Through time and across continents, stories of sweets and their inventors intrigue and entertain us. Learn about primal sweets — from honey, sweet milk, and nuts to sugar candy, chocolate, and “sweet” stories of success. Sweet! The Delicious Story of Candy takes us through history from 4,000 B.C., when islanders in Papua New Guinea cut sugarcane for its sap, and 2,600 B.C., when the first-known beekeepers produced honey to embalm the dead, to 500 A.D., when the Chinese made pear and plum syrups from unripe fruit, and all the way through to the world’s first chocoholics and modern-day candy factories. From cravings to the scoop on ice cream, Ann Love and Jane Drake present a comprehensive and irresistible story of candy through the ages, complemented by a detailed timeline and playful illustrations from artist Claudia Dávila.

The author's third keepsake book offers a collection of her favorite recipes for cakes, pies, and other desserts for all occasions.

Dismissed as déclassé by gourmands, blamed for the scourge of obesity, and yet loved by all, the taste of sweet has long been at the center of both controversy and celebration. For anyone who has ever felt conflicted about a cupcake, this is a book to sink your teeth into. In The Taste of Sweet, unabashed dessert lover Joanne Chen takes us on an unexpected adventure into the nature of a taste you thought you knew and reveals a world you never imagined. Sweet is complicated, our individual relationships with it shaped as much by childhood memories and clever marketing as the actual sensation of the confection on the tongue. How did organic honey become a luxury while high-fructose corn syrup has been demonized? Why do Americans think of sweets as a guilty pleasure when other cultures just enjoy them? What new sweetener, destined to change the very definition of the word sweet, is being perfected right now in labs around the world? Chen finds the answers by visiting sensory scientists who study taste buds, horticulturalists who are out to breed the perfect strawberry, and educators who are researching the link between class and obesity. Along the way she sheds new light on a familiar taste by exploring the historical sweet­scape through the banquet tables of emperors, the pie safes of American pioneers, the corporate giants that exist to fulfill our every sweet wish, and the desserts that have delighted her throughout the years. This fabulously entertaining story of sweet will change the way you think about your next cookie.

What could be better than a sweet treat at the end of a long day, for a special celebration, to share with good friends along with tea, or as a gift from the heart? Mary Engelbreit, one of the best artists in America when it comes to rich and satisfying images, captures the magic of such offerings in Mary Engelbreit's Sweet Treats Dessert Cookbook. Included are more than 100 recipes for fruit pies, birthday cakes, puddings, and other sugary treasures that are both simple to make and sensational to serve. Mary's distinctive artwork graces each page of the cookbook, complementing the gorgeous photography and easy-to-follow recipe instructions. Her heartwarming and whimsical style puts readers at ease, reassuring them while reminding that the very best desserts come not only from this book but also from the heart. This sweet-treat collection really is a treat!

In Sweets, Tim Richardson takes us on a magical confectionery tour, letting his personal passion fuel the narrative of candy's rich and unusual history. Beginning with a description of the biology of sweetness itself, Richardson navigates the ancient history of sweets, the incredible range and diversity of candies worldwide, the bizarre figures and practices of the confectionery industry, and the connection between food and sex. He goes on to explore the role of sweets in myth and folklore and, finally, offers a personal philosophy of continual sweet-eating based on the writings of Epicurus. "For anyone with a sweet tooth, Sweets is manna...This history of candy is full of delights."-New York Times Book Review "Sweets is an informative, entertaining grab-bag of personal opinion, anecdote and culinary history." -Los Angeles Times

The book delves into the rich history of Indian sweets, tracing their origins from ancient times to modern-day delicacies. Through cultural anecdotes and culinary insights, it explores how sweets evolved as symbols of celebration, tradition, and innovation in Indian society. 19 co-authors talked about 20 different sweets and shared the history behind them after making research on the respective sweets..