310. Bitter Chocolate: Anatomy of an Industry by Carol Off

BOOK REVIEW: Bitter Chocolate - Anatomy of an Industry by Carol Off

Chocolate, the food of the gods, is loved by everyone in the world. For both the saddest and the most dreaded moments, chocolate lifts the consumer's soul as the snap of it and the subsequent lusciousness as it melts on the tongue consume one entirely. But did you know that behind every nibble of indulgence, there is a horde of suffering across the earth?

Whether part of a child's Halloween haul or the contents of a heart-shaped box, chocolate is synonymous with pleasure. Yet behind the sweet image is a dark history of exploitation. 

This book traces that history from the banquet table of Montezuma's Aztec court to the bustling factories of Hershey, Cadbury and Mars today, revealing that slavery and injustice have always been key ingredients.

The heart of the book takes place in the Ivory Coast - the world's leading producer of cocoa beans - where profits from the multi-billion dollar chocolate industry fuel bloody civil war and widespread corruption, and poor farmers employ children, who have never themselves known the taste of chocolate, to pick the beans.

In the tradition of Mark Kurlansky's Salt, this book is an absorbing social history, a passionate investigative account, and a shocking exposé of an industry that has institutionalized misery even as it indulges our appetites. 

On a personal level, I have not touched a bar of chocolate since I started reading this. Everytime I pick up my Mars bar, I suddenly begin to visualize the misery and suffering of those in the cocoa plantations in Africa and Belize. This is a painfully raw story of a true scene behind the world of chocolate. I would like to end with this:

"THE GULF MUST BE CLOSED BETWEEN THE HAND THAT PICKS THE BEAN AND THE HAND THAT UNWRAPS THE CANDY"

309. Forbidden Sister by V.C. Andrews

 BOOK REVIEW: Forbidden Sister by V.C. Andrews

Those who are born with siblings, especially sisters-and-sisters, will know sibling rivalry or even the need to look up to your elder sibling. However, what happens if your elder sibling turns out to be a rebel and not in the least accepted by your family? Will you still turn to them or look up to them? This bestselling author unlocks an adventure of intrigue and temptation that shatters the innocence of a girl in search of the sister she's never known.

Emmie Wilcox was only 6 when her older sister, Roxy, was thrown out of their New York City apartment. Their stern father's military-style rules left no room for rebellion, and Roxy was continually defiant and rebellious. Emmie, now an outstanding student at a private school, is obedient, respectful, a fille parfaite, as her Parisian-born mother lovingly calls her.

2 sisters, total opposites - yet Emmie is secretly obsessed with the mystery and imposed silence surrounding Roxy: What had she finally done to deserve being cast out of her home? Where is she now? Emmie can't help but wonder if there is a hidden side to her that resembles Roxy's defiant nature. Sometimes she fantasizes that she is more like Roxy than she appears. Sometimes she wants to be.

She wants excitement, and being a good girl all the time is harder than it seems. Finally learning that Roxy is a highly paid escort to wealthy and powerful men, Emmie goes behind her father's back to track down and spy on the sister she can't help but be fascinated with, a sister whose influence might run deeper than Emmie ever dreamed.

In a tale twisting with heart-pounding suspense, shocking revelations, and the compelling family drama for which the author is known, this book introduces 2 new original heroines to capture any reader's imagination. I have read "Flowers in the Attic" and was left bewildered by how gripping the story was. This is exactly how this book made me feel too. Three cheers for such a talented writer!

308. Super Sushi Ramen Express by Michael Booth

BOOK REVIEW: Super Sushi Ramen Express by Michael Booth

Japanese food is rarely mentioned compared to French cuisine or even Italian cuisine. This undermined culinary world has much to offer, with Japanese food more to works of art then just mere food. This book written almost like a personal food journal traverses Japan's food landscape through the eyes of the author and his family.

Japan is arguably the preeminent food nation on earth; it's a mecca for the world's greatest chefs and has more Michelin stars than anybother country. The Japanese go to extraordinary lengths and expense to eat food that is marked both by its exquisite preparation and exotic content.

Their creativity, dedication and courage in the face of dishes such as cod sperm and octopus ice cream are only now beginning to be fully appreciated in the sushi- and ramen-saturated West, as are the remarkable health benefits of the traditional Japanese diet.

 The author, who is a food and travel writer, takes the culinary pulse of contemporary Japan, learning fascinating tips and recipes that few Westerners have been privy to before. Accompanied by 2 fussy eaters under the age of six, he and his wife travel the length of the country, from bear-infested, beer-loving Hokkaido to snake-infested, seaweed-loving Okinawa.

Along the way, they dine with sumo wrestlers, pamper the world's most expensive cows with massages and beer, share a seaside lunch with free-diving female abalone hunters, and meet the greatest chefs working in Japan today. Less happily, they witness a mass fugu slaughter, are traumatized by an encounter with giant crabs, and attempt a calamitous cooking demonstration for the lunching ladies of Kyoto.

I became educated in the ways of the Japanese cuisine through this book than any other way. It was  so much fun to read this book and so hard to put down. This book is truly a gem to have especially if you are a foodie or an avid reader. Check out a copy online or at your nearest bookstore. 

307. A Catered Birthday Party by Isis Crawford

BOOK REVIEW: A Catered Birthday Party by Isis Crawford

When sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons sign on to cater a prize pooch's birthday bash, they think they're ready for anything. But they haven't bargained for a killer with a bone to pick. 

A Little Taste of Heaven catering certainly knows how to feed people. Bernie and Libby will have their chance to impress guests of the four-legged variety when they lay out the spread for Trudy the Pug's birthday luncheon. But this isn't just any doggie do. Trudy's owner, Annabel Colbert, is one of the richest women in town - and as mascot of the Colbert toy company, Trudy herself is a bona fide celebrity.

When the big day arrives, Trudy and her canine cohorts are ready to dig in to the delicacies - but the first to dip her fangs into the wine is Annabel. Mere moments later, the hostess is shrieking she's been poisoned - and proving it by falling face first into her soup. After two days in a coma, Annabel is dead.

It seems the woman who had everything also had her share of enemies. In fact, Annabel was cheating, blackmailing or backstabbing most of the people she knew, including her best friend, her husband, his personal assistant, and last but not least, Trudy's trainer and kennel owner.

With so many suspects, sniffing out the truth is rapidly becoming a tricky, not to mention risky, proposition. Bernie and Libby had better close the oven on this case fast - before they get burned...

This author has written 6 other books under the "A Catered" series. The books all come with yummy recipes to try out. What's not to like about a murder mystery that has food as part of the setting? Do pick up a copy and relish each part of the novel!