The fifth publication in the On the Table series, that explore the encounter between food and art, Bon! Bon! uncovers the wonderful world of all things sugary through surprising anecdotes and historical accounts, each accompanied by delectable recipes that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
People have used honey, dates, and fruits to sweeten their dishes since time immemorial, but with the introduction of sugar—“white gold”—into cooking and baking, a whole array of delightful flavors and culinary possibilities was unearthed. Sugar was the building block for edible sculptures and model palaces made for festivals and celebrations thousands of years ago, and the main ingredient in lavish creations for Rococo and Baroque banquets. A life without cakes, pastries, tarts, soufflés, meringues, petits fours, or marzipan would be unimaginable!
Charlotte Birnbaum is a writer and a culinary historian based in Stockholm and Frankfurt am Main. Since 2011, she has curated “This Dinner Is a Group Show,” an ongoing series of events involving artists and chefs who engage the legacy and future of extravagant meals. Her other books include Paulas Juwelen: Kulinarische Streifzüge durch das Jahr (Walther König, 2013) and The Journey Within: Cooking with Offal (Walther König, 2010).
