Chorleywood Bookshop team are always ready to enter into the spirit of things, they were recently seen sporting wacky red Comic Relief noses and don’t be surprised if you are served in the shop by a floppy eared Easter bunny this month!
As for title recommendations, with Easter on the calendar there is no contest they say, it has to be chocolate related books.
Here are their three top choices
Chocolat, Joanne Harris
“This book is pure escapism, it’s fantastic. I like to read with a theme and I read Chocolat in France over an Easter holiday! It’s so lively and conjures up the mood – wherever you are you feel like you are in Lansquenet-sous-Tannes with the chocolatier” Kira
Hotel Chocolat A new way of cooking with chocolate, Angus Thirlwell
“There’s a local link here – Thirlwell opened his first shop in Watford in 2004! This is a really different book with recipes from Hotel Chocolat’s restaurants ( there are three – London, Leeds and St Lucia!), as well as dishes created for the book. The recipes aren’t all about chocolate but cacao and it covers breakfast ideas. There are some of their savoury dishes (check out the spiced beef with Cacao red wine gravy – it works a treat with lamb too, perfect for Easter!) desserts and even cocktails. There are step-by-step instructions on roasting cocoa beans at home and how to make chocolate. Like chocolate, it’s highly addictive!” Martin
Chocolate at Home, Will Torrent
“These chocolate recipes are so, so tempting. The beauty is in the step-by-step instructions and amazing arty, mouthwatering pictures – one for every recipe. Torrent also tells readers where chocolate comes from, how it’s made and how to master tempering (that dull grey colour and waxy texture that can happen when the cocoa fat separates out), moulding, dipping and making ganache. Bury the book if ever on a diet” Sheryl