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.

A sweet taste is often a critical component in a consumer’s sensory evaluation of a food product. This important book summarises key research on what determines consumer perceptions of sweet taste, the range of sweet-tasting compounds and the ways their use in foods can be optimised. The first part of the book reviews factors affecting sweet taste perception. It includes chapters on how taste cells respond to sweet taste compounds, genetic differences in sweet taste perception, the influence of taste-odour and taste-ingredient interactions and ways of measuring consumer perceptions of sweet taste. Part two discusses the main types of sweet-tasting compounds: sucrose, polyols, low-calorie and reduced-calorie sweeteners. The final part of the book looks at ways of improving the use of sweet-tasting compounds, including the range of strategies for developing new natural sweeteners, improving sweetener taste, optimising synergies in sweetener blends and improving the use of bulk sweeteners. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Optimising sweet taste in foods is a standard reference for the food industry in improving low-fat and other foods. Investigates what determines consumer perceptions of sweet taste Looks at improving the use of sweet-tasting compounds Explores strategies for delivering new natural sweeteners

A woman returns to her small southern hometown in the wake of her mother’s sudden death—only to find the past upended by stunning family secrets—in this intimate debut novel, written with deep compassion and sharp wit. “A deeply moving work of Southern fiction that will appeal to fans of Where the Crawdads Sing . . . a story to remember long after the last page is turned.”—Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop Lila Bruce Breedlove never quite felt at home in Wesleyan, Georgia, especially after her father’s untimely demise when she was a child. Both Lila and her brother, Henry, fled north after high school, establishing fulfilling lives of their own. In contrast, their younger sister, Abigail, opted to remain behind to dote on their domineering, larger-than-life mother, Geneva. Yet despite their independence, Lila and Henry know deep down that they’ve never quite reckoned with their upbringing. When their elderly mother dies suddenly and suspiciously in the muscadine arbor behind the family estate, Lila and Henry return to the town that essentially raised them. But as they uncover the facts about Geneva’s death, shocking truths are revealed that overturn the family’s history as they know it, sending the pair on an extraordinary journey to chase a truth that will dramatically alter the course of their lives. The Sweet Taste of Muscadines reminds us all that true love never dies.

A Parisian newsman, sent to cover a story about black magic in a Gascony village, falls under the spell of a mystical girl.

A sizzling standalone romance from USA Today bestseller Ember Casey. Never trust a bad boy with your heart. Especially when that bad boy is one of Hollywood's notorious Fontaine brothers... Ashlyn just wants to move on with her life. Run her bakery. Heal her broken heart. She's had three years to try and forget Dante Fontaine. To the rest of the world, Dante is Hollywood royalty, the ridiculously attractive oldest son of the notorious Fontaine family. To Ashlyn? He’s the guy who made her swear off men forever. But when an accidental--and humiliating--encounter brings him back into her life, Ashlyn realizes that no matter how hard she’s tried to forget him, Dante definitely hasn’t forgotten her. …and this time, he's not going to let her go. Meet the Fontaines: Hollywood royalty. L.A.'s most notorious bad boys. Permanent stars of the tabloids. And the wickedest, most devilish lovers around... The Fontaines Reading Order: Book 0 - The Secret to Seduction (Roman Everet + Felicia Liddle) Book 1 - The Sweet Taste of Sin (Dante Fontaine + Ashlyn Worth) Book 2 - The Lies Between the Lines (Luca Fontaine + Emilia Torres) Book 3 - The Mystery of You (Rafe Fontaine + Edie Marshall) Book 4 - The Thrill of Temptation (Orlando Fontaine + Maggie Blankenship) *These books can be read as standalones* * Keywords: billionaire romance, alpha, contemporary romance, series romance, bad boy romance, second chance romance, second chance love story, second chances, contemporary, romance novel, contemporary romance novel, billionaire romance novel, billionaire hero, bad boy hero, alpha hero

A popular television chef shares eighty-three of her favorite recipes culled during visits to eateries throughout the world, offering insights into spice and ingredient combinations.