April 2003
Twenty Years in the Making
Back in the mid 1980's Chantal Coady opened Rococo - her London
based specialty chocolate shop. Twenty years on, Coady has
assembled a collection of her favorite, chocolate based recipes.
Kicking Off With…
The book starts with a bounty of chocolaty facts including
a swift history of chocolate, how it makes it from bean to
bar, what separates the real stuff from low grade imitations
and a couple of interesting pages on how to taste the delightful
substance.
Chocolate Know How
A fifteen page "master class" fills the second chapter, encompassing
the basic skills of making ganache, tempering, molding and
sculpting. The recipes follow…
Savory You Say?
I have always been rather skeptical of savory recipes that
include chocolate, but I must say that there are a clutch
of good, realistically usable ideas here. The chocolate tempura:
a dish of tempura style vegetables that has the nutty flavor
of raw Cocoa nibs incorporated is pretty smart. And the very
versatile chocolate-balsamic vinegar makes a great vinaigrette
- it's is not too sweet as cider vinegar and cooking balsamic
are used as its base (the obvious acidity balances out the
sweetness of the added chocolate and sugar).
Sweet Ideas
The final chapter offers what most would imagine to find in
the first - desserts, cookies, cakes and breads. Here you
will encounter the more classic chocolate mousse and biscotti
along side the not so classic but most welcome "white chocolate
pannacotta with saffron and cardamom" and rather cheeky "bad
girl's trifle".
The Verdict
Real Chocolate is a quality publication that has been well
researched and written. The book is well laid out, contains
solid photography and the occasional sketch. It won't change
the culinary life of a professional but defiantly offers:
a little education, some great ideas and would make for a
wicked gift. At only $19.95 it offers great value and a worthy
addition to yours or someone else's collection.