Michael Krondl - Sweet Invention. A History of Dessert [2011][A]

Book Description
Publication Date: October 1, 2011
A social, cultural, and—above all—culinary history of dessert, Sweet Invention explores the world’s great dessert traditions, from ancient India to 21st-century Indiana. Each chapter begins with author Michael Krondl tasting and analyzing an icon of dessert, such as baklava from the Middle East or macarons from France, and then combines extensive scholarship with a lively writing style to spin an ancient tale of some of the world’s favorite treats and their creators. From the sweet makers of Persia who gave us the first donuts to the sugar sculptors of Renaissance Italy whose creativity gave rise to the modern-day wedding cake, this authoritative read clears up numerous misconceptions about the origins of various desserts, while elucidating their social, political, religious—and even sexual—uses through the ages.

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

"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 of Cooking for Kings: The Life of Antonin Careme, the First Celebrity Chef

"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 and author of Elizabeth Falkner's Demolition Desserts

"Exhaustive and enlightening history of desserts." —Booklist

About the Author
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.