Weekend Cooking: A Recipe for Christmas by Jo Thomas

When the first line of a book is "How many Lindor chocolates can you fit into your mouth at the same time?" you know that it is going to be a fun read.

When Clara was made redundant from her HR role, she decides that it is time for her to take a chance, in many aspects of her life. Her newish boyfriend, Dan, has just been offered a new role in Switzerland. Clara has two options. Either it is all over with Dan or she can take a chance and move to Switzerland with him. At 40, she thinks it is time to take the chance. In order to make good use of her time, she decides to sign up for a chocolate making class which her previous employer will pay for as part of her exit package. 

Clara thought she was signing up for a somewhat fun chocolate course,but it is actually a big deal, for serious chocolate makers, and they are all vying to win a prize that money can't buy - the opportunity to see their own signature chocolate flavours in the market with a prestigious Swiss chocolate brand.

Right from day one, Clara feels out of her depth. The other people on the course are already professionals, have no problem with any of the key techniques and no patience for someone who shouldn't even be there. However, Clara has no idea, so she knows she is going to have to work harder than anyone else as she has so much to learn. The last thing that she wants is to have to repay her previous employer for the course.

Each week her efforts are judged by the leaders of the course and also by famed chocolatier Gabriel Hartmann. He is grumpy and distant and just wants to be left alone, but when Clara figures out his secret, they begin to work together. And when the professional jealousies amongst the course participants threaten to derail everything for Clara, she is the person who can bring everyone together.

From the first bite, I was fully invested in the chocolatey goodness of this book. From the exploration of flavours and chocolate techniques, to the snowy beauty of Switzerland at Christmas. But there is more to it than that. Clara shows adaptability and strength in deciding that she wants to change, and in recognising when the chances that she has taken are not working out and doing something about it. It was also a reminder that not everyone is necessarily what they seem.

I really enjoyed this book, and it is a perfect read for this time of the year.

I have previously read a couple of Jo Thomas earlier books, and so I was very keen to read more, especially her Christmas books! The ones I have read are very food forward. She often does a cooking post on Instagram as well about food. I will definitely be reading more from her, hopefully before next Christmas!

For the record, I am not sure that I want to even see how many Lindors I can fit into my mouth. We do buy them but usually only for special occasions (like Christmas) and when I have them I want to savour them. I love the way that you bite through to the centre part, which depending on how hot or cold it is can be almost liquid. Delicious. I might need to go and buy some just because it's Saturday. That's a special occasion right?

I will be sharing this review with Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story and the 12 Books of Christmas challenge hosted at Just Another Girl and Her Books.

Weekly meals

Saturday - Chicken Shwarma
Sunday - Chicken Shwarma (leftovers)
Monday - Indian Coconut Prawn Curry (new)
Tuesday -
Wednesday - Away
Thursday - Away
Friday - Away

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page