Sign-In
Cart
The Cacao Chronicles: A Deep Journey Into the Worlds, Cultures, and Secrets of Cacao and Chocolate
Paperback
Food WritingAnthropologyGeneral World History
Publisher Price: $29.95
Publisher: Sand Hill Publishing Group
Published: Jan 1 2026
Pages: 670
Weight: 1.94
Height: 1.48 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
From sacred currency to Silicon Valley brain fuel: The definitive biography of the world's most obsessed-over ingredient.
We think we know chocolate. It is the sweet comfort of a candy aisle, the romance of Valentine's Day, and the guilty pleasure of a midnight snack. But the true story of the cacao bean is far richer, darker, and more complex than a simple confection.
In The Cacao Chronicles, author and executive Josh Lee takes readers on a 4,000-year expedition into the heart of the Food of the Gods. From the steaming rainforests of the Amazon to the high-tech laboratories of Silicon Valley, this book reveals how a bitter tropical seed became a global obsession that reshaped economies, fueled wars, and delighted billions.
Part culinary history, part business thriller, and part scientific exploration, The Cacao Chronicles peels back the foil to reveal the hidden machinery of the $100 billion chocolate industry.
Inside, you will discover:
- The Money That Grew on Trees: How the Aztecs used cacao beans to buy everything from turkeys to tomatoes, and why the Spanish Empire treated the recipe for chocolate as a state secret for a century.
- The Dark Economics: A deep dive into the boom-and-bust cycles of Brown Gold, from the cocoa barons of Ecuador to the modern shadow economy of smugglers and spies.
- The Science of Flavor: Decode the invisible alchemy of fermentation, the physics of the perfect snap, and the neurochemistry that makes chocolate a favorite nootropic for hackers and executives.
- The Future of Food: Step into the brave new world of chocolate innovation, where robots pour pralines, scientists grow cocoa in bioreactors, and engineers design chocolate bars for missions to Mars.
Robust, insightful, and deeply researched, The Cacao Chronicles is the essential companion for anyone who has ever wondered where their chocolate comes from-and where it is going next.
Also from
Lee, Josh
The Coffee Chronicles: A Deep Journey into the Alchemy, Obsession, and Global Empires of Coffee
Lee, Josh
Paperback
Guaranteed weight loss: : Scientifically backed program to get fit QUICKLY and PERMANENTLY!
Lee, Josh
Paperback
Also in
Food Writing
The Dirty Vegan Cookbook, Revised Edition: Your Favorite Recipes Made Vegan
Gill, Catherine
Paperback
The Secret History of Food: Strange But True Stories about the Origins of Everything We Eat
Siegel, Matt
Hardcover
Finding the Flavors We Lost: From Bread to Bourbon, How Artisans Reclaimed American Food
Kuh, Patric
Paperback
Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America
Nelson, Kate
Donnelly, Kristin
Sherman, Sean
Hardcover
Obsessed with the Best: 100+ Methodically Perfected Recipes Based on 20+ Head-To-Head Tests
Quittner, Ella
Hardcover
Kitchen Confidential Annotated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
Bourdain, Anthony
Paperback
Recipes from the World of Tolkien - Tolkien Reference Book, Literary Cookbook: Inspired by the Legends
Anderson, Robert Tuesley
Hardcover
The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More: A Baking Book
Leo, Maurizio
Hardcover
Padma's All American: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond: A Cookbook
Lakshmi, Padma
Hardcover
The Art of Fermentation: With Practical Information on Fermenting Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Milk, Beans, Meats, and More
Katz, Sandor Ellix
Hardcover
The Science of Baking: Everything You Need to Know to Create Perfect Sweet and Savory Bakes, Every Time
Adlard, Matt
Hardcover
The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen [A Cookbook]
Sando, Steve
Hardcover
Main, Middle & Gay: A Chef Finds His Place in the World Against All Odds
O'Connell, Patrick
Hardcover
La Copine: New California Cooking from an Oasis in the Desert
Mims, Ben
Wadsworth, Claire
Hill, Nikki
Hardcover
Cooking Thai: Heritage and Modern Recipes from My Kitchen Notebooks
Techamuanvivit, Pim
Nguyen, Andrea
Hardcover
Canning and Preserving for Beginners: The Essential Canning Recipes and Canning Supplies Guide
Rockridge Press
Paperback
Vitamina T: Your Daily Dose of Tacos, Tortas, Tamales, and More Mexican Street Food Classics
Núñez, Fermín
Gaviria, Jorge
Hardcover
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I: 50th Anniversary Edition: A Cookbook
Child, Julia
Bertholle, Louisette
Beck, Simone
Hardcover
Feeding Littles Lunches: 75+ No-Stress Lunches Everyone Will Love: Meal Planning for Kids
McNamee, Megan, MPH Rdn
Delaware, Judy, Otr/L CLC
Paperback
H Mart: The Cookbook: Essential Ingredients, Techniques, and Korean Recipes
Kwon, Stacey
H Mart
Hardcover
The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Seafood Recipes for a Sustainable Future
Seaver, Barton
Zimmern, Andrew
Hardcover
Justine Cooks: A Cookbook: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen
Doiron, Justine
Hardcover
The Milk Street Cookbook: The Definitive Guide to the New Home Cooking, with Every Recipe from the TV Show, 2017-2026
Kimball, Christopher
Hardcover
The Complete Air Fryer Cooking Guide: 275+ Most Popular Cooking Times and Temperatures - The Sunday Times Bestseller
Milner, Sam
Milner, Dom
Paperback
The Kitchen I Came Home to: Big Flavors and Tall Tales from My Corner of Kentucky
Bradley, Sara
Timberlake, Emily
Hardcover
Fermentation for Beginners: The Step-By-Step Guide to Fermentation and Probiotic Foods
Drakes Press
Paperback
Heartland Masala: An Indian Cookbook from an American Kitchen
Mukharji, Jyoti
Mukharji, Auyon
Hardcover
Kimi's Kitchen: An Ocean Woman's Guide to Wild Home Cooking [A Cookbook]
Werner, Kimi
Gormley, Nicole
Fiedler, Jennifer
Hardcover
Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing
Russ Tupper, Josh
Russ Federman, Niki
Stein, Joshua David
Hardcover
The Fiber Formula: Eat Your Way to Better Health Through the Power of Fiber
Lambert, Rhiannon
Hardcover
Memories of a Good Meal: Recipes of Resilience Inspired by Stories of World War II Survival
Shaya, Alon
Hersh, June
Hardcover
Real Japanese Cooking: Traditions, Tips & Techniques with Over 600 Authentic Recipes
Itoh, Makiko
Hardcover
Eaterland: Recipes and Stories from Across the United States
Frederick, Missy
Eater
Zorn, Sarah
Hardcover
The Kitchen Witch: Your Complete Guide to Creating a Magical Kitchen with Natural Ingredients, Sacred Rituals, and Spellwork
Alexander, Skye
Hardcover
When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes with Contributions from 70 Women Writers
America's Test Kitchen
Hardcover
Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks
Wilkinson, Crystal
Hardcover
The Flavor Thesaurus: A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook
Segnit, Niki
Hardcover
Hack That Dish: Fantastic Famous Food Forgeries and Secret Tricks You Can Use to Copy Any Dish (a Cookbook)
Wilbur, Todd
Hardcover
Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies
Batmanglij, Najmieh
Hardcover
How to Cook Everything--Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition: Simple Recipes for Great Food
Bittman, Mark
Hardcover
The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese: From Ancient Rome to Modern America
Moyer-Nocchi, Karima
Hardcover
The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks: 10th Anniversary Edition
Stewart, Amy
Hardcover
For the Love of Kewpie (the Kewpie Mayo Cookbook): A Cookbook and Celebration
Kewpie Corporation
Inamine, Elyse
Yuchen, Jessie
Hardcover
Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook
Tipton-Martin, Toni
Hardcover
Everyday Sake: The Go-To Guide for Choosing, Pairing, and Serving
Kumano, Yoko
Akabori, Kayoko
Hardcover
The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South
Twitty, Michael W.
Paperback
The Science of Spice: Understand Flavor Connections and Revolutionize Your Cooking
Farrimond, Stuart
Hardcover
The Perfect Pizza: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Pizza, Focaccia, and More: A Cookbook
Leo, Maurizio
Hardcover
101 Teas to Steep Before You Die: The Ultimate Bucket List for the World's Most Popular Beverage
Pratt, James Norwood
Uspenski, Maria
Melican, Nigel
Hardcover
Cheese Trekking: How Microbes, Landscapes, Livestock, and Human Cultures Shape Terroir
Warmedahl, Trevor
Hardcover
Wine Simple: A Totally Approachable Guide from a World-Class Sommelier
Muhlke, Christine
Sohm, Aldo
Hardcover
The Comic Book History of the Cocktail: Five Centuries of Mixing Drinks and Carrying on
Wondrich, David
Hardcover
The Flavor Matrix: The Art and Science of Pairing Common Ingredients to Create Extraordinary Dishes
Parkhurst, Brooke
Briscione, James
Hardcover
The Book of Difficult Fruit: Arguments for the Tart, Tender, and Unruly (with Recipes)
Lebo, Kate
Paperback
Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Box Set): A Cookbook
Beck, Simone
Child, Julia
Bertholle, Louisette
Hardcover
100 Year Old Recipes: A 1907 Church Cookbook With Over 425 Historic Recipes
Surridge D. Ed, Robert W.
Paperback
The Japanese Pantry: From Sake to Soy, Essential Ingredients for Japanese Home Cooking
Davies, Emiko
Hardcover
The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks with 150 Recipes
Editors of Punch
Hardcover
In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-The-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules
Perman, Stacy
Paperback
Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook: Cookies and Treats from America's Golden Era
Diamond, Becky Libourel
Hardcover