This book was a fascinating read. I love cooking and I love food so I wasn’t starting from scratch. However every aspect of this book is about the basics of cooking from the basic elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. It is a celebration of real food transformed by one of the necessities of life and described by a fabulous journalist. What could be more compelling! I also read another very short book, almost a companion to “Cooked” – “Food Rules.” It re-enforces the author’s philosophy about real food. I am now about to “really” cook!