Lonely Planet's GLOBAL CHOCOLATE TOUR

Another book (hard copy, 253 pages) about food by Lonely Planet, sent to us by the publisher for review. Thanks!

(We will do a giveaway, 2 free copies, on our Facebook page,https://www.facebook.com/taiwantravelmag, deadline will be July 7, 2020).

This book takes you around the world to places where chocolate is produced and sold and presents you with all you could possibly want to know about chocolate. If you like to travel and eat chocolate, you will LOVE this book!

On the first few pages you’ll learn about the basics, where chocolate comes from and how it’s made, and what types of chocolate there are. You’ll also find a list of chocolate-related terms helpful to better understand what chocolate experts are talking about.

Learning the basics about chocolate productions

The next sections then focus on chocolate in different continents:
Africa and the Middle East, The Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

There is a distinction between countries where the raw material (cacao) is produced, such as the Ivory Coast and Ghana in West Africa, and countries where chocolate is consumed in large amounts, such as Switzerland. The book, however, also points out that some cacao-producing countries now start keeping some of the produce for local markets as well, with new bean-to-bar businesses being started.

In the Asia part of the book, there is also a chapter about Taiwan. The chocolate industry is very young on the island, but early indications are that is has a promising future.

The southern part of Taiwan has a tropical climate and this is where farmers have started to cultivate cacao trees. There is an interesting shift in the island’s diverse local agriculture, away from cash crops such as betelnuts, the consumption of which is now increasingly regarded as damaging to people’s health with shallow-root trees often the cause of erosion and landslides. Some cacao farmers keep the betelnut trees, as the can help to protect the cacao trees, which welcome the shade from their taller neighbors. During typhoon season, farmers also tie the cacao trees to the betelnut trees to keep them from toppling.

It’s possible to visit some of Taiwan’s cacao farms, including the one run by Chiu Ming-song, named Choose Chius. You’ll be introduced to the plantation, learn everything about the cultivation, and even have the chance to make chocolate bon bons and drink hot chocolate. A number of other chocolate farms and shops in Taiwan are introduced in this book as well.

While browsing through Global Chocolate Tour, you’ll not only find information about where to go next on your chocolate exploration adventure around the world, you’ll also get a sense for how passionate chocolatiers around the globe are when it comes to creating new morsels and present them in stylish and lovely ways. You’ll also realize that people living on all continents share a deep love for chocolate.

Here are some of the fine chocolate places introduced in the book:

MAMUSHKA (Argentina) — “one of the longest-running chocolatiers on the Bariloche street, Argentines endearingly call ‘The Avenue of Chocolate'”

CHOCOMUSEO (Latin America) — ” If ever there was a people-centred model for joyfully, even playfully, celebrating chocolate in all its potency and complexity, it is ChocoMuseo”

LA BURDICK (USA) — “Whether in Chicago, Boston, Cambridge or New York City, once you step inside an LA Burdick store you can’t possibly come out empty-handed”

CAFE SACHER (AUSTRIA) — “What could be more Viennese than forking a decadent slice of Sachertorte in the chandelier-lit ruby-red confines of opulent Cafe Sacher”

ZOKOKO (AUSTRALIA) — “When you walk into this light-filled, delicious-smelling cafe in the Emu Heights suburb of Sydney, be prepared to have a hard time deciding what to eat”