On the Reading Table: Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan

I'm working my way through the books of Michael Pollan, who in 2010 was named by Time magazine as "one of the 100 most influential people in the world." I finished "Second Nature," and since Jane is still reading my copy of "The Botany of Desire," it's now on to "Cooked."

"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."