New York City's Chocolate Bar is often described (or perhaps is self-described) as a "candy store for grownups." Despite their fun, inventive packaging and love of retro combinations, they always put out high-quality, well constructed products that kids of any age - especially adult ones - will enjoy. Their cookbook, Chocolate Bar: Recipes and Entertaining Ideas for Living the Sweet Life , maintains this same standard and is packed with adult recipes for the kid in you. Assuming that that kid likes chocolate, of course.
With a name like "chocolate bar" it shouldn't come as a surprise to find that every recipe uses chocolate in some way. The recipes are divided into "classic," "retro," and "swanky" chapters. Classic includes Deep Dark Brownies and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. "Retro Reconfigured" has worked bolder flavors into Egg Creams and Chocolate Icebox Cake, while "Swank Stuff" deals with White Chocolate Lemon Creme Mousse and Shiny Chocolate Orange Tartelets. The thing that sets it apart from other chocolate cookbooks is that there are a ton of ideas for parties, celebrations and other ways to "create a chocolate-centered lifestyle," from spur of the moment cocktail parties to long-planned holiday gatherings. Finally, the book concludes with a discussion of the history of chocolate and the tools needed to work with it.
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