AcknowledgementsIn the writing of this book, I had the pleasant task of researching chocolate—how cacao is grown, how cocoa and chocolate are derived, and how chefs and chocolatiers employ this magical ingredient to delight chocolate lovers around the world. Everywhere I turned, providence seemed to intercede.
I chanced upon a Chuao chocolaterie in my neighborhood and fell in love with the spicy Mayan chocolate, Firecracker, and other unique, delicious creations. Chuao’s co-founder, Chef Michael Antonorsi, who attended culinary school in Paris and lives in San Diego, invited me into his professional kitchen. He and his business partner, Richard, are brothers descended from Venezuelan cacao growers. Thank you, Chef Michael, for sharing your abundant joy and extensive knowledge of chocolate
