Cooked College Essay Example
Cooked College Essay Example

Cooked College Essay Example

Available Only on StudyHippo
Topics:
  • Pages: 12 (3037 words)
  • Published: November 8, 2017
  • Type: Essay
View Entire Sample
Text preview

In the middle of my life, I unexpectedly discovered that cooking held answers to various questions that consumed me. These questions included personal concerns such as improving family health and connecting with my teenage son, as well as political issues like reforming the American food system and achieving self-sufficiency in a consumer economy. Additionally, there were philosophical inquiries about our role in the natural world. Surprisingly, I found interesting answers to these queries in the kitchen, which was something I had never anticipated.

Cooking has always been a part of my life, but more like an ordinary piece of furniture rather than an object of examination or passion. I consider myself fortunate to have had a parent who loved cooking – particularly my mother who would prepare delightful meals for us almost every

...

night. Watching her cook over countless hours helped me become familiar with navigating a kitchen once I had my own place.

However, after obtaining my own kitchen, I rarely made time for cooking or gave it much thought. My culinary skills remained inadequate and didn't progress much by the time I turned thirty. In reality, most of my successful dishes heavily relied on others' cooking abilities – like when I enhanced a store-bought doughnut with my incredible sage-deter sauce.

Despite my limited interest in cooking, I occasionally perused cookbooks and clipped recipes from the newspaper. I also bought new kitchen gadgets, even though they often ended up unused in a closet. Reflecting on the past, it amazes me how unenthusiastic I was about cooking despite my intense passion for all other aspects of food. From a young age, I enjoyed gardening and

View entire sample
Join StudyHippo to see entire essay

writing about agriculture, specifically focusing on growing vegetables.

I have extensively written about the impact of our eating habits on health and the broader food chain. However, I hadn't given much thought to the middle part of the food chain where natural ingredients are transformed into the meals we consume. Recently, while watching television, I noticed an intriguing paradox: as Americans relied more on the food industry for their meals, we seemed to spend more time thinking about food and watching others cook on TV. It seemed that our fascination with food grew as we cooked less ourselves.

Survey research confirms this cultural divide - we are spending less time cooking and opting for more prepared meals each year. In fact, American households now only spend around twenty-seven minutes a day preparing meals compared to twice that amount in the mid-sixties when I observed my mother cooking dinner. The global trend of decreasing cooking time is not exclusive to America.Despite our constant discussions and interactions with cooking, such as watching shows or dining at restaurants where food is prepared in front of us, it is intriguing to note that professional cooks have achieved the same level of fame as athletes or movie stars. Cooking, often seen as a tedious task, has somehow become a popular form of entertainment. It's worth considering that episodes of cooking shows like Top Chef or The Next Food Network Star are longer than the time needed to cook a meal oneself. As a result, there are now many individuals who spend more time observing food being cooked on TV rather than actually preparing meals in their own kitchens.

It's important to acknowledge that

the food we see being cooked on television is not something we get to enjoy ourselves. Despite this peculiarity, it's uncommon for us to consume media about mundane household chores like sewing, fixing socks, or changing car oil - tasks we happily outsource and forget about. However, cooking holds a unique emotional or psychological significance that seems deeply ingrained within us and difficult to let go of.

After consistently watching cooking programs on television, I started questioning the value of an activity that I had always considered trivial. This led me to develop several theories about what I refer to as the Cooking Paradox.The first theory proposes that observing others cook has always been a common behavior for humans. Even in the past when cooking was a shared activity, many people would simply watch, especially men and children. We all have fond memories of watching our mothers perform seemingly magical acts in the kitchen. In ancient Greece, the words for cook, butcher, and priest were synonymous, suggesting a connection to magic. I was always fascinated by my mother's preparations, whether she was making elaborate dishes like chicken Kiev or simple scrambled eggs. Each dish undergoes an enchanting transformation process that goes beyond its individual ingredients. Moreover, every dish carries elements of a story - a beginning, middle, and end - with the cooks playing the role of heroes who bring these transformative dramas to life. Although cooking is gradually disappearing from our daily lives, we still find ourselves captivated by the rhythms and textures of culinary work; it feels more direct and fulfilling compared to the abstract tasks typically found in our current jobs.Cooks have the

opportunity to physically engage with tangible elements such as plants, animals, fungi as well as primal elements like fire water earth air.By utilizing and mastering these elements they can create delightful culinary wonders that provide a satisfying sense of closure.Many of us no longer have occupations that involve interacting with the material world, unless we consider panicking over a leaking chicken Kiev or collapsed souffle as such. Our fascination with cooking as depicted on television or in books may stem from a longing for the aspects of cooking that we deeply miss. Despite believing that we lack the time, energy, or knowledge to cook every day, we are unwilling to let it completely disappear from our lives. Anthropologists have already established cooking as a fundamental human activity and Claude Levi-Strauss believed it to be the starting point of culture. Therefore, it is not surprising that observing the process of cooking evokes profound emotional responses within us.

The idea that cooking is an inherent human activity is not new. In 1773, Scottish writer James Boswell referred to Homo sapiens as "the cooking animal," highlighting their unique ability among species to cook. Jean Anthem Barilla-Safaris claimed in his book The Physiology of Taste fifty years later that cooking has contributed most significantly to civilization's advancement. In The Raw and the Cooked, L©vi-Strauss suggests that cooking symbolizes the distinction between animals and humans and represents the transformation of raw nature into cultured society. Conversely, Richard Wrangler from Harvard argues in Catching Fire that cooking was not only symbolic but also played a vital role in human evolution.According to Wrangler's perspective, the discovery of cooking by our early ancestors distinguished

us from apes and made us fully human. Cooking provided our ancestors with a more energy-dense and easily digestible diet, allowing their brains to grow while their digestive tracts shrank. Other primates our size have larger digestive tracts and spend more time chewing because they don't cook their food. Cooking also detoxifies many potential food sources, unlocking a vast amount of calories that are unavailable to other animals. This enabled humans to spend less time gathering and chewing raw food, giving them more time for cultural activities. Additionally, cooking introduced the practice of eating together at a designated time and place, while also providing meals. Historically, humans would eat raw food on the go or alone like we currently do at gas stations or individually wherever and whenever. However, there was a shift when humans started sitting down together for meals, making eye contact, sharing food, and practicing self-restraint around the fire where cooking played a significant role. According to Wrangler's suggestion in the text, this transformation not only made us more sociable and civil but also expanded our cognitive capacity at the expense of our digestive capacity.In simpler terms, the reliance on cooked food ingrained in our biology has irreversible effects on our big brains and small guts. Wrangler argues that the decline of cooking in modern times has had serious consequences for human life, but it is important to note that not all these consequences are negative. The outsourcing of cooking to corporations has relieved women from being solely responsible for family food, allowing them to focus on their careers and work outside the home while avoiding conflicts from a shift in gender

roles and family dynamics. Industrial cooking has also alleviated various household pressures such as longer workdays and busy children, providing more time for other activities. Microwaves have enabled us to diversify our diets regardless of culinary skills or financial resources. However, this convenience does come at a hidden cost - industrial cooking involves excessive use of sugar, fat, salt, and chemical additives for taste enhancement and prolonged shelf life unlike traditional methods. This change in cooking practices significantly impacts our health and well-being as it is closely tied to the rise in obesity and chronic diseases associated with dietary habits.The rise in popularity of fast food and decline in home-cooked meals has resulted in a loss of communal dining experiences and encouraged individuals to quickly consume different foods alone. Survey researchers have noted that instead of participating in traditional primary meals, we now spend more time engaging in "secondary eating," which involves constantly snacking on packaged foods. It is crucial to recognize the importance of shared meals as they play a vital role in family life. The modern American dinner table serves as a place where children learn essential skills such as conversation, sharing, listening, turn-taking, and conflict resolution. However, this setting also exposes the contradictions brought about by capitalism's impact on society. In this context, one can often observe colorful packages from the food industry. It is interesting to note that cooking or not cooking plays a central role in our lives despite differing individual practices. Factors like the day of the week, occasion, and mood influence whether we choose to cook from scratch or rely on fast food provided by corporations. We have

various options available: cooking entirely from scratch, dining out or ordering takeout/in, or using a combination approach that takes advantage of convenient shortcuts offered by an industrial food economy – such as frozen spinach, canned salmon, or store-bought ravioli.The concept of "cooking" has changed with the introduction of packaged foods in the last century. Nowadays, many people rely on ready-made meals from the food industry, which presents challenges for our health, communities, environment, and connection to food. The perception of food is shifting as society becomes more detached from the process of cooking with raw ingredients. Packaged food lacks a connection to nature, human effort, and creativity, making it seem like just another commodity. This allows corporations to sell artificial versions of real food that I call edible beadlike substances. As a result, we now depend on images for nourishment. Criticizing these developments may be misunderstood as an attempt to confine women back to the kitchen; however, my intention goes beyond gender roles. Cooking should be valued by everyone - men, women, and children - because there is much to gain from it. The devaluation of home cooking as "women's work" has allowed corporations to easily infiltrate our lives. It remains unclear whether this devaluation stems from women's involvement in cooking or if cultural devaluation led women to take on most cooking responsibilities.Part II explores the complex gender politics surrounding cooking throughout history. Different forms of cooking were highly respected in different eras.

Source: Adapted from original textIn Homeric times, warriors would cook meat to maintain their heroic status and masculinity. While men are now accepted as cooks in public and professional settings, the recognition of

chefs as artists is a recent development. However, cooking has primarily been associated with women's domain, often performed behind closed doors without acknowledgment. The perception of cooking being gendered can be attributed to its association with homemaking and childcare, resulting in it not receiving the recognition it deserves. Janet A. Flagman's book The Taste for Civilization suggests that this lack of recognition may stem from food being seen as feminine within Western culture's mind-body dualism framework. According to Flagman, sensory experiences like touch, smell, and taste are considered less important than sight and hearing when acquiring knowledge. Thus, food tends to be associated with the body, animals femininity, and desire in philosophy religious texts ,and literature - aspects that civilized individuals strive to overcome through reason and knowledge. Unfortunately though,civilized individuals have suffered greatly because of these perceptions. Nonetheless,Falgman's book emphasizes the captivating and valuable nature of cooking which involves various techniques used to transform natural ingredients into nourishing and enjoyable food and drinks.Previously,I did not fully grasp this concept before embarking on my culinary journey.
After devoting three years to learning from skilled instructors in grilling, liquid-based cooking, bread baking, and fermentation techniques, my perspective underwent a significant change. I not only became proficient in preparing dishes like bread and braised meals but also gained deep insights into our connection with the natural world. This knowledge could not have been acquired through any other means.

Throughout my time working in various settings such as coeducation institutions, Slackenout establishments, Takers organizations, dairy farms, breweries, and restaurant kitchens - where many culinary practices take place - I discovered more than expected about work ethics, health impacts, traditions, rituals,

self-sufficiency community dynamics, everyday life experiences,and the satisfaction of creating something tangible.

The book "Cooked" divides its content into four parts representing different transformations of nature into cooking. These divisions correspond to the classical elements: Fire (representing heat-based cooking methods), Water (symbolizing liquid-based cooking), Air (highlighting baking methods), and Earth (emphasizing food preservation techniques). These elemental categories have held great significance across cultures for thousands of years and continue to be relevant today.Despite the scientific advancements that have broken down classical elements and replaced them with a periodic table, our direct experience and imagination of nature remain unchanged. Our senses and dreams are still unaware of these changes. Even though cooking requires knowledge in various scientific disciplines like physics, chemistry, biology, and microbiology, I have found that ancient elements still play a significant role in the transformations that occur during cooking. Each element offers unique techniques for transforming nature and brings forth distinct worldviews, types of work, and moods.

My culinary journey began with fire as the first element in my cooking education. This allowed me to explore basic cookery such as grilling meat. However, my exploration with fire went beyond just using a backyard grill. I traveled to eastern North Carolina where pit masters roast whole pigs slowly over smoldering wood fires in Rebecca pits. Under the guidance of a skilled and flamboyant pit master, I learned about the fundamental aspects of cooking—animal, wood, fire, time.

This experience led me to delve into the ancient origins of cooking and understand why our ancestors gathered around the cookfire. The act of killing and cooking a large animal has always held deep emotional and spiritual significance. These rituals have

persisted throughout history and can still be witnessed in modern-day barbecue practices.The atmosphere surrounding fire cooking is characterized by heroism, masculinity, theatrics, boasting foolishness ,and even some absurdity - encompassing everything that water-based cooking methods lack. Cooking with water originated after the discovery of fire cooking and the invention of pots around ten thousand years ago, marking a significant milestone in human culture.

Nowadays, most cooking takes place indoors within homes. In this chapter, I explore various everyday home cooking techniques and their satisfying rewards. My student Bentley Stetson provides a detailed account of a lengthy recipe that highlights traditional methods used by grandmothers to create delicious meals using simple ingredients like aromatic plants, small cuts of meat, fat, and leisurely afternoons spent at home. Throughout my journey, I also learned from an extravagant professional figure. However, the majority of our cooking occurred in my own kitchen at home as a family. The themes of home and family play a central role in this section.

In Part III, there is a focus on highlighting the significance of air in food preparation, particularly when it comes to bread. Adding air to bread differentiates between a well-risen loaf and a flat mixture of ground grain. By incorporating air into our food, we enhance its quality beyond what nature naturally provides us with. Bread holds great importance in Western civilization as one of the earliest examples of food processing;Although some argue that beer brewers achieved this milestone first, this section will explore various bakeries across the country, including a Wonder Bread plant. The goal is to bake a perfectly light and wholesome loaf of bread while also examining when cooking

took a detrimental turn by making food less nutritious instead of more. These initial three cooking methods rely on heat unlike the fourth method. Similar to the earth itself, fermentation techniques in this exploration rely on biology rather than heat to transform organic matter into more captivating and nutritious forms. Throughout my journey, I discovered remarkable transformations through intense flavors and potent intoxicants produced by fungi and bacteria commonly found in soil. These microscopic organisms perform their unseen task of creative destruction to produce these remarkable products. This section consists of three chapters that delve into the process of fermentation in different types of food - vegetables such as sauerkraut, chime, and pickles; milk for cheese-making; and alcohol for mead and beer production.During my journey, I had the opportunity to learn from a group of fermentation experts who taught me valuable lessons about managing decay, understanding the futility of combating bacteria, appreciating the intriguing nature of disgust, and exploring the concept that while we ferment alcohol, it also ferments us. I am thankful for the skilled and generous teachers – cooks, bakers, brewers, picklers, and cheese makers – who dedicated their time to share their techniques and recipes with me.

However, I was surprised to find that the majority of this group consisted of men, unintentionally reinforcing certain stereotypes. Nevertheless, when I decided to apprentice under professional cooks for rigorous training, it was expected that some gender roles would be reaffirmed. Barbecue pit masters, brewers, and non-pastry bakers are mostly men. Surprisingly though there is also a significant number of women involved in cheese making.

For learning traditional pot dishes cooking techniques I chose to work with

a female chef inadvertently emphasizing the notion of home cooking being perceived as women's work. Nonetheless I wanted to further explore this concept while acknowledging that challenging all gender stereotypes related to food and cooking is an ongoing process.

This book serves as a unique "how-to" guide with each section focusing on specific basic recipes such as barbecue and fermented items..By the end of the book and in appendix l specifically designed for those interested in trying out these recipes at home, detailed instructions are provided, allowing readers to gain confidence in preparing them. While most of the cooking described in this text can be done at home, only a portion falls under the category of traditional "home cooking." Some recipes include ingredients like beer, cheese, or bread that many readers may not attempt to make themselves. However, I encourage readers to give these more challenging and time-consuming recipes a try because they provide valuable learning experiences. Although this knowledge may seem insignificant at first, it ultimately changes one's relationship with food and expands possibilities in the kitchen.

Cooking encompasses various essential technologies for human civilization. From controlling fire to manipulating microorganisms, cooking has evolved greatly and had a profound impact on individuals and social groups. The microwave oven is a recent significant advancement in cooking. Cooked explores this continuum of processes, which range from simple to complex, serving as a history of these transformative practices that shape our lives.

Cheese-making and beer-brewing may appear extreme today but were once common household activities. Currently, only a few cooking technologies are accessible to us. In the future, cooking from scratch might be considered exotic and ambitious

just like brewing beer or baking bread is now.The production of food is shaped by cultural traditions and practices, which in turn influences its evolution. However, if we lack personal understanding of how food is made, there is a danger of disconnecting it from its origins. This results in a complete separation of food from important contexts such as the labor involved, the natural environment with plants and animals, and the cultural customs that impact its development.

Get an explanation on any task
Get unstuck with the help of our AI assistant in seconds
New