Chocolate:
Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars
by Joel Glenn Brenner
(RANDOM HOUSE)
Joel Glenn Brenner takes a look at the largest chocolate makers of the United States, Hershey and Mars, both conglomeratesof mind-boggling size.
Her book outlines the history of each company and has a plot and cast of characters more interesting than most novels can boast. The leading actors are Milton Hershey, who built a giant company and then gave it away, and Forrest Mars Sr., who fought to found his own firm and then staged a takeover of the one his father had founded.
Interestingly enough, the book also includessuccinct descriptions of growing and manufacturing chocolate that are among the best I’ve read.
Hersey developed his own recipe for chocolate, and the Hershey’s bar created the American market for chocolate. But Hershey’s never became popular in other parts of the world.
Mars developed chocolate products more in line with European standards and made M&M’s the most popular candy in the UnitedStates.
Chapter 9
T hat got my attention. Harold had heard someone running? Joe and I had been sure the burglars had taken off by boat.
“Running?” Joe said. “Where was this running?”
“On Lake Shore Drive. Coming from the stairs.”
“The stairs down to Beech Tree Public Access Area?”
Harold nodded, and Joe went on. “Did you tell the police about this?”
“Sure. I told them last night. They had cops going up and down the beach and the road first thing this morning. I guess they figured like I did—the people who held you guys up ran along the beach and got away up the stairs.”
“That’s possible.”
“But if the cops found anything,they didn’t let on.”
“I doubt they did find anything,” Joe said. “It was too dry to leave tracks in the sand—tracks that could be identified, I mean. And I doubt any crook who ever watched television would be dumb enough to drop a button or a cigarette butt. The beach would be a pretty good escape route.”
I thought about that while Joe and Harold talked a few minutes longer. Harold was rightabout the beach being a good escape route. If the guys who had held us at gunpoint had run along the shore, they could have been at the public access area in about two minutes. Then they could have crossed to the stairs that swimmers took down to the beach, gone up to the small parking area, gotten into a car left there or in a nearby driveway, and driven off for points unknown. And they could haveeasily done it before the cops arrived.
Harold lingered until Joe’s replies to him reached the monosyllable stage. It was Alice who finally showed signs of leaving. I could hear her snuffling around in the flower bed. Then she stood up on her hind feet and looked in the dining room window at me.
“Quit dancing around, Alice,” Harold said.
Dancing. The word made me jump.
Dancing? Dancing? Ifelt the word was significant, but I didn’t know why.
Another cup of coffee might help. I poured some caffeine from the thermal carafe into my mug, and sipped it. The dining room is tiled and the floor felt cold to my feet. Lordy, I thought, no wonder my brain won’t work. I don’t even have my shoes on.
Shoes. That did it. My blood got out of bed. My heart began to pound, and my brain began torace. When Joe came into the dining room, he faced a lively wife.
“Joe! I just realized something about that third burglar!”
“The guy who had been upstairs?”
“Right! He was wearing dance shoes!”
“Dance shoes? Ballet slippers?”
“No! I think they’re called jazz shoes. They look like oxfords.”
“When were you around men’s dance shoes?”
“They’re worn by women as well as men. Sometimes. Dancinglessons were part of my mom’s attempt to turn me into a silk purse when she was grooming me for the pageant circuit.”
“I knew you had dance lessons, but I pictured you as a little girl in a tutu.”
“I started too late for ballet. I just had
Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars
by Joel Glenn Brenner
(RANDOM HOUSE)
Joel Glenn Brenner takes a look at the largest chocolate makers of the United States, Hershey and Mars, both conglomeratesof mind-boggling size.
Her book outlines the history of each company and has a plot and cast of characters more interesting than most novels can boast. The leading actors are Milton Hershey, who built a giant company and then gave it away, and Forrest Mars Sr., who fought to found his own firm and then staged a takeover of the one his father had founded.
Interestingly enough, the book also includessuccinct descriptions of growing and manufacturing chocolate that are among the best I’ve read.
Hersey developed his own recipe for chocolate, and the Hershey’s bar created the American market for chocolate. But Hershey’s never became popular in other parts of the world.
Mars developed chocolate products more in line with European standards and made M&M’s the most popular candy in the UnitedStates.
Chapter 9
T hat got my attention. Harold had heard someone running? Joe and I had been sure the burglars had taken off by boat.
“Running?” Joe said. “Where was this running?”
“On Lake Shore Drive. Coming from the stairs.”
“The stairs down to Beech Tree Public Access Area?”
Harold nodded, and Joe went on. “Did you tell the police about this?”
“Sure. I told them last night. They had cops going up and down the beach and the road first thing this morning. I guess they figured like I did—the people who held you guys up ran along the beach and got away up the stairs.”
“That’s possible.”
“But if the cops found anything,they didn’t let on.”
“I doubt they did find anything,” Joe said. “It was too dry to leave tracks in the sand—tracks that could be identified, I mean. And I doubt any crook who ever watched television would be dumb enough to drop a button or a cigarette butt. The beach would be a pretty good escape route.”
I thought about that while Joe and Harold talked a few minutes longer. Harold was rightabout the beach being a good escape route. If the guys who had held us at gunpoint had run along the shore, they could have been at the public access area in about two minutes. Then they could have crossed to the stairs that swimmers took down to the beach, gone up to the small parking area, gotten into a car left there or in a nearby driveway, and driven off for points unknown. And they could haveeasily done it before the cops arrived.
Harold lingered until Joe’s replies to him reached the monosyllable stage. It was Alice who finally showed signs of leaving. I could hear her snuffling around in the flower bed. Then she stood up on her hind feet and looked in the dining room window at me.
“Quit dancing around, Alice,” Harold said.
Dancing. The word made me jump.
Dancing? Dancing? Ifelt the word was significant, but I didn’t know why.
Another cup of coffee might help. I poured some caffeine from the thermal carafe into my mug, and sipped it. The dining room is tiled and the floor felt cold to my feet. Lordy, I thought, no wonder my brain won’t work. I don’t even have my shoes on.
Shoes. That did it. My blood got out of bed. My heart began to pound, and my brain began torace. When Joe came into the dining room, he faced a lively wife.
“Joe! I just realized something about that third burglar!”
“The guy who had been upstairs?”
“Right! He was wearing dance shoes!”
“Dance shoes? Ballet slippers?”
“No! I think they’re called jazz shoes. They look like oxfords.”
“When were you around men’s dance shoes?”
“They’re worn by women as well as men. Sometimes. Dancinglessons were part of my mom’s attempt to turn me into a silk purse when she was grooming me for the pageant circuit.”
“I knew you had dance lessons, but I pictured you as a little girl in a tutu.”
“I started too late for ballet. I just had
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