Chocolate : a cultural encyclopedia

Chocolate is nearly always with us―when celebrating or mourning, in love or alone, healthy or sick, happy or sad. This book offers a comprehensive look at how an exotic food grew to play such a central role in our lives. No food in the world can offer as storied a history as chocolate. Chocolate: A Cultural Encyclopedia focuses on cocoa's history from ancient Mesoamerican beginnings as a symbol of ritual, life, and death, to its omnipresence in Europe, North America, and the rest of the world. In 10 thematic chapters covering chocolate in society and culture, 80 shorter entries, recipes, and a comprehensive timeline, this new book takes a closer look at how chocolate has served as a medicine, an indulgence, a symbol of decadence, a door to romance, a tempting taboo, a means of survival, and a snack for children and adults alike. Why did popes and kings so fear their chocolate? Who invented milk chocolate, and why was its formula kept secret? Why did soldiers in World War II despise their chocolate rations? Who makes the most chocolate today? Find out the answers to these questions and more as this book tells you everything you wanted to know―and a lot you didn't even know existed―about the seed from the world’s favorite fruit tree. Detailed discussions of 80 chocolate-related topics for those who wish to know more A compendium of original recipes that have never been published before In-depth discussion of historical, cultural, and business aspects of chocolate never before available in a single book Extensive in-text references and bibliography Inviting and lively text for a general audience 30 visually striking images that bring life to the essays and entries Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Introduction Chocolate Chronology Essays Natural History of Cacao Chocolate Conquers the World Sweet History: Chocolate and Health Bitter History: Slaving for Chocolate The Spirit of Chocolate: Myth and Religion Putting the Sweet in Popular Culture: Chocolate and the Arts Politics, Exploration, and Military: Cocoa for King and Country Preparation: Rituals, Recipes, and Poisons Processing Cacao Chocolate for Profit: The Business of Cacao Chocolate-Based Recipes: Dotty Curry Chocolate Entries: A to Z Adulteration Alkali, Alkaline Salts Antioxidants Aphorisms Aphrodisiac Aztecs (Mexica) Badianus Manuscript Baker’s Chocolate, USA Bean, Cocoa Beverages Cacao, Heirloom Cadbury Chocolate (UK) Caffeine/Theobromine Callebaut Chocolate (Belgium Carob Chicha (Chocolate Beer) Chocolat, Chocolate, and Xocolatl Chocolate Islands (São Tomé and Príncipe) Chocolate Soldier Chocolatier (Video Game) Chocumentary Climate Change Cocoa (Computer Programming Language) Cocoa Butter Cocoa Powder Cocoa Shells (Drink and Garden Mulch) Colmenero, Antonio de Ledesma Conch, Conching Cortés, Hernán Cosmetics Criollo Dahl, Roald Dark Chocolate Debauve & Gallais (France) Desserts Dogs, and Chocolate Dominicans (Religious Order) Dufour, Philippe Sylvestre Fair Trade Chocolate Fat Bloom on Chocolate Ferrero Rocher (Italy) Festivals and Conferences Flavonoids Franciscans (Religious Order) Fry Chocolate (UK) Gage, Thomas Ghana Godiva Chocolate (Belgium) Hernández, Francisco Hershey’s Chocolate (USA) Humoral Medicine Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) Jesuits (Religious Order) Linnaeus, Carolus María Theresa (Marie-Thérèse) Mars Wrigley (USA) Maya, Mayans Mesoamerica Metate Military Campaigns and Expeditions Milk Chocolate Molinillo, Molinet Nacional Chocolate Nestlé S.A. (Switzerland) Nibs Pandemic of 2020–2022 Pepys, Samuel Poison Postage Stamps Processors Ruby Chocolate Slave Trade Spanish Inquisition Stubbe, Henry Tempering Tourism Van Houten, Coenraad Johannes and Caspardus Vegan Chocolate White Chocolate White’s Chocolate House (London) Works Cited About the Author and Contributors Index Chocolate is nearly always with us―when celebrating or mourning, in love or alone, healthy or sick, happy or sad. This book offers a comprehensive look at how an exotic food grew to play such a central role in our lives. Why did popes and kings so fear their chocolate? Who invented milk chocolate, and why was its formula kept secret? Why did soldiers in World War II despise their chocolate rations? Who makes the most chocolate today? Find out the answers to these questions and more as this book tells you everything you wanted to know―and a lot you didn't even know existed―about the seed from the world’s favorite fruit tree. * * Detailed discussions of 80 chocolate-related topics for those who wish to know more * * A compendium of original recipes that have never been published before * * In-depth discussion of historical, cultural, and business aspects of chocolate never before available in a single book * * Extensive in-text references and bibliography * * Inviting and lively text for a general audience * * 30 visually striking images that bring life to the essays and entries * "Probably no food in history has become as enrobed into world culture as chocolate. Its mythical beginnings tell a tale of ancient empires and great kings. The mysterious Olmecs, the mighty Maya; both civilizations grew to tower over Central America, and then fall into ruin, long before the rest of the world knew they existed. The Aztecs had taken power by the time of Columbus. Early Spanish explorers were dumbfounded to discover an entire culture underpinned by an almond-shaped bean natives called xocolatl. The food was part of Aztec weddings, funerals, harvests and human sacrifice. It was a form of currency. It was a drink of the gods, and a drink of an emperor who, purportedly, relied on it for potency during visits to his mistresses. This was probably not literally true. And yet it was mythically true, in the sense that it became the first of a series of fables and tales, usually fascinating, sometimes lurid, often fanciful, that have for centuries surrounded the lore of chocolate"-- Provided by publisher A natural history of cacao -- Chocolate conquers the world -- Sweet history : chocolate and health -- Bitter history : slaving for chocolate -- The spirit of chocolate : myth and religion / Karl Bakkum -- Putting the sweet in popular culture : chocolate and the arts / Michael J. Stein -- Politics, exploration and military : cocoa for king and country -- Preparation : rituals, recipes and poisons -- Processing cacao -- Chocolate for profit : the business of cacao -- Chocolate recipes / Dotty Curry. -- Chocolate A to Z