From Publishers Weekly
The chocolate buyer for the London department store Fortnum & Mason has taken it upon herself to educate the world about life beyond Snickers bars; the difference between "candy" and true ("artisanal") chocolate, and then between chocolate and chocolates (bonbons); and how to learn to love the good stuff, en route to becoming a chocolate connoisseur oneself, as skilled as any wine or cheese taster. Her approach is that of an unabashed and evangelical snob, a bracing combination of Mary Poppins and Miss Manners. Along the way, Doutre-Roussel skewers some sacred cows—Belgian chocolates, Godiva—and lists with approval a dozen brands most people have never heard of, with, fortunately, mail-order and online sources to find them and instructions on how to savor them when found. This is a beautiful little book, chockfull of charming pictures, maps, charts and graphs, sidebars and boxes of advice, lore and even a few recipes. Paired with a few choco-gourmet samples, it would make a scrumptious Valentine's gift for nearly anyone.

I found this to be a fascinating book. There is so much to learn about chocolate that I didn't even realize existed! I was motivated to develop my chocolate palate, so I had a chocolate tasting with a Sharffen Berger and 2 Valrhona bars with my 3 year old son, who is also quite a foodie already. Of course, we had the tasting in the morning before breakfast when our palates were freshest! Yum!

My only complaint about this book is that it can be a tad haughty in places, only a tad though, so it was forgivable! ;)

I'm saving this one to add to the Food Glorious Food Book Box heading my way soon.

Enjoy the book!

taken out of svoight's Food Glorious Food BookBox

Can't resist CHOCOLATE!!! will be adding to my TBR shelf - thanks