On the Chocolate Trail: A Delicious Adventure Connecting Jews, Religions, History, Travel, Rituals and Recipes to the Magic of Cacao (2nd Edition)

Take a delectable journey through the religious history of chocolate—a real treat!

Explore the surprising Jewish and other religious connections to chocolate in this gastronomic and historical adventure through cultures, countries, centuries and convictions.

Rabbi Deborah Prinz draws from her world travels on the trail of chocolate to enchant chocolate lovers of all backgrounds as she unravels religious connections in the early chocolate trade and shows how Jewish and other religious values infuse chocolate today.

Jewish Lights
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

“A joy for history and chocolate buffs…. Traces the exciting and curious aspects of the evolution of chocolate. The reader is rewarded with fascinating nuggets of chocolate lore, as well as several yummy chocolate recipes.”

—Carole Bloom, CCP, author, Intensely Chocolate and Truffles, Candies and Confections

“Meticulously researched and whimsically presented. Fascinating facts, amusing anecdotes and mouth-watering recipes…. An instant classic for chocolate devotees of all faiths!”

—Francine Segan, food historian, chocolate expert and James Beard nominated cookbook author of Dolci: Italy’s Sweets

“Bravo! … Takes us on a roller coaster roll through the history of chocolate, from the beginning when it was only used as a drink to the present day…. A great read.”

—Joan Nathan, award-winning cookbook author, Jewish Cooking in America; Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France; and, other books

“Yes, separate milk from meat. And wool from linen. But do not separate Jews from chocolate. They shall be yoked together for all time. And now we have the definitive book on the topic, an eloquent and astutely researched history.”

—A.J. Jacobs, editor-at-large, Esquire Magazine; author of The New York Times bestseller, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, and other books

“This engaging journey into the extraordinary past of a much-loved product is packed with fascinating stories and thrilling bits of information.”

—Claudia Roden, food writer and author of almost twenty classic works on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cookery; most recently, the award-winning The Book of Jewish Food

“Calling all chocoholics…. I devoured this book. Readers beware! Stash fine chocolate in your pack before setting off on this delicious journey across time and space.”

—Pamela S. Nadell, Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender History, American University; author, Women Who Would be Rabbis: A History of Women’s Ordination, 1889–1985

“A treat! Part history, part travelogue, part cookbook, [it] … will tantalize all readers and delight chocoholic ones.”

—Jonathan D. Sarna, Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University

“A knowledgeable, surprising and, of course, delicious book. Chocolate lovers (and that includes just about everyone) and Jewish historians alike will be delighted.”

—Leah Koenig, author, The Hadassah Everyday Cookbook

“Fascinating and entertaining… if you’re interested in Jews or chocolate, you’re gonna like this book. If you’re interested in both, you’re gonna love it :-). Like chocolate itself—wonderful as a gift, or you could just get one for you yourself.”

—Nigel Savage, founder, Hazon: Jewish Inspiration, Sustainable Communities

“A fascinating ramble through the history of chocolate and the roles—sometimes central, sometimes peripheral—that Jews have played in bringing it from the forests of Africa and Spanish America to your table. The recipes are a tasty bonus.”

—David M. Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson, authors, A Drizzle of Honey: The Lives and Recipes of Spain’s Secret Jews

“A delightful, fascinating read full of history, religion, ethics, anecdotes and recipes that will make you hungry.”

—Paula Shoyer, author, The Kosher Baker: 160 Dairy-Free Desserts from Traditional to Trendy

Read All Praise

Mouth-Watering Recipes, A Glossary of Chocolaty Terms, Tips for Buying Luscious, Ethically Produced Chocolate, A List of Sweet Chocolate Museums Around the World & More

25 Contemporary & Historical Recipes

Hallal Chocolate
/ Kosher Chocolate

Chocolate Babkathon:
The Best in NYC

Deities Formed From Chocolate: Blasphemy or Art?

Semi[te] Sweet: On Jews and Chocolate

This popular exhibition, created by the Bernard Museum of Temple Emanu-El, NYC, may now be displayed in your gallery space.

Through images of memorabilia and facsimiles of archival materials, the exhibit highlights historical stories of refugee Jews who both worked in the chocolate business and contributed significantly to their respective Jewish communities.

Jews, initially Sephardim and later Ashkenazim, were sustained by it in their relocations. The exhibition is based on the best selling book On the Chocolate Trail: A Delicious Adventure Connecting Jews, Religions, History, Travel, Rituals and Recipes to the Magic of Cacao by Rabbi Deborah Prinz.

Touring Exhibition

On The Chocolate Trail Bonus Materials

Would your group enjoy a sumptuous adventure through the history of one of the world’s favorite delicacies—chocolate?

On The Chocolate Trail explores the fascinating intersections of Jews, Quakers and other Protestants, pre-Columbians and Catholics along the chocolate trail and explores the lasting rituals involving chocolate that the world’s faith traditions have practiced.

This exciting book includes twenty-five unique and delicious recipes that can be made and shared with your group!

Download Discussion Group Materials »

Lesson Plans

These plans may be used to teach topics such as Jewish food, the expulsion of Sephardim from Spain, Jewish merchants in the Colonial Period in North America, Jews in commerce, and Jewish food.

They also enhance learning about Jewish values, kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), Passover and Chanukah. They are intended for grades 5 and above and may also be used with adults. Please feel free to modify and adapt. All chapter and page numbers refer to On the Chocolate Trail.

Detailed Charts of Citations & Data for “Jews Dip into Chocolate in the American Colonial Period” (Chapter 3)

Rabbi Deborah Prinz speaks by zoom and in-person for scholar-in-residence weekends, adult learning programs, auxiliaries, fund raisers, donor programs, and food festivals

The next time you pick up a piece of chocolate or bread, consider that you are partaking in aspects of our Jewish heritage. Rabbi Deborah Prinz writes about the connections between people, chocolate, and Jewish celebratory breads.

Those interested in the connectedness among peoples will crave this unique approach. Delight your mind and your taste buds as this book unscrambles the mysteries of religions and chocolate along a trail of economic development spanning cultures, countries, centuries, continents, and convictions.

Rabbi Deborah Prinz is the author of On The Bread Trail, On The Chocolate Trail, and The Boston Chocolate Party.

 

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On The Chocolate Trail Blog Posts

Chocolate Chip Cookie Chronicles: Inventions & Elections

Chocolate Chip Cookie Chronicles: Inventions & Elections

Invite an American presidential candidate spouse to submit a recipe to a cookie contest, and chocolate chips will probably be a winning ingredient. If you give a mouse a cookie, it had better be chocolate chip. If you are showing a home at an open house, put out a...

Choco-Travel Tips

Choco-Travel Tips

Choco-dar first erupted on our multi-country circuit of Europe in a VW van. That adult onset, self-diagnosed radar for chocolate experiences led us serendipitously to many wonderful chocolate discoveries and surprises. In the process I learned some chocolate travel...

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