Samuel Mutter gained a First Class degree in Geography and is a recent Masters graduate in Politics and International Relations from Royal Holloway College, University of London. He is a food blogger and political writer. He lives in Putney, London, and is assisting Prospect Books with Symposium events through 2015 and commencing a PhD.
1) The very first chocolate / genus T. cacao
Where and when found, and by whom.
2) The journey of the bean - Herman Cortes
From South America, Aztec empire, to Spain to the Caribbean, Martiniqu and
Saint Lucia and the Dominican Republic.
3) The different cocoa tree varieties
Criolla
Forastero
Trinitario
4) Growth cycle of the cocoa tree, climate conditions, economic facts
(several centuries up to today if possible)
5) Chocolate in the kitchen
American food influences - brownies and cookies including recipes
Chocolate in savoury food - rabbit with chocolate sauce (Italy)
6) Cakes - differences between drinking chocolate, cocoa and bars of
chocolate in cake making, including icing - give 6 different simple
recipes?
7) Chocolate drinks
8) Health
Differences in health properties of dark and milk chocolate - calories
also.
Epitachechin flavonoid
Nitric oxide metabolism
Terrible uses of chocolate in the food industry - plastic tasting chocolate
on icecream, cheap bars etc. Be careful on naming brands....
Superfoods and debunking of chocolate as a super food. Growth of
consumption. coming problems over failing cocoa harvests and influence on
price.
9) Chocolate superpowers - Cadbury and USA takeover. Chocolate wars. Growth
of independent suppliers and the popularity of baking.
