Cooked : : a Natural History of Transformation

Locations
Call Number: 641.5 Po, Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / Essays & Narratives / Pollan, Michael
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Pittsfield Branch, Traverwood Branch, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	641.5 Po	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	641.5 Po	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	641.5 Po	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / Essays & Narratives / Pollan, Michael	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / Essays & Narratives / Pollan, Michael	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / Essays & Narratives / Pollan, Michael	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Cooking / Essays & Narratives / Pollan, Michael	4-week checkout	Due 05-14-2024

"Fire, water, air, earth--our most trusted food expert recounts the story of his culinary education In Cooked, Michael Pollan explores the previously uncharted territory of his own kitchen. Here, he discovers the enduring power of the four classical elements--fire, water, air, and earth--to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things to eat and drink. Apprenticing himself to a succession of culinary masters, Pollan learns how to grill with fire, cook with liquid, bake bread, and ferment everything from cheese to beer. In the course of his journey, he discovers that the cook occupies a special place in the world, standing squarely between nature and culture. Both realms are transformed by cooking, and so, in the process, is the cook. Each section of Cooked tracks Pollan's effort to master a single classic recipe using one of the four elements. A North Carolina barbecue pit master tutors him in the primal magic of fire; a Chez Panisse-trained cook schools him in the art of braising; a celebratedbaker teaches him how air transforms grain and water into a fragrant loaf of bread; and finally, several mad-genius "fermentos" (a tribe that includes brewers, cheese makers, and all kinds of picklers) reveal how fungi and bacteria can perform the most amazing alchemies of all. The reader learns alongside Pollan, but the lessons move beyond the practical to become an investigation of how cooking involves us in a web of social and ecological relationships: with plants and animals, the soil, farmers, our history and culture, and, of course, the people our cooking nourishes and delights. Cooking, above all, connects us. The effects of not cooking are similarly far reaching. Relying upon corporations to process our food means we consume huge quantities of fat, sugar, and salt; disrupt an essential link to the natural world; and weaken our relationships with family and friends. In fact, Cooked argues, taking back control of cooking may be the single most important step anyone can take to help make the American food system healthier and more sustainable. Reclaiming cooking as an act of enjoyment and self-reliance, learning to perform the magic of these everyday transformations, opens the door to a more nourishing life. "-- Provided by publisher.
"In Cooked, Pollan explores the previously uncharted territory of his own kitchen. Here, he discovers the enduring power of the four classical elements--fire, water, air, and earth--to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things to eat and drink.In the course of his journey, he discovers that the cook occupies a special place in the world, standing squarely between nature and culture. Both realms are transformed by cooking, and so, in the process, is the cook"-- Provided by publisher.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Cooked submitted by leighsprauer on August 5, 2013, 9:15am Cooked is in a similar vein to Pollan's other books about food (Omnivore's Dilemma, Botany of Desire) - it advocates a closer, more traditional relationship to the food we eat. This book covers the science behind various cooking methods (grilling, braising, baking, and fermenting), which was interesting. Even as someone who does not like to cook, I thought this was a helpful reminder to be more mindful of the food I cook and eat.

Another great book submitted by crp on August 10, 2019, 4:03pm Another great read by M Pollan. I liked Omnivore’s Dilemma better however.