Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert

(Paperback)

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Description

From the sacred fudge served to India's gods to the ephemeral baklava of Istanbul's harems, the towering sugar creations of Renaissance Italy, and the exotically scented macarons of twenty-first century Paris, the world's confectionary arts have not only mirrored social, technological, and political revolutions, they have also, in many ways, been in their vanguard. The book captures the stories of sweet makers past and present from India, the Middle East, Italy, France, Vienna, and the United States, as author Michael Krondl meets with confectioners around the globe, savouring and exploring the dessert icons of each tradition. Readers will be tantalised by the rich history of each region's unforgettable desserts and tempted to try their own hand at a time-honoured recipe. A fascinating and rewarding read for any lover of sugar, butter, and cream, the book embraces the pleasures of dessert while unveiling the secular, metaphysical, and even sexual uses that societies have found for it.

Reviews

"Sweet Invention is a captivating journey of dessert travel. Beautifully written and fun to read, Michael Krondl manages to take us on a ride as kid in a candy store throughout the ages to modern day." --Elizabeth Falkner, chef/pastry chef, author of Elizabeth Falkner's Demolition Desserts

"Frosted with eye-catching detail, layered with the rich and mouthwatering history of all things sweet, and leavened by inspired scholarship, Michael Krondl's history of dessert is a lush confection in its own right. . . . This is a must-read for all of us who care about food history, or have a sweet tooth." --Ian Kelly, author, Cooking for Kings: The Life of Antonin Careme, the First Celebrity Chef

"A food historian and former chef, Krondl . . . combines copious research and skilled narrative in this delightful journey through the history of dessert." --Publishers Weekly

"Food historian and chef Michael Krondl's newest book . . . offers a wholly satisfying and erudite journey through the political, religious, cultural and sexual roles that sweets have played on the world's stage. Blending the ingredients of social history, memoir, food literature and travel writing, the book satisfies on multiple levels." --Star Tribune

"Michael Krondl writes about the history of desserts with grace, wit, and a considerable sweet tooth." --Nick Malgieri, author, BAKE! and The Modern Baker

Exhaustive and enlightening history of desserts. --Booklist

Author Bio

Michael Krondl is a food historian and the author of The Taste of Conquest, The Great Little Pumpkin Cookbook, and Around the American Table. He is an award-winning cooking instructor, food writer, and former chef. His writing credits include Gastronomica, New York Newsday, and Nation's Restaurant News as well as multiple contributions to The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. For more information visit www.sweetinvention.net