'I see her now
- cousin Phillis. The westering sun shone full upon her & made a slanting stream of light into the room within.'
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At one time cocoa beans were prized so highly they were used as currency & only the privileged could enjoy what the Aztecs knew as xocoatl. Nowadays high-quality chocolate is widely available in many different delicious forms to an increasingly discerning market. In this delightfully decadent book the UKs premier chocolatier William Curley presents the ultimate master class for all things chocolate. Couture Chocolate first examines the origins of one of the worlds most popular foods -explaining the method of creating chocolate how its quality depends to a large extent on the variety of bean used & the differences between plain milk & white chocolates. It reveals how some of todays most popular flavours -such as vanilla & chilli- were those favoured by the pioneering Aztec chocolatiers centuries ago. In the chocolate master class William shares his techniques & most mouth-watering recipes starting with the basics: tempering & making a bar of chocolate; advice on how to add exotic flavours like rosemary or raspberry; & introducing different textures. Once those skills have been mastered its time to tackle some of his incredible creations... His delectable recipes are helpfully grouped into sections: Truffles & Filled Chocolates examines the science behind creating the perfect truffle making ganache & adding fabulous flavours; Couture Chocolates looks at experimental (but delicious) fillings such as apricot & wasabi sea salt caramel black rice vinegar & thyme; Bouches & Small Delights covers blackcurrant tea cake chocolate rochers & millionaire shortbread; Patisserie explores chocolate & praline Paris Brest chocolate financier with passion fruit curd chocolate mille-fuille & more; Cakes & Biscuits boasts chocolate & pistachio cake macaroons sable & chocolate rosette with orange ganache; & finally Chocolate Ices Drinks Sauces & Spread looks at a huge variety including Gianduja chocolate Tahitian vanilla & golden chestnut. With its unique recipes & sumptuous photographs Couture Chocolate delivers a lifetimes worth of culinary excitement & experimentation into your kitchen. With William Curley as a guide you need never eat a bland dessert again. ...

This is a new title from the author of the bestselling Couture Sewing Techniques". It provides the techniques & knowledge to create garments with true designer professionalism. Couture industry-insider Claire Shaeffer offers home sewers the techniques & knowledge to create garments with true designer professionalism. This book & DVD set contains a complete workshop in the fitting & tailoring sewing secrets of professional designers the same curriculum that has made Shaeffer's in-person classes smash-hit sell-outs. The DVD offers an in-depth tailoring workshop with Shaeffer & the book presents the class in printed form along with intriguing details about the couture garments shown & information on the construction methods used by such renowned designers such as Chanel Dior Balenciaga & more." ...

This title helps you learn the timeless skills & techniques of sewing designer quality fashions & creating one of a kind custom fitted pieces that have shape strength & beauty. Illustrated Guide to Sewing: Couture Techniques" guides readers through the characteristics that separate basic sewing from couture such as a custom fit meticulous handwork & quality construction. Starting with an overview on important topics such as working with fine fabrics custom fitting garments & hand stitching readers will go on to learn how to create one of a kind fashions that have shape strength & beauty with close up chapters on creating couture collars necklines sleeves & more." ...

Your wedding day is a day you will remember forever & so it has to be perfect. While dress flowers & carriages all play their role when it comes to the reception the cake will undoubtedly be the star of the show. Now that the days of the obligatory three-tier white-iced fruit cake are long gone the cake can be as glamorous as exciting as stunning as your imagination allows. From luxurious baroque designs to the most stunning minimalist creations this collection of Mich Turners amazing wedding cakes will inspire any bride-to-be. Whether you want an exquisitely regal cake with a beautiful tear-drop design combined with tightly packed roses; a more lush almost sculpted concoction of sweeping fans of white chocolate interspersed with real flowers; a chic & sweetly pretty h&-painted floral design; or a tiered arrangement of tri-coloured individual cakes each topped with a rose there is a tantalising collection here. Mich also showcases a range of beautiful wedding mementoes including cookies tiny cakes & favours. Divided into eight chapters covering a full spectrum of classic creative & contemporary styles Couture Wedding Cakes will not only inspire you but will also give you all the information you need to make these cakes yourself. Whether you choose a romantic fairytale-like cake a chic number that is style itself or a show-stopping confection of chocolate & flowers you will be guided step-by-step through all the stages to create a breathtaking wedding cake that will be admired by all. ...

Humanity has always believed it is the only intelligent species of life in the universe. But while excavating in Israel an archaeologist unearths a tomb that has remained hidden for 7 000 years. Inside lies a secret of such magnitude that the story of mankind is instantly rewritten
- & its future thrown into terrible danger. Only one man can piece history back together again. Only one man will risk everything to prevent a catastrophe that could tear the world apart. That man is Ethan Warner.
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In the brilliant fourth book from Andy Mc Dermott Nina Wilde must battle the Covenant of Genesis if she is to find the world's greatest archaeological treasure... Off the coast of Indonesia archaeologist Nina Wilde makes an explosive find: evidence of a settlement that existed over a hundred thousand years before any previously known civilisation. But when her ship is attacked it becomes clear that the clandestine religious group calling itself the Covenant of Genesis will stop at nothing to prevent her from revealing this knowledge. With her fianc? Eddie Chase Nina embarks upon a dangerous worldwide search to expose the Covenant of Genesis
- & the incredible secret they will kill to conceal. Is she about to discover the greatest legend of all time?
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The magic of the old Covent Garden Market is evoked through Peter Ackroyds introduction & Clive Boursnells marvellous photographs taken over the course of numerous & extended visits to Covent Garden in the 1960s & 1970s. The book

Includes:: a preface by Clive Boursnell & the words of some of the market people whom the photographer interviewed at the time. There will be an exhibition of Clive Boursnells photographs of Covent Garden to coincide with publication.

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OS Explorer Map is the Ordnance Survey's most detailed map & is recommended for anyone enjoying outdoor activities like walking horse riding & off-road cycling. Providing complete GB coverage the series details essential information such as youth hostels pubs & visitor information as well as rights of way permissive paths & bridleways. ...

* A best-selling anthology of over 400 covers from one of the most acclaimed record labels of all time. * Complete compliation of the original Blue Note volumes * A timeless collector's piece for all music fans The Cover Art of Blue Note Records is Graham Marsh & Glyn Callingham's classic collection of the finest record sleeves produced by the celebrated Blue Note record label. This new edition is the complete compilation of the original volumes published nearly two decades ago. Including every cover essay & photo that appeared in the original volumes this collection is bound to appeal. Iconic covers of artists such as Herbie Hancock Thelonious Monk Miles Davis John Coltrane Sonny Rollins & Art Blakey make this anthology an evocative piece of Jazz history. With over 400 of the best covers in the record label's history & a selection of short essays this is a comprehensive guide for all Jazz fans & anyone interested in classic design. ...