Peter Greweling: Chocolates & Confections

By JULIETTE ROSSANT It would be difficult to find a better guide through the intricacies and pitfalls of chocolates and confections than Peter P. Greweling, a Certified Master Baker and instructor at the CIA. His Chocolates & Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner (Wiley 2007) is a complete textbook on the subject that will take the novice all the way to the professional. With grocery shelves bulging with better quality, single-source chocolate and imported dried fruits and nuts, it is easy to see that it is possible to make high quality home made sweets. Just as the revolution in American cuisine has led chefs to scour the country for local inspiration, and fresher ingredients for artisinal cuisine, candy making has also responded to mass-production and there is a resurgence of locally made, high-quality Chocolate and candy making stand today where bread baking stood twenty years ago: poised for a renaissance in their status and in public awareness, and for a revival in the use of traditional techniques to produce world-class products…It is my hope that this book will fuel the artisan confectionery revolution by helping people who share the passion to understand and create confections that truly provide a feast for all the senses….(p. vii) The book starts with basic information about ingredients, the effects of humidity and packaging and then moves on to basics about chocolate making. What makes the book so useful are the multitude of sections with caveats about a technique and what to do if things don't work out, such as a chocolate tempering and trouble shooting table (p. 55). The photographs by Ben Fink are clear and informative and the chocolates and candies look irresistibly good. Recipes range from Truffle Truffles (p. 102) to Chai Tigers (p. 106 to Green Faeries (p. 146). Then the book goes on to explore techniques and recipes for everything from Soft Caramels (p. 209) to Turkish Delight (p. 292). It is no wonder that Chocolate & Confections has been nominated for a James Beard award and is an IACP IACP Cookbook Awards Finalist. It is a wonderful gift for anyone with an unsatisfied sweet tooth. Previous articles: [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef