Cooked ...in 30 minutes is your guide to quickly understanding the culinary lessons in Michael Pollan's best-selling book, Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation. In Cooked, best-selling author and award-winning journalist Michael Pollan examines how the discovery of controlled fire altered human development, through the art of cooked food. Through extensive research, world travel, fascinating interviews, and hands-on food preparation, Cooked investigates how the process of cooking has caused dietary shifts in society throughout history and across cultures. A compelling and entertaining journey into the world of food, Cooked reveals the deep relationships between food and humanity, from primitive man's experiments with roasting meat to the fine art of modern cuisine. Use this helpful guide to understand Cooked in a fraction of the time, with tools such as: An overview of Pollan's experimentation with the four elements in Cooked: barbecue for fire, braising for water, bread for air, and beer, kimchi, and sauerkraut for earth Useful kitchen techniques gleaned from cooking masters In-depth analyses of key concepts from Cooked, such as "Cooking as a Cultural Mirror" and the "Problems with Corporate Cooking" An insightful background on Michael Pollan, best-selling author of Cooked, The Omnivore's Dilemma, and The Botany of Desire An extensive glossary, recommended reading list, and bibliography relevant to Cooked As with all books in the 30 Minute Expert Series, this book is intended to be purchased alongside the reviewed title, Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation.