A fascinating and very entertaining book on food and the effect of cooking on humanity. Pollan is a professor of journalism and his writing zips along even when the subject matter gets quite technical. The book is divided into four sections for the four elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth) and Pollan apprentices himself to masters of each to learn more about it. I haven't cooked from the recipes at the back but his book has definitely inspired me to get some sourdough going again and I might have a go at the sauerkraut too.

Having dabbled at making bread and beer, I'm always fascinated by the (al)chemical process involved in cooking: the magical turning-sugar-to-alcohol process and the same little yeasts creating little bubbles of air to make bread rise. For as Pollen quotes in the book, 'All cooking is transformation, and, rightly viewed, miraculous'. 'Cooked' is part history of cooking and our relationship with food, part foody travelogue, and part exploration into the amazing chemical transformations involved in cooking. It's a great, lively and interesting book, perfect for anyone with even a passing interest in food (so that's everyone).