Beyond Chocolate: A Multi-Sensory Gastronomic Experience

Published by Turkish chocolate manufacturer Altinmarka, this book pushes cacao well beyond its familiar roles. Cacao pulp, which surrounds the beans, and cacao husks, which are typically discarded, become ingredients in their own right, and the recipes range from savory dishes to technically demanding showcase desserts.

The book was developed under the editorial guidance of Diego Prado and Esther Marino, both veterans of Noma and the Basque Culinary Center, with contributions from chefs such as Francisco Migoya, David Gil, Janice Wong, and Philippe Bertrand. The results are consistently surprising:

• Crisp lettuce hearts with anchovy-cacao and pistachio mayonnaises
• Beef cheeks braised in red wine and cacao beans
• A whiskey cocktail infused with cacao pulp, chamomile, and lychee
• An ants and white chocolate ice cream sandwich featuring African-origin cacao
• Nitro-frozen high fiber chocolate foam

A note worth making: Altinmarka's presence runs through the book and some recipes depend on their products. Innovative and technically demanding, this ranges far beyond comfort food, or for that matter, beyond any conventional notion of what chocolate cookery can be.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.