty much called him a monkey for not owning the right pans! If that wasn't enough, she further abrades him, "You're not cooking a roast beef..I wrote the recipe that way because that's the way I wanted you to do it." THEN she compares herself to a life guard -no joke- and her recipe to the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation procedure! I laughed myself silly at that one.

Not a great or even good read; I didn't even want to give it up to urban recycling and leave it in the lobby for someone else to suffer through...besides it's the perfect size for wedging my pantry door shut!

[Devan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read, amazing recipes. There isn't much more to say other than I want to meet this woman more than I want to meet George Clooney. She had me laughing, reading her different stories out loud to my not such a book loving boyfriend, and salivating over her amazing recipes. My favorite story was the one involving the Trianon cake, and I can tell you, that cake is amazing. The cake itself leaves much to be desired for it is not frosted and to be quite honest, it's ugly. I do promise you that if you make it, it will be the most amazing thing you have ever eaten.

Lora Brody is a fascinating woman and I would love to shake her hand. She makes all of us chocolate lovers the happiest people around.

[Jmlc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the cookbook that went to Israel with me. I have made so many things out of it and all were delicious. In addition, my copy has a handwritten note from the author to my grandmother. I eventually emailed the author and got a nice response back about how great my grandmother was. This book makes me feel a bit closer to her when I'm lonely.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a book, it contains vaguely amusing vignettes which I imagine might have come across better recounted during a dinner party. Honestly though, I was spoiled by the first two of Ruth Reichel's memoirs as I feel she did a lot more with the format. Some solid advice about the catering business (i.e. don't enter it if you want a normal life). Can't wait to try the recipes.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lora Brody's humorous memoir with recipes makes for good reading and delicious eating — especially if you love chocolate. Her recipe for Bete Noir is one of my standbys for when I need a stunning and tasty dessert.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the first food memoirs I ever read. It is laugh out loud funny. Laura Brody has gone on to write many other books, mostly cookbooks, but as far as I am concerned this is her all time best. The recipe for Bete Noir is superlative.

[Avis Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her best book by far. Brody is just hysterical in this memoir, and yes, she is the sort of person who would go prancing down the street in a gorilla suit to cure her shyness.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great memoir about chocolate and her journey to be a chocolate consultant. great recipes!