_A Dark History of Chocolate_ looks at our long relationship with this ancient 'food of the Gods'. The book examines the impact of the cocoa bean trade on the economies of Britain and the rest of Europe, as well as its influence on health, cultural and social trends over the centuries. Renowned food historian Emma Kay takes a look behind the facade of chocolate - first as a hot drink and then as a sweet - delving into the murky and mysterious aspects of its phenomenal global growth, from a much-prized hot beverage in pre-Colombian Central America to becoming an integral part of the cultural fabric of modern life. From the seductive corridors of Versailles, serial killers, witchcraft, medicine and war to its manufacturers, the street sellers, criminal gangs, explorers and the arts, chocolate has played a significant role in some of the world's deadliest and gruesome histories. If you thought chocolate was all Easter bunnies, romance and gratuity, then you only know half the story. This most ancient of foods has a heritage rooted in exploitation, temptation and mystery. With the power to be both life-giving and ruinous.

Emma is a post-graduate historian and former senior museum worker. Now food historian, author and prolific collector of Kitchenalia, she has delivered talks and food demos for literature festivals across Britain. Her articles have appeared in publications including _BBC History Magazine_, _The Daily Express_, _Daily Mail_, _Times Literary Supplement_ and the _Victorian Review_ (Johns Hopkins University). She has contributed historic food research for a number of television production companies, such as for Channel 5's _Britain's Lost Battlefields,_ _Britain by the Book_ and _Walking Britain's Roman Roads,_ and featured several times on Talk Radio Europe, LifeFM and BBC Radio stations across the UK. Emma is a member of The Guild of Food Writers.