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Bean-to-Bar Chocolate: America’s Craft Chocolate Revolution: The Origins, the Makers, and the Mind-Blowing Flavors
Every page of
Bean-to-Bar Chocolate
provides a lively and mouthwatering window into the world of American craft chocolate. Readers will discover what makes “bean-to-bar” chocolate so special, while colorful graphics explain how chocolate makers source their cocoa beans and how those beans get turned into chocolate of all flavors. Author Megan Giller includes delicious suggestions for reader to create their own chocolate tasting, with advice for pairing chocolate with coffee, tea, beer, spirits, bread, cheese, and other foods. She busts myths (will “raw” chocolate cure all your ailments?) and illuminates the difference between labels like “fair trade” and “direct trade.”
Bean-to-Bar Chocolate
also features 22 chef-driven recipes from masters like Michael Laiskonis, Alice Medrich, Christina Tosi, and Janina O’Leary, as well as profiles of a dozen cutting-edge chocolate makers, from Taza to Dandelion to Askinosie. With gorgeous photography throughout, this is the ultimate celebration of America's favorite sweet.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published September 19, 2017
27 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 24 reviews
August 20, 2017
Nice eye catching cover on this one. Good representation of the subject matter found within. Great composition and title work as well.
This was an interesting little book chocked full of great info, tips, tricks, and recipes about the most fantastic food in the world...CHOCOLATE. It was well laid out and full of yummy photos and fun graphics. It is divided into the following chapters ( From the Bean, A Sense of Place, Tasting and Eating, Chocolate Snobs, and Labeling and the Art of Design.)
I wouldn't say it was the most riveting of books, but if you are looking at trying your hand at artisan chocolate making then this would be a good book to add to your collection.
August 31, 2017
Bestill my beating heart! This book is so loaded with temptation it could easily lead me astray and be the ruin of me.
Okay, so it's a book about chocolate and more than a few of my friends know I'm partial to both books and chocolate so maybe this was an obvious combination for me but oh my, this is good. Giller makes reference to the artisan chocolate world having similarities with the craft beer and coffee cultures (admittedly, both also favourites of mine) and she delivers a book that would do any artisan industry proud. It could easily be about beer, coffee, bread, wine... Any focused area where people are creating with love and passion. Any mainstream product with a grow craft industry.
This book offers up an overview of the entire chocolate industry, but with a, rather obvious from the title, focus on the bean-to-bar manufacturers. The mass-production giants really only get a mention as a comparison, but it's not done dismissively. That's where a lot of these things can fall down, those easy attacks on the multinationals and such. The truth is many of us find the finer things in life through the easily accessible options. And due to the huge contrast, I can enjoy a bar of Dairy Milk in a completely different way to an expensive truffle from a quiet Belgian chocolatier. Although after this book perhaps I should revise the latter to an American bean-to-bar delicacy.
We get some history of chocolate in general, but again there's a focus on the recent innovations in artisan American chocolate. Individuals are highlighted, their companies are profiled, and their products discussed. It's a tribute to the people pushing their craft and it makes everything so enticing. I could barely read a page without wanting to note down a new company to look up. I wanted to stop and try every chocolate as it was mentioned, but to do so would take hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, and months of patience. And this book is as compulsive as chocolate. Once I settled into reading I wanted to keep going on and on. Glorious photos made my mouth water, but the words are what make this such a pleasure to read. It's not a love letter to chocolate, but a recognition of the love that these chocolatiers put into their work.
Not that the chocolate itself gets ignored. Far from it. I want to learn the pairing section by heart so I know exactly which tea or coffee to drink with my latest chocolate find. I want to study the map and learn the notes of the various countries. It's a guide to finding the best chocolate and understanding how to enjoy it as much as possible. There are even recipes too. I could've lived without them, which surprised me. I think it's partly how interesting the rest of the book was and partly that the recipes aren't as diverse as I might have hoped. I am confident I can make many kinds of chocolate truffle, but there was nothing especially out of the ordinary. They're mainly about using quality chocolate and handling it well instead of offering up something more exotic like a chocolate sauce for venison or such. So you get some good advice in general, but it could've been delivered more as tips than recipes.
Overall though, this is a glorious celebration of chocolate and the people dedicated to it. You really do see everything from bean to bar, and beyond - there are even items on the packaging! It's comprehensive without being dense, it's welcoming and invites you to join in this celebration of chocolate. It's as smooth and luxurious as the very product it talks about - and just like quality chocolate, it's worth treating yourself to this book.
Okay, so it's a book about chocolate and more than a few of my friends know I'm partial to both books and chocolate so maybe this was an obvious combination for me but oh my, this is good. Giller makes reference to the artisan chocolate world having similarities with the craft beer and coffee cultures (admittedly, both also favourites of mine) and she delivers a book that would do any artisan industry proud. It could easily be about beer, coffee, bread, wine... Any focused area where people are creating with love and passion. Any mainstream product with a grow craft industry.
This book offers up an overview of the entire chocolate industry, but with a, rather obvious from the title, focus on the bean-to-bar manufacturers. The mass-production giants really only get a mention as a comparison, but it's not done dismissively. That's where a lot of these things can fall down, those easy attacks on the multinationals and such. The truth is many of us find the finer things in life through the easily accessible options. And due to the huge contrast, I can enjoy a bar of Dairy Milk in a completely different way to an expensive truffle from a quiet Belgian chocolatier. Although after this book perhaps I should revise the latter to an American bean-to-bar delicacy.
We get some history of chocolate in general, but again there's a focus on the recent innovations in artisan American chocolate. Individuals are highlighted, their companies are profiled, and their products discussed. It's a tribute to the people pushing their craft and it makes everything so enticing. I could barely read a page without wanting to note down a new company to look up. I wanted to stop and try every chocolate as it was mentioned, but to do so would take hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, and months of patience. And this book is as compulsive as chocolate. Once I settled into reading I wanted to keep going on and on. Glorious photos made my mouth water, but the words are what make this such a pleasure to read. It's not a love letter to chocolate, but a recognition of the love that these chocolatiers put into their work.
Not that the chocolate itself gets ignored. Far from it. I want to learn the pairing section by heart so I know exactly which tea or coffee to drink with my latest chocolate find. I want to study the map and learn the notes of the various countries. It's a guide to finding the best chocolate and understanding how to enjoy it as much as possible. There are even recipes too. I could've lived without them, which surprised me. I think it's partly how interesting the rest of the book was and partly that the recipes aren't as diverse as I might have hoped. I am confident I can make many kinds of chocolate truffle, but there was nothing especially out of the ordinary. They're mainly about using quality chocolate and handling it well instead of offering up something more exotic like a chocolate sauce for venison or such. So you get some good advice in general, but it could've been delivered more as tips than recipes.
Overall though, this is a glorious celebration of chocolate and the people dedicated to it. You really do see everything from bean to bar, and beyond - there are even items on the packaging! It's comprehensive without being dense, it's welcoming and invites you to join in this celebration of chocolate. It's as smooth and luxurious as the very product it talks about - and just like quality chocolate, it's worth treating yourself to this book.
May 21, 2020
This is one of the best current summaries of craft chocolate that I have read in quite a while. The writing is personable yet relates a tonne of information in a succinct manner. The pictures are great and the overall format of the book makes it very readable for everyone. It has only a very abbreviated look at the history of chocolate at the end, but that is ok because there are other books that do a much better and comprehensive job of this. I also enjoyed the little blurbs about individual chocolate makers.
November 25, 2017
Everything you ever wanted to know about chocolate can be right at your fingertips. If you're expecting a lot of recipes, though, you might be disappointed.
Bean to Bar covers the origins, history and makers of chocolate around the world. It is full of fascinating facts and gorgeous photos. If you're looking for in depth history or information about the world of chocolate making, this is the book for you!! There's great information on tempering chocolate and techniques for making bon bons, etc.
When it comes to recipes, this book was somewhat lacking for me. They do span from easy to advanced, but there's only around 22 recipes in the book, and several of those are for various types of drinking chocolate.
The Truffle Torte reminds me of a Torta Caprese, and there's nothing wrong with that! Definitely give the Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies a try as well!!
Overall, if you're looking for great chocolate recipes, I don't know if this book will be enough for you. If you are a chocoholic looking for all things chocolate, you'll probably love it!!
I received a copy of this book from Storey Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Bean to Bar covers the origins, history and makers of chocolate around the world. It is full of fascinating facts and gorgeous photos. If you're looking for in depth history or information about the world of chocolate making, this is the book for you!! There's great information on tempering chocolate and techniques for making bon bons, etc.
When it comes to recipes, this book was somewhat lacking for me. They do span from easy to advanced, but there's only around 22 recipes in the book, and several of those are for various types of drinking chocolate.
The Truffle Torte reminds me of a Torta Caprese, and there's nothing wrong with that! Definitely give the Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies a try as well!!
Overall, if you're looking for great chocolate recipes, I don't know if this book will be enough for you. If you are a chocoholic looking for all things chocolate, you'll probably love it!!
I received a copy of this book from Storey Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 22, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley, Storey Publishing LLC, and Megan Giller for the chance to read and review this ARC;
How does one even begin to explain the magic and depth of knowledge contained within this tome of glory? If you are a chocolate lover, run, don't walk and get yourself a copy of this book. It has amazing in-depth knowledge about the roots of chocolate, where it's come from, how its made, how it's changed through the ages.
The pictures alone will leave you feeling decadently craving and satisfied by the richness of the chocolate available in the world. Much like wine pairings, chocolate pairing pages are scattered, glorious and well detailed, with amazing art (all sorts of pairings, my favorite was the blue cheese set!). There will, also, be art processes on what goes into all you know about chocolate being made, and the differences of types of things you don't think about (such as hot chocolate vs. drinking chocolate, etc).
I am in utter adoration of this book and can't wait to be owning one!
How does one even begin to explain the magic and depth of knowledge contained within this tome of glory? If you are a chocolate lover, run, don't walk and get yourself a copy of this book. It has amazing in-depth knowledge about the roots of chocolate, where it's come from, how its made, how it's changed through the ages.
The pictures alone will leave you feeling decadently craving and satisfied by the richness of the chocolate available in the world. Much like wine pairings, chocolate pairing pages are scattered, glorious and well detailed, with amazing art (all sorts of pairings, my favorite was the blue cheese set!). There will, also, be art processes on what goes into all you know about chocolate being made, and the differences of types of things you don't think about (such as hot chocolate vs. drinking chocolate, etc).
I am in utter adoration of this book and can't wait to be owning one!
February 6, 2019
Yum yum! Very informative. I really enjoyed reading this book and learning. Highly recommend this book for all chocolate lovers. I enjoyed learning about pairing chocolate with drinks as well.
January 17, 2021
Good summary of bean-to-bar American industry to day. Nice pictures. Easy, simple to read
September 27, 2017
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Craft chocolate! Fascinating book detailing chocolate making all the way from the cacao plant to tempering chocolate. Delectable ideas...Grownup Peanut Butter & Jelly truffles, imagine! Add blue cheese, rose petals, gingerbread, quinoa, whatever you come up with! Mouthwatering creations!
Craft chocolate! Fascinating book detailing chocolate making all the way from the cacao plant to tempering chocolate. Delectable ideas...Grownup Peanut Butter & Jelly truffles, imagine! Add blue cheese, rose petals, gingerbread, quinoa, whatever you come up with! Mouthwatering creations!
May 30, 2020
Diabetes laced with Socialism, a shallow documentation book and some dull recipes from online.
December 12, 2020
I am working on an all age curriculum for chocolate -- and found this unique title at the library. First of all the format is small and sleek and feels good in your hands. The paper is high quality which sets off the amazing photos (which there are a lot of).
There is a lot of history about chocolate and how the beans are grown and how each different bean has its own unique characteristic based on the soil where it grows, the environment, when it was picked, and how it is processed. Fruity flavors from beans grown in Madagascar, nuttier tastes from those grown in Venezuela, and a pineapple/watermelon/raisin taste from Hawaii. This book made my mouth water on every page wanting to taste these amazing wonders for myself.
But this book also focuses on the current generation of craftsmen that are not out for quantity but quality of the taste and experimenting to get just the right blend of flavors. There are several small biographies of small independent chocolate companies that show their vision and inspiration and their inventions to turn out their unique blend of chocolate. Which is different from what we usually think of as chocolate (sugar & vanilla) that is the industrial chocolate created for low cost and consistency.
"The resulting flavors are an expression of the bean's time, place, and heritage, and even bit of the maker's personality." (p vi)
There is a lot of talk about the self-sustaining culture of chocolate and the new focus of working with the farmers to enable them to be a part of the process. -- the section "Why Chocolate Shouldn't Cost $1" (pp156-157) talks about the human rights violations that have been associated with the chocolate industry since the beginning and what measures are being put in place today to help correct that.
I agree with the Michael Laiskonis when he said -- "The more I learn about chocolate, the more I realize how much I don't know, which is both wonderfully satisfying and endlessly frustrating." (p vi)
Again this book has lots and lots of information about the individuals in today's market that craft chocolate, using their own creative process, engineering for taste with a passion -- "people who really like chocolate and geek out about it." (p38)
There are a few recipes included throughout the book -- special ingredients to make "real" chocolate; however, I would rather just buy the finished product. There is a list of the Bean to Bar Chocolatiers in the back of the book with contact information -- including one that happens to be about two hours away from me...can you say, "roadtrip".
I originally gave this book four stars but changed it because I reread it often enough that I finally had to buy my own copy. It is very entertaining and educational and think it would make a great read for anyone who likes chocolate. -- I originally had not included it in LEARNING WITH CHOCOLATE (A Homeschool Curriculum for the Whole Family) but changed my mind and added it as a great resource for Advanced students and parents or any chocolate geek.
Some of the unique sections in this book:
The Process of Making Chocolate
• What’s in a Craft Chocolate Bar? (page 18)
• How Do You Make Bean-to-Bar Chocolate? (pages 19 -20)
• Chocolate’s Green Beginnings (pages 22 – 23)
• How Cocoa Bans Becomes Chocolate (pages 24 - 25
The Origin of Chocolate
• What is Single-Origin Chocolate? (pages 46 - 49)
• Where American Chocolate Comes From – And What It Tastes Like (pages 54 – 55) **also can be used for Geography
• What’s the Deal with “Cacao” and “Cocoa”? (page 26)
Kinds of Chocolate
• Shades of Brown (page 116)
• White Chocolate Isn’t Chocolate (page 123) **Debate topic
• The Most Interesting Ingredients in Craft Chocolate (page 71)
• Chocolate Taste Wheel (page 83) **also can be used for Geography
• Composed Chocolate Plate (pages 106 – 107)
The Machinery of Chocolate
• John Nanci, DIY Machines, and American Ingenuity (page 35 – 36)
• Chocolate Machines (page 37)
Marketing & Consumers
• How to Read a Chocolate Label (pages 136 – 137)
• Label Smarts (page 138)
• Phrases to Avoid (page 139)
There is a lot of history about chocolate and how the beans are grown and how each different bean has its own unique characteristic based on the soil where it grows, the environment, when it was picked, and how it is processed. Fruity flavors from beans grown in Madagascar, nuttier tastes from those grown in Venezuela, and a pineapple/watermelon/raisin taste from Hawaii. This book made my mouth water on every page wanting to taste these amazing wonders for myself.
But this book also focuses on the current generation of craftsmen that are not out for quantity but quality of the taste and experimenting to get just the right blend of flavors. There are several small biographies of small independent chocolate companies that show their vision and inspiration and their inventions to turn out their unique blend of chocolate. Which is different from what we usually think of as chocolate (sugar & vanilla) that is the industrial chocolate created for low cost and consistency.
"The resulting flavors are an expression of the bean's time, place, and heritage, and even bit of the maker's personality." (p vi)
There is a lot of talk about the self-sustaining culture of chocolate and the new focus of working with the farmers to enable them to be a part of the process. -- the section "Why Chocolate Shouldn't Cost $1" (pp156-157) talks about the human rights violations that have been associated with the chocolate industry since the beginning and what measures are being put in place today to help correct that.
I agree with the Michael Laiskonis when he said -- "The more I learn about chocolate, the more I realize how much I don't know, which is both wonderfully satisfying and endlessly frustrating." (p vi)
Again this book has lots and lots of information about the individuals in today's market that craft chocolate, using their own creative process, engineering for taste with a passion -- "people who really like chocolate and geek out about it." (p38)
There are a few recipes included throughout the book -- special ingredients to make "real" chocolate; however, I would rather just buy the finished product. There is a list of the Bean to Bar Chocolatiers in the back of the book with contact information -- including one that happens to be about two hours away from me...can you say, "roadtrip".
I originally gave this book four stars but changed it because I reread it often enough that I finally had to buy my own copy. It is very entertaining and educational and think it would make a great read for anyone who likes chocolate. -- I originally had not included it in LEARNING WITH CHOCOLATE (A Homeschool Curriculum for the Whole Family) but changed my mind and added it as a great resource for Advanced students and parents or any chocolate geek.
Some of the unique sections in this book:
The Process of Making Chocolate
• What’s in a Craft Chocolate Bar? (page 18)
• How Do You Make Bean-to-Bar Chocolate? (pages 19 -20)
• Chocolate’s Green Beginnings (pages 22 – 23)
• How Cocoa Bans Becomes Chocolate (pages 24 - 25
The Origin of Chocolate
• What is Single-Origin Chocolate? (pages 46 - 49)
• Where American Chocolate Comes From – And What It Tastes Like (pages 54 – 55) **also can be used for Geography
• What’s the Deal with “Cacao” and “Cocoa”? (page 26)
Kinds of Chocolate
• Shades of Brown (page 116)
• White Chocolate Isn’t Chocolate (page 123) **Debate topic
• The Most Interesting Ingredients in Craft Chocolate (page 71)
• Chocolate Taste Wheel (page 83) **also can be used for Geography
• Composed Chocolate Plate (pages 106 – 107)
The Machinery of Chocolate
• John Nanci, DIY Machines, and American Ingenuity (page 35 – 36)
• Chocolate Machines (page 37)
Marketing & Consumers
• How to Read a Chocolate Label (pages 136 – 137)
• Label Smarts (page 138)
• Phrases to Avoid (page 139)
August 12, 2017
Bean-to-Bar Chocolate is a glimpse into the surprising new trend that's hopefully coming to an area near you soon: craft chocolate. Like beer and coffee, Megan Giller believes chocolate is getting ready to have its artisan moment. Small companies or individuals experimenting with making their own chocolate- flavors, consistencies, etc. Like with coffee, much of the focus seems to be not only on making interesting flavors, but working closely with the farmers growing the plants.
Generously sprinkled throughout the book are recipes ranging from "easy" to "advanced" for you to try at home from some of the master chefs in the chocolate world. Many of them looked not only doable for a non-chef like me, but also quite delicious!
One of my favorite parts of the book was a section at the end "The History of the World in Chocolate". While I would have loved more about the early history chocolate played among people, that wasn't the focus of this book. The section however, gave some interesting highlights (Mesoamericans domesticated and drank chocolate more than 38 centuries ago!) on humans and chocolate, and there was a brief "Etymology of Chocolate" on some of the original words and meanings of the word itself. Giller includes a useful glossary of chocolate terms (we finally get a useful definition of what the chocolate percentage on labels means), as well as short lists of chocolate co-opts, farmers, and bean-to-bar chocolate makers America for those interested in tasting what they're reading about.
Beautiful photographs combined with Giller's casual, conversational style of writing and enthusiastic, unapologetic love of all things chocolate make makes Bean-to-Bar Chocolate not only educational but fun to read. Anyone interested in the story of chocolate, small scale industries, and learning about the process of going from the cacao tree to the chocolate bar will enjoy this book.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For my full review, go to:
https://bookwyrmreader.blogspot.ca/20...
Generously sprinkled throughout the book are recipes ranging from "easy" to "advanced" for you to try at home from some of the master chefs in the chocolate world. Many of them looked not only doable for a non-chef like me, but also quite delicious!
One of my favorite parts of the book was a section at the end "The History of the World in Chocolate". While I would have loved more about the early history chocolate played among people, that wasn't the focus of this book. The section however, gave some interesting highlights (Mesoamericans domesticated and drank chocolate more than 38 centuries ago!) on humans and chocolate, and there was a brief "Etymology of Chocolate" on some of the original words and meanings of the word itself. Giller includes a useful glossary of chocolate terms (we finally get a useful definition of what the chocolate percentage on labels means), as well as short lists of chocolate co-opts, farmers, and bean-to-bar chocolate makers America for those interested in tasting what they're reading about.
Beautiful photographs combined with Giller's casual, conversational style of writing and enthusiastic, unapologetic love of all things chocolate make makes Bean-to-Bar Chocolate not only educational but fun to read. Anyone interested in the story of chocolate, small scale industries, and learning about the process of going from the cacao tree to the chocolate bar will enjoy this book.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For my full review, go to:
https://bookwyrmreader.blogspot.ca/20...
August 13, 2017
Amazing book telling the history of chocolate through the experience of a chocolate lover.
You always want to learn something new from a new cookbook and this one does just that and more. Showing us and telling us through her stories and pictures of the wonderful chocolate artists she has met, seen and tasted.
You learn about all aspects of the cacao pod and how you actually get chocolate from it.
She shares great sounding and tasting recipes from chocolate, how to pair chocolates with everything-tea, coffee, spirits, beer, cheese and even breads.
Shares her 13 favorite bean to bar chocolates and gives brief histories from people in the past and their relationship with chocolate. I liked the list of terms to look for on your chocolate bar to make sure of quality.
Just a lot of interesting and useful information on chocolate in this book. Fun graphics too!
You always want to learn something new from a new cookbook and this one does just that and more. Showing us and telling us through her stories and pictures of the wonderful chocolate artists she has met, seen and tasted.
You learn about all aspects of the cacao pod and how you actually get chocolate from it.
She shares great sounding and tasting recipes from chocolate, how to pair chocolates with everything-tea, coffee, spirits, beer, cheese and even breads.
Shares her 13 favorite bean to bar chocolates and gives brief histories from people in the past and their relationship with chocolate. I liked the list of terms to look for on your chocolate bar to make sure of quality.
Just a lot of interesting and useful information on chocolate in this book. Fun graphics too!
December 22, 2017
Some of my favorite parts of this book include, in no particular order:
The recipes, of which there are sadly only about a dozen.
The directory of bean-to-bar makers and farmers in the back of the book.
The emphasis on direct trade with growers, and the consumer’s responsibility to ensure makers are paid a fair price (even if it means paying $10 for a chocolate bar).
The glossary of chocolate terms in the back and myth-busting throughout.
The history of chocolate.
The tasting and pairing guides.
The beautiful photos and lovely design.
A glowing guide to one of my favorite foods.
The recipes, of which there are sadly only about a dozen.
The directory of bean-to-bar makers and farmers in the back of the book.
The emphasis on direct trade with growers, and the consumer’s responsibility to ensure makers are paid a fair price (even if it means paying $10 for a chocolate bar).
The glossary of chocolate terms in the back and myth-busting throughout.
The history of chocolate.
The tasting and pairing guides.
The beautiful photos and lovely design.
A glowing guide to one of my favorite foods.
December 1, 2023
As far as information about chocolate - its making and its history - I didn't get much new information out of this book, but I think it could be a great introduction book for someone who is just starting to explore craft chocolates. There are some interesting notes on tasting and food and beverage pairings, some recipes, some interviews or profiles of chocolate makers... and for me - a list of chocolate makers, many of which I wasn't familiar with because I am much more familiar with the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic chocolate scene than the rest of the US.
January 14, 2018
I received Bean to Bar Chocolate as a Goodreads giveaway. The book was a well-written educational read on the history of chocolate. I particularly enjoyed learning about the farmers and fair trade versus direct trade. There are plenty of beautiful pictures. The recipes looked easy yet mouth-watering and I definitely plan on using some of them. The author, Ms Giller, also provides a directory of bean-to-bar makers in The United States. This is a nice book that you will want to keep!
December 10, 2017
I absolutely love this book!!! It is packed with excellent, eye opening information on craft chocolate. If you are not familiar with craft chocolate, as I was, but you love chocolate, this book is for you! If you are a craft chocolate devotee, the recipes, stories, and excellent information will be very helpful. Very well written and engaging!!! Loved it!
September 9, 2024
This book is an overview of craft chocolate making and it details the process, from the correct growing conditions to proper labeling. Although I appreciated all of the intricate chocolate knowledge, it's more for the individual who would like to make their own chocolate. The recipes look great, but I'd rather buy them than make them on my own.
December 14, 2017
I didn't know there was so much to know about chocolate! This book was very informative, entertaining, easy-to-understand, and filled with stories about craft chocolate makers. A great read for foodies and anyone who loves chocolate!
January 2, 2019
Very informative and interesting book about the bean-to-bar movement featuring makers' stories and other tidbits.
December 6, 2020
I love the personal level of the stories of craft chocolate makers detailed in this book. But it also has useful graphics -- including a tasting guide and a terroir map.
January 14, 2018
I liked it better than David Wolfe's Naked Chocolate, because while they both contained about the same information in regards to chocolate's history, Bean-to-Bar Chocolate is much less hippie (but still a bit hipster). To be fair, the two books technically take different perspectives on chocolate.
I used to eat a lot of the fancy-pants chocolate bars that Giller highlights, when they were easily accessible to me, so I really enjoyed seeing those throughout the book (it made me feel special, like maybe I'm a little bit hipster, too).
She has a few recipes scattered throughout the book. They looked interesting, but my experience with craft chocolate is that I should just eat the bars and not try melting them down and baking them into something even fancier. I did attempt her suggestion for tempering chocolate with some 88% Zoet bars that I used for mints, but it did not turn out so tempered--there could be multiple reasons for this though, so I'm not blaming Giller.
This book is not an everything-there-is-to-know-about-chocolate book (which I think I am essentially looking for), but it does a good job covering America's craft chocolate industry.
I used to eat a lot of the fancy-pants chocolate bars that Giller highlights, when they were easily accessible to me, so I really enjoyed seeing those throughout the book (it made me feel special, like maybe I'm a little bit hipster, too).
She has a few recipes scattered throughout the book. They looked interesting, but my experience with craft chocolate is that I should just eat the bars and not try melting them down and baking them into something even fancier. I did attempt her suggestion for tempering chocolate with some 88% Zoet bars that I used for mints, but it did not turn out so tempered--there could be multiple reasons for this though, so I'm not blaming Giller.
This book is not an everything-there-is-to-know-about-chocolate book (which I think I am essentially looking for), but it does a good job covering America's craft chocolate industry.
Want to read
May 7, 2022This book is an in depth history of and provides information about the world of chocolate making. Bean to Bar covers the origins, the history and the makers of chocolate around the world. I found the many facts fascinating. The pictures were just glorious!
There were also many tips and recipes. This is a great book for learning so much more about the wonderful treat so many of us love.
* Thank you to Megan Giller, Storey Publishing and Netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
There were also many tips and recipes. This is a great book for learning so much more about the wonderful treat so many of us love.
* Thank you to Megan Giller, Storey Publishing and Netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read
July 19, 2017Everything I've ever wanted to know about my favorite thing in the whole wide world: chocolate! If you've ever stopped in the middle of a chocolate binge to wonder: where does chocolate actually come from? Then I highly recommend this book. You get a good sense to just how much work goes into creating chocolate, and you appreciate it much more than you did before.
Remember, people: climate change is creating problems for the chocolate industry. If we don't do something, we may face the worst possible scenario....chocolate shortages. We may end up in a world with no chocolate at all. Just writing those words makes my heart hurt.
Chocolate!
Remember, people: climate change is creating problems for the chocolate industry. If we don't do something, we may face the worst possible scenario....chocolate shortages. We may end up in a world with no chocolate at all. Just writing those words makes my heart hurt.
Chocolate!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 24 reviews