Introduction to the Dover Edition

Why write a new introduction to a vintage book? So much has occurred since Cocolat was published in 1990 it seems a good moment to capture the essence of the story, which began, for me, in 1976, and continues to this day. Our “world of food and ingredients has been utterly transformed—and continues to change—informed by new tastes and sensibilities, politics, and a greater appreciation of food in the context of culture and society. Food is a vital form of entertainment and an outlet for creativity and personal growth too—more cookbooks are published each year exploring myriad dietary philosophies, by an ever more diverse group of writers and chefs. It’s gratifying (and remarkable to me) that Cocolat has remained a “working cookbook and classic regardless of the grand changes in our time, not to mention specific changes in chocolate over the last quarter of a century.