The secret life of chocolate
Behind-the-scene tales aren't always so sweet
By Stephanie Snipes
CNN
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Imagine a world inhabited by an elite group of talented individuals living a life full of intrigue and mystery, cutthroat competitiveness and centuries-old family secrets, and you get a small taste of the world of chocolate.
Most think of chocolate, a favorite of Valentine's Day sweethearts young and old, as the indulgent treat that sparks childhood memories and brings forth feelings of adoration and joy.
Few realize that the road from cacao bean to bonbon is paved with such dramatic infighting that even the Hatfields and McCoys would shy away.
In the new book "Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light" (North Point Press), author Mort Rosenblum explores chocolate in every stage of its development. From the simple bean to extravagantly decadent desserts, chocolate has a storied and seductive past.
"Even Willy Wonka used Oompa Loompas to make his chocolate because he was afraid everybody else would steal his secrets," said Rosenblum, author of the James Beard Foundation Award-winning book "Olives" and a longtime special correspondent for The Associated Press.
According to Rosenblum, the real story of chocolate starts with the bean. And only a good bean can produce a quality product.
"It's like wine with the grapes, or olive oil and the olives. You need the raw material. There's a lot of cacao in the world, and most of it's not very good," Rosenblum said in a recent interview. "So the competition for the really good beans can be really fierce."
And so the backstabbing begins.
One story in his book describes the bitterness between England's royal families of chocolate -- the Cadburys and Frys.
According to Rosenblum, in the early 1900s the Cadburys and Frys made a deal with a cacao plantation in South America to import beans. Eventually, old man Cadbury made a secret deal with the plantation to cut Fry out of his share -- a move Rosenblum describes as "ugly." Years of fighting ensued.
When Fry passed away, his widow held a massive funeral in Westminster Abbey, and, according to Rosenblum, when Cadbury walked in late, widow Fry stood up and screamed across the gigantic vaulted cathedral, "Get out, Devil!"
The creme de la creme
While trouble often brews behind the scenes, the public really only needs to know one thing -- what is the best of the best? And to Rosenblum, that means French confections.
His favorite chocolatier is the acclaimed Jacques Genin, based in Paris, who does not advertise his products to the public (although if you manage to find his shop, he won't turn you away). Instead, Genin creates his chocolates for high-end French restaurants.
"What surprised me the most is how subtle the differences of chocolate can be and how it can be taken to such a high art," Rosenblum said. "We all grow up with Hershey and to us that's chocolate, and a lot of people really like Hershey, and Hershey's Kisses are great, except when you start learning the differences and start learning what's really out there."
Rosenblum also recommends the more attainable La Maison du Chocolat and the San Francisco-based Michael Recchiuti, both of which can be purchased on the Internet. These chocolatiers, Rosenblum said, create delectable treats with showstopping presentation. Valrhona and Scharffen Berger also receive high marks from Rosenblum.
His worst? Belgium's famed Godiva.
"Quite frankly [Godiva] are geniuses in packaging and marketing. As far as their chocolate is concerned, I'd prefer a Hershey's bar," he said.
While Rosenblum admits he has become a bit of a chocolate snob, he said that what makes good or bad chocolate is really up to the individual. Still, he said, why spend the money on something sub-par?
"What's good about the French, the really best people there have figured out ways to subtly blend the flavors of the chocolate with things that they put in it, so you have long flavor curves and little flashes of flavor and subtleties. Also, a silkiness and a finesse," he said.
Some may find the price of the "good stuff" a deterrent, but giving a gift of chocolate has significant meaning, said Rosenblum, so you should be picky.
Chocolate "is so connected with love. That's the idea. It's become the symbol. ... It says more than flowers, certainly more than chopped liver, that I really care about you and this is really important," Rosenblum said.
"Chocolate will make you fall in love. If not with the person that gave it to you, with the person who made it."
