By Manal Al Dabbagh

This book is a must read for any foodie or culinarian. Journalist and food writer, Michael Pollan, the author of “The Omnivore Dilemma” and “In Defense of Food”, brings us another fascinating and informative book.

In “Cooked” Pollan writes about the evolution of cooking and how mankind transformed raw ingredients into delicious and wholesome meals through the four element; fire, water, earth and air. He explores the use of fire in grilling, water in stewing, air in baking and earth in fermentation.

I personally love all of Pollan’s books, and this one’s no different. Combining history with his personal experience in learning to cook with renowned chefs, we are presented with an easy to read story of how the simple act of cooking can affect how we interact with the world arounds us. He begins his book with a simple question “Why Cook?” and goes into exploring the paradox of how much time we spend cooking versus how much time we spend watching other people cook on TV.

Cooked was recently released on Netflix as a mini-series. But I wouldn’t miss out on reading excellent writing and the eloquence of a great food writer. I suggest reading the book and then watching the series.

One of my favorite quotes from the book speaks to my relationship with cooking as a way to connect and share the love with others.

“Cooked” is available to read electronically on Amazon Kindle.