"Fire, water, air, earth--our most trusted food expert recounts the story of his culinary education 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. In the course of his journey, he discovers that the cook occupies a special place in the world, standing squarely between nature and culture. Both realms are transformed by cooking, and so, in the process, is the cook. Each section of Cooked tracks Pollan's effort to master a single classic recipe using one of the four elements. A North Carolina barbecue pit master tutors him in the primal magic of fire; a Chez Panisse-trained cook schools him in the art of braising; a celebrated baker teaches him how air transforms grain and water into a fragrant loaf of bread; and finally, several mad-genius "fermentos" (a tribe that includes brewers, cheese makers, and all kinds of picklers) reveal how fungi and bacteria can perform the most amazing alchemies of all. The reader learns alongside Pollan, but the lessons move beyond the practical to become an investigation of how cooking involves us in a web of social and ecological relationships: with plants and animals, the soil, farmers, our history and culture, and, of course, the people our cooking nourishes and delights. Cooking, above all, connects us. The effects of not cooking are similarly far reaching. Relying upon corporations to process our food means we consume huge quantities of fat, sugar, and salt; disrupt an essential link to the natural world; and weaken our relationships with family and friends. In fact, Cooked argues, taking back control of cooking may be the single most important step anyone can take to help make the American food system healthier and more sustainable. Reclaiming cooking as an act of enjoyment and self-reliance, learning to perform the magic of these everyday transformations, opens the door to a more nourishing life. "-- "In Cooked, 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. In the course of his journey, he discovers that the cook occupies a special place in the world, standing squarely between nature and culture. Both realms are transformed by cooking, and so, in the process, is the cook"--

"The Venice Nutrition Program is not a diet--it's a healthier way for anyone, at any age, to get control of their body. Based on the principle that regulating the body's blood sugar is the key to long-term weight management, the program emphasizes three primary strategies to keep the body functioning efficiently: eating at intervals of 3-4 hours throughout the day; eating meals that maintain the most efficient ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat; and eating a targeted number of calories at each meal. Readers will quickly find that adopting these nutritional guidelines burns body fat, boosts their energy levels, increases muscle mass, regulates their metabolism, and eliminates sugar cravings. Macdonald has worked with thousands of clients and in doing so, learned that no two people are the same or start from the same level of fitness and health. Unlike other blood sugar-regulating programs on the market, the Venice Nutrition Program is customizable, and begins by teaching readers how to work with the metabolism they're starting with, and how to readjust whenever their metabolism recalibrates. The body is dynamic and constantly adjusts to challenges--from increased stress, changes in eating habits, or a decrease in physical movement, for example--as it strives to regain equilibrium. Nutrition is just one important piece of the Venice Nutrition Program, though, and Macdonald--a former personal trainer and health club manager--has also developed a carefully honed exercise plan. With those two primary components of his holistic strategy in place, he explains how sleep, vitamins/minerals, water, and stress management complete the picture of optimum health"--