The Chocolate Library

Much has been written on the subject of chocolate. The history of chocolate and the transformation of beans to bars is a fascinating story in its own right and there are many good books on the subject, many of which offer useful educational guidance. Chocolate has also inspired much fictional literature, for both adults and children. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite fictional and non-fictional books to do with chocolate.

Adult non-fiction

• All About Chocolate by Carole Bloom
• The Book of Chocolate, edited by Nathalie Bailleux
• Sweet Dreams: The Story of Green & Black's by Craig Sams & Josephine Fairley
• Indulgence: Around the World in Search of Chocolate by Paul Richardson
• The True History of Chocolate by Sophie Coe & Michael Coe
• Cadbury’s Purple Reign: The Story behind chocolate’s best loved brand by John Bradley
• The Chocolate Tree: A Natural History of Cacao by Allen M Young
• The Chocolate Connoisseur: For Everyone with a Passion for Chocolate by Chloe Doutre-Roussel

Adult Fiction

• The Chocolate Lover’s Club by Carole Matthews
• Chocolat by Joanne Harris
• Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
• The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Non-fiction for Children and Families

• T’riffic Chocolate by Alan MacDonald
• The Story of Chocolate (DK Readers) by Caryn J Polin
• Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest by Robert Burleigh
• From Cocoa Bean to Chocolate by Robin Nelson
• Smart about Chocolate: A Sweet History by Sandra Markle
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• Percy’s Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas the Tank Engine Stories
• The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

Chocolate Quotes

From the 15th Century to the modern day, the virtues of the cocoa bean and the elixir of chocolate have been expounded. Here’s a selection of famous and anonymous quotes to bring a smile to your face.

Chocolate: Here today …. Gone today!

Nobody knows the truffles I’ve seen!

This guy found a bottle on the ocean, and he opened it and out popped a genie, and he gave him three wishes. The guy wished for a million dollars, and poof! there was a million dollars. Then he wished for a convertible, and poof! there was a convertible. And then, he wished he could be irresistible to all women… poof! he turned into a box of chocolates.

I could give up chocolate but I’m not a quitter.

I have this theory that chocolate slows down the aging process…. It may not be true, but do I dare take the chance?

Forget love — I’d rather fall in chocolate!!!

"It's not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man" - Miranda Ingram

 "There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE" - Linda Grayson

 "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands and then eat just one of the pieces" - Judith Viorst

There are four basic food groups, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles

"Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power...it is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits." - Baron Justus von Liebig, German chemist (1803-1873)

"Twill make Old Women Young and Fresh; Create New Motions of the Flesh. And cause them long for you know what, If they but taste of chocolate." - Sourced from “A History of the Nature and Quality of Chocolate”, James Wadworth (1768-1844)

 "The divine drink, which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink (cocoa) permits a man to walk for a whole day without food." - Montezuma - Aztec Emperor (c. 1480-1520)

 ‘If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?" - Marquise de Sévigné (17th Century French writer)

 "Biochemically, love is just like eating large amounts of chocolate." - John Milton

 "Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it I wash my mouth out with chocolate." - Charles M Schultz

"Once in a while I say, ‘go for it’ and I eat chocolate." - Claudia Schiffer

 Stress wouldn’t be so hard to take if it were chocolate covered.

 Chocolate is cheaper than therapy and you don’t need an appointment.

 Chocolate is nature’s way of making up for Mondays.

 There’s more to life than chocolate but not right now.

 "Life without chocolate is life lacking something important." - Writers Marcia Colman Morton and Frederic Morton

  "My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I’ve finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." - Dave Barry

Chocolate Festival

Devoted chocolate lovers will be pleased to know that there are a number of internationally and nationally based chocolate festivals celebrating chocolate in all its forms!

These festivals bring to life the rich history of chocolate and offer plenty of opportunity to sample chocolate from around the world and often include tasting workshops and chocolate making activities. Some also feature chocolate art and sculpture exhibitions, chocolate themed film screenings and even chocolate fashion shows!

Óbidos International Chocolate Festival (Portugal)
A two week festival held in the tiny village of Óbidos, just north of Lisbon, this festival has been going for 6 years and features chocolate sculptures, fashion, recipe contests and plenty of opportunities to taste chocolate.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Chocolate Festival (Miami, USA)
An annual event held at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens that celebrates the Theobroma cacao, the plant that chocolate comes from. The event runs over two days and includes talks and lectures on how chocolate is made, cooking demonstrations and workshops, chocolate art and sculpture exhibitions, chocolate based spa and massage treatments and children’s activities. The event usually takes place in January or February.

Chocolate Festival & Expo (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Chocolate dishes, spas, diamonds and make-up are just some of the unusual products and services on offer at this tasty festival. Visitors can also join informative workshops, ranging from 'Risk of Obesity' to 'Dealing with Diabetes', and learn how to cook with chocolate at the Theatre Kitchens. This event happens every March at Gallagher Convention Centre. Email ronell@chocexpo.co.za