First up, received a response from GlimmerTrain, and no luck. Considering the competition, I’m not really surprised, but it was worth a shot.

Unexpected day off work (they didn’t need me), that I accepted because I don’t get another til the 14th. So, the first chcolate post is nice and early, instead of at eleven o’clock in front of the TV desperately ekeing out the last ounces of power in my laptop battery.

Last week, I went on a work trip to one of the Leeds University Libraries. Alas, I don’t remember which, but it was stunning. I’m very jealous; York’s Uni library lacks marble columns, a minstrel’s gallery, and beautiful woodwork. We went to have a look at various historical cookbooks, which was great. It’s easy to forget that celeb chefs aren’t just a recent thing.

Even better for me, really. I took notes of a few names, and I’ve been seeing how many of these long-out-of-copyright books have made it online. Google books offers up The Compleat English Cook by Robert May, The House-keeper’s Pocket Book by Sarah Harrison, The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary by John Nott and The Art of Cookery Made Easy by Hannah Glasse; I also have bookmarked Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, of course. I can now claim to have seen early (often first) editions of all of these apart from Sarah Harrison’s.

So, on to chocolate! First, a bit of general info; rather than the history, I thought I’d tell you a bit about some of the best chocolate companies still around today.
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