Instructor: Dr. Daniel W. Skubik, PhD JD
Office: J266 / Office Hours per schedule
Tel: 951.343.4288 / Fax: 951.343.4520
Web: http://www.calbaptist.edu/dskubik
E-Mail: dskubik@calbaptist.edu
Historical & Aesthetical
Investigations of Chocolate
HIS 402 A/AE
Wednesdays, 6:00-8:00PM
Fall
Semester, 2008
Course
Description
Chocolate
is a wonder: the food of royalty; the food of love; nutrition for healthy
bodies; one of the first currencies; and a subject of contentious issues in a
world of globalized trade practices. This course will cover the history, the
aesthetics and taste, and finance and food science underlying one of humanity’s
greatest inventions.
Course
Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
1) Identify key historical events and persons related to
the invention of chocolate
2) Identify the economic aspects of making and trade in
chocolate
3) Analyze the aesthetics and food science of chocolate
4) Make an informed choice about consuming chocolate
Required
Texts
Sophie Coe & Michael Coe, The True History of
Chocolate, 2nd edition (Thames & Hudson, 2007)
Chloé Doutre-Roussel, The Chocolate
Connoisseur: For Everyone With a Passion for Chocolate (Piatkus
Books, 2005 & Penguin, 2006)
Other books,
handouts and websites also may be referenced throughout the term, contents of
which all students will be responsible.
Texts recommended, but not required: Mort Rosenblum, Chocolate: A
Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light (North Point Press, 2005)
Robert Kimmel Smith, Chocolate Fever (Puffin Books, 1972)
Readings & Assignments Schedule
|
Week #1 |
Introduction to course and expectations /
Intro to chocolate |
|
Week #2 |
Read and discuss Coe, ch.
1 – 3; and Doutre-Roussel, ch.
1 |
|
Week #3 |
No class
meeting – take time for Field Trip & Report |
|
Week #4 |
No class meeting – Thanksgiving break |
|
Week #5 |
Read and discuss Coe, ch.
4 – 6 |
|
Week #6 |
Read and discuss Doutre-Roussel,
ch. 2 – 4
& 8 – 10 |
|
Week #7 |
Read and discuss Coe, ch.
7 & 8 |
Assessment & Grading
Scale
|
Field Trip & Report = 50% |
90 - 100 = A range (90-94 = A-) |
|
Final Exam = 25% |
80 - 89 = B range (80-83 = B-
/ 87-89 = B+) |
|
Participation/Attendance = 25% |
70 - 79 = C range (70-73 = C-
/ 77-79 = C+) |
|
|
60 - 69 = D range (60-63 = D-
/ 67-69 = D+) |
|
|
0 - 59 = F |
Participation
To give direct incentive to
engage with our materials, 25% of your mark for the course will be comprised of
my assessment of your classroom participation during the semester.
Participation is to include in-class discussions during the term, and does
include attendance.
Attendance is expected, with
a simple threshold requirement: we have only 5 scheduled class sessions, and
you are expected to attend at least 4 class sessions (~80%). Should you miss
more than 1 class session, you must speak with me before you will be permitted
to complete the course.
Final Examination
A
final examination will be given, per the University schedule. The exam covers
all materials and discussions for the term. The exam is worth 25% of the course
grade, and will seek your analyses and critiques of our historical and
aesthetical investigations of chocolate in objective, short answer and essay
formats.
Tasting
samples will be provided. The exam is open book/open notes.
Field Trip
Take trips to at least two (preferably three)
different chocolate shops. [Choose
your own best times, but note that one week has been left open for this
purpose.] Identify yourself as a student at CBU taking this class, and ask to
interview the workers and the owner/manager about the shop and its
activities/clientele [we’ll discuss possible queries in class]. Spend a little
money if you can, and taste several different chocolates and/or ask those in
the shop about their tastes and preferences. Afterwards, write up your findings
[~1000-1200 words / ~3-5 pages], detailing what you discovered and learned at
these shops, about others’ and your own tastes and reactions to chocolate.
List
of shops [non-exclusive] to consider for your field trip
Chocolates By
Imagination [
Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop [
Godiva Chocolates [Galleria
Mall and elsewhere in
Lindy’s Chocolate Florist
[Old Town Temecula]
Rocky Mountain Chocolate
Factory [
See’s Candies [
Temptation Chocolate Factory
[
Teuscher Chocolates [
World Chocolate [
CBU Statement on Academic Dishonesty
Faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)
have been asked to include the
following statement in all our syllabi. Do speak with your instructor if at any
time you have questions or concerns about this statement and its meaning for or
application in your classes.
Academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, copying,
and other forms) will be reported to the Dean of Students. Judicial sanctions
for offense are handled on a case-by-case basis depending on the seriousness of
the violation, prior violations and other factors. Judicial sanctions may
include, but are not limited to, loss of a letter grade or failure in the
course in which the offense occurred, suspension, and/or dismissal from the
University. A detailed discussion of academic dishonesty is located in the
Student Handbook.
Source: 2008-2009 Undergraduate University Catalog, at
p.51
Caveat
This syllabus schedule is
composed in good faith, with a schedule of readings and assignments that will
guide us throughout the term. Still, the instructor reserves the right to make
adjustments to this schedule as deemed necessary for the overall enterprise of
the course. Any changes will be communicated as far in advance as feasible, and
you are responsible for knowing if and when any changes have been made.