New Book Features Quest for World's Best Chocolate

Title: Chocolatour
Subtitle: A Quest for the World's Best Chocolate"
Volume 1
Author: Doreen Pendgracs
Author's Web site link: http://doreenpendgracs.com
Genre: Nonfiction travel, food
ISBN: 978-0-9918901-0-1
Personalized autographed copies can be obtained directly from the author's site at http://chocolatour.net where e-books are also available.
Hard copies are available on Amazon



Reviewed by Susan Fluhr originally for Boomeresque: Baby Boomer Travels for the Body and Mind  

 

This first volume of a projected three has convinced me that travel writer Doreen Pendgracs is the “Rick Steves” of chocolate tourism. Like Steves’ books, this volume not only takes us to places, but also provides historical context and information necessary for an in depth understanding of chocolate. Pendgracs’ passion for and appreciation of chocolate is infectious.

In this first volume, Pendgracs ultimately takes us to seven European countries to explore the world of fine, artisanal chocolate, but she starts the book by sharing her travels to cacao growing regions in a remote Amazon jungle area in Peru and on back roads subject to mudslides in Ecuador. Her cacao growing exploration on the island nation of Saint Lucia was undertaken in somewhat more luxurious surroundings. In this chapter, we learn how the cacao fruit (yes, it’s a fruit!) is grown and ultimately harvested and processed into chocolate.

If you ever feel the need to explain your chocolate addiction or why chocolate is actually good for you, Pendgracs provides the necessary information in chapter two of her book which is titled, “Chocogasms and Other Health Benefits of Chocolate”.

Although most of us know we like chocolate, the author educates us about how not to just consume chocolate, but how to experience it — much as an oenophile understands and enjoys fine wine. She identifies ten chocolate personalities that we can use to characterize the products of different chocolatiers and then introduces us to chocolatiers she finds noteworthy in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Holland, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. These chapters will be very useful for travelers wanting to undertake a chocolate pilgrimage along with their visits to the “must sees” of Europe. After reading this book, you will want to and be able to add fine chocolate tastings to your European travel itineraries.

Many people know that Mexican mole sauce combines the flavors of chocolate and chile. In Chapter 12 of Volume One of Chocolatour, the author shares some recipes that employ chocolate in new and intriguing ways. Are you ready for cacao gazpacho or a summer salad with smoked eel, chocolate and pecorino wafers topped with chocolate vinegar?

There is also a chapter about chocolate festivals, museums and attractions around the globe.  Indeed, I purchased my copy of Chocolatour: A Quest for the World’s Best Chocolate (Volume One) at the Hawaii Chocolate Festival in Honolulu, where the author, Doreen Pendgracs, lectured about chocolate. I admit I was a little leery about sitting still for an hour lecture about chocolate, especially immediately after having sampled some of the festival products (chocolate covered bacon anyone?). However, just as in her book, the author kept me and the others in the room engaged as she conveyed her knowledge abut and enthusiasm for chocolate.

While you can (and should) purchase this book for yourself if you are a chocolate devotee or a chocolate devotee wannabe, it would also make a wonderful gift for the chocolate lovers in your life. My copy is inscribed to my favorite chocolate lover — my husband.

 

 

 

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  The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Wine Guru Whispers His Secrets

TITLE:            Secrets of the Wine Whisperer

AUTHOR:      The Wine Whisperer – Jerry Greenfield
PRICE:            $17.95
PUBLISHER:  Creative Book Publishers International
FORMAT:      Trade Paperback
PAGES:          313
ISBN:             978-0-9818222-5-9
PUB. DATE:  June 15, 2014
DIST:             Creative Projects International Ltd.
Purchase at www.thewine-whisperer.com and Amazon.com

The Wine Whisperer Loves Wine Out Loud
Reviewed by Jan Kaplan

Marketing expert and wine guru Jerry Greenfield offers a riotous memoir of an ordinary couple’s seduction into the world of fine wine.  Even if you have only a passing interest in the subject, Mr. Greenfield’s recollections and “secrets” will make for a delightful read.

Secrets of the Wine Whisperer is subtitled “How I Learned to Drink Wine and Found Ecstasy, Joy, Peace, Happiness, Life, and Salvation.”  And indeed, the author carefully traces the journey taken by him and his wife as they educated their palates, discovered how to find those “bargain bottles,” and learned to understand how the juice in the bottle connects with the cultures and places that produce it.

He also details (with some regret) their impulse to spend beyond their means as they pursue their travels to faraway winegrowing regions, three-day tasting events that cost thousands of dollars, and the compulsion to build a refrigerated wine cellar in their home.  Then, there was the necessity to accumulate all the accessories that go along with fine wine collecting and tasting:  corkscrews of every description, hilariously fragile glassware in a different shape for each variety of wine, special soap to wash the glasses, and so it goes.

There’s another regret, as well…though it’s humorously told.  As Greenfield and his wife Debi became more deeply immersed, relationships with their friends started to change.  He writes, “I felt worse every time I thought about it, in a conscience bothering sort of way, but we had, over the past year or so, basically eliminated from our social lives anyone who didn’t enjoy wine. Shame on us, but, in our defense, we weren’t really aware that it was happening.  Since wine lovers enjoy sharing, it was disappointing to open something nice and relatively elevated in price for some dinner companions who didn’t understand it, appreciate it, or who (heaven forbid) wanted to put a few ice cubes in it.  We’d built our circle of friends outward from people who shared the passion and gradually drifted away from people who didn’t.”

 

The author’s humor is a special joy of the book.  While Greenfield knows that he and his wife have gotten in way over their heads, he views their situation with just the right touch of clever irony and self-deprecation.

Mr. Greenfield makes sure we understand that he is not a sommelier or any kind of wine professional, though his self-education in the subject led him to the position of Wine Director of a major charity wine event.  He writes in the wondering voice of an ordinary person who discovered an interest that became a passion, and finally an obsession.  He captures the journey through the world of winemaking with clever wit, quirky anecdotes, and unique meanderings.  Secrets is a must read, whether you’re interested in beginning a similar journey, or already an accomplished wine aficionado.

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  The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Blog Tour and Foody Contest: Simple Sexy Foods to Stir Your Libido

Title – Simple Sexy Food - 101 Tasty Aphrodisiac Recipes and Sensual Tips to

Stir Your Libido and Feed Your Love
Author – Linda De Villers, PhD
Author's website link –  http://simplesexyfood.com/
Publisher - Aphrodite Media; 1st edition
Genre or category – Cookbooks, Food, Recipes, Relationship
ISBN-10: 097095655X
ISBN-13: 978-0970956552
Amazon Link - http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Sexy-Food-Linda-Villers/dp/097095655X
 

Do aphrodisiacs work? What exactly are they? How can I use them? We answer these questions and many more during the Simple Sexy Food virtual tour with clinical sex therapist and foodie – Linda De Villers, PhD. There are many ordinary foods that can have aphrodisiac effects – and we’re going to help you understand them.

A Message From Linda De Villers PhD

I created this book to help you enjoy the remarkable relationship between food and sex. These two themes run brightly through my own life both personally and professionally, and are inseparable from my sense of who I am. Having counseled and taught thousands of people on the loving arts, and having fed nearly as many in my kitchens over the years, I find myself in a state of barely contained excitement over the opportunity to share what I know with you. I am the only author in this field to be credentialed in both sexual health and food, having worked and presented internationally and conducted research on the joint topic over the course of my career.

Midwest Book Review –

Every culture has had its own ideas on the aphrodisiac qualities of certain foods. The abilities of some foods to enhance or stimulate human sexuality and sexual responses. Simple Sexy Food is a 247-page compendium showcasing 101 dishes to enhance the libido, spice up bedroom performance, and augment a healthy relations with a loved one. In addition to the recipes, Simple Sexy Food also provides a delineated history of aphrodisiacs, including their use and myths. Unique and thoroughly ‘user friendly’, Simple Sexy Food will prove to be a welcome addition to personal and family cookbook collections, and an ideal gift for newlyweds and the amorously adventurous!

About Simple Sexy Food –

Simple Sexy Food is an aphrodisiac cookbook like no other. Honest and direct, detailed and informative, it’s packed with exclusive recipes, food and sex tips, descriptions and histories of ingredients and even survey data about what food people find sexy. And it’s the only aphrodisiac cookbook written by a clinical sex therapist who also happens to be a foodie!

Cassanova relished the food and meals that accompanied and enhanced his love affairs: he recorded the sensual delight of special meals with his conquests; for him, food was the food of love. Why should it be different for the rest of us? Food and love, two things that sustain us physically and spiritually, have long been associated, and most of us, have a delicious memory or two of when the combination produced a moment that was nothing less than magical. With the right person, preparing and sharing a meal can be a turn-on: intimate, caring, and sensual. The rituals of cooking and dining together can cook up erotic possibilities and create intimacy and romance for all of us. Linda De Villers is a passionate cook who has traveled the world. In Simple Sexy Food, she combines her culinary knowledge with 20 years of experience as a sex and relationship expert to create a sensual self-help guide to help all couples have more magical moments in—and out—of the kitchen.

What are the essential ingredients for a romantic, sensual meal? Food that is luscious and that is especially appealing to all the senses is important; meals are truly “aphrodisiac” when they are experienced as a feast of sensual delights. But for many couples, time—not exotic ingredients—is the ultimate luxury. Getting in the mood for love requires relaxation and setting aside a moment when we can leave workday concerns aside; a little intention—whether it’s a saucy surprise or a seductive invitation—coupled with the pleasure of a special meal that appeals to all the senses can spark moments of intimacy that create all the excitement of spontaneous ones. For couples who have been together for some time, those moments can create even more intimacy, sensuality, and fun.

In its approach and philosophy, Simple Sexy Food is surprisingly simple: Eating together regularly is one factor that significantly contributes to the emotional closeness lovers experience with each other. And in today’s economy, romantic dining-out budgets are shrinking; there’s no better time to get couples in the kitchen, cooking up romance at home. In Simple Sexy Food, Dr. De Villers gives readers simple, fresh, modern recipes for seductive meals, small bites, and drinks, as well as fun, imaginative, and non-intimidating suggestions that will give even shy cooks and would-be seducers more confidence in the kitchen and the bedroom.

Simple Sexy Food redefines aphrodisiacs. In her work as a sex therapist and professor, Dr. De Villers has conducted extensive studies of current attitudes towards aphrodisiacs and the kinds of foods and meals that put modern readers in the mood. While classic aphrodisiac ingredients like oysters, pomegranates, and artichokes are provocative to the palate and the imagination, the most highly-rated romantic foods are simply delectable “passions”—luscious, suggestive foods for romance like chocolate-covered strawberries. Sushi and pasta rate highly, too, and for good reason: sushi may not be a traditional aphrodisiac, but it’s light, sensual, and undeniably sexy. In Simple Sexy Food, timeless aphrodisiac ingredients are highlighted and employed in modern recipes, but what sets Simple Sexy Food apart from other aphrodisiac cookbooks is an equal emphasis on simply delicious foods and meals that will please your partner.

Simple Sexy Food is a first: an aphrodisiac cookbook written by a relationship expert. It will provide ideas and recipes for both weeknight cooking and special occasions. On the recipe pages, it will serve up tantalizing anecdotes from her extensive surveys on how a sensual meal created a romantic moment between lovers and offer sexy serving suggestions. Because Dr. De Villers is a well-known sex therapist, it will also provide a little hand-holding—empowering advice from an expert on how to kick up your confidence a notch in the kitchen and the bedroom. Simple Sexy Food will educate and inspire readers by offering tips for making readers feel sexy before they begin, give serving tips for spicing things up romantically, and give inspiring scene and scenario setting ideas for creating truly delicious moments.

About Linda DeVillers PhD –

Linda De Villers, PhD is an internationally recognized authority on human sexuality and relationships with an emphasis on the role of exercise and diet in improving sexual function. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health, and more. For a year, she wrote a monthly column in Health magazine; prior to that she was a weekly Q&A Columnist for Playboy.com. Dr. De Villers’ private practice helps individuals and couples replace sexual concerns with confidence in themselves for a richly satisfying sex life. She carries her sex-positive focus into her popular human sexuality courses offered at several major universities and colleges. A lifelong gourmet foodie and avid tennis player, she makes her home in coastal Los Angeles.

Recipe Photo Contest –

We are holding a recipe photo contest as part of the virtual tour. Details can be found at - http://www.lovecoachjourney.com/recipe-photo-contest/ . We supply the recipes, you prepare the aphrodisiac food and submit a picture of the finished recipe – for the contest. The grand prize winner will get a one-on-one aphrodisiac consultation and five runner ups will receive a digital copy of Love Skills by Linda De Villers.  Contact nikki@nikkileigh.com with questions. We show the ingredients - now show us what you can do.

Linda De Viller, PhD, Clinical Sex Therapist and Foodie, shares her knowledge about the myths and truth about aphrodisiacs. She also share over 80 recipes and a wealth of love and sex tips. Get your copy at - http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Sexy-Food-Linda-Villers/dp/097095655X/. We invite you to participate in the Simple Sexy Food Recipe Photo Contest - http://www.lovecoachjourney.com/recipe-photo-contest - the grand prize winner will get a one on one aphrodisiac consultation and five runner ups will receive a digital copy of Love Skills by Linda De Villers.

Submitted by Blog Tour Specialist Nikki Leigh:

 

Visit my new Website - http://www.nikkileighauthor.com 
Social Media Promotional Services - www.bookpromotionservices.com
Follow My Love Coaching Journey - http://lovecoachjourney.com

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :