Think, Eat, Be Healthy

Book Review: “Cooked” by Michael Pollan

book cover, cooked by michael pollan, a natural history of transfprmation, author michael pollan, cooked

Author Michael Pollan has written another book about food titled “Cooked”. “Cooked” explores our relationships with food through parallels with the four ancient classical elements of fire, water, air and earth. And Pollan gets into the kitchen himself, with first-class instructors, to experience the transformations from raw to cooked first-hand.

Grilling with elemental fire start the book with Pollan learning whole hog barbeque in North Carolina. Braising with water comes next. Sourdough bread baking is third as the representative cooking method for air. Last but not least, vegetable fermentation and brewing stay close to the earth with the making of sauerkraut and beer.

Each section of “Cooked” starts with a short natural history lesson on the type of cooking, or transformation, discussed. More history and anecdotes are sprinkled throughout the chapters. Michael Pollan plays the role of culinary student well in this book and seems to enjoy himself while spinning a compelling story.

More than anything, “Cooked” is the story of why it is so important for all of us to stay connected to our food, even if we do not or cannot cook often. It is the story of how cooking food shaped human civilization and set us apart from the other animals. Michael Pollan posits some important arguments for knowing where our food comes from, how it is prepared and exactly what is in it. “Cooked”  manages to be entertaining, amusing and informative by turns and should be on every foodie’s book list.

“Cooked” by Michael Pollan was published in 2013 by the The Penguin Press. The book is subtitled “A Natural History Of Transformation”.