Open Ebooks Library

Making food by using heat is called cooking. Different environmental, economic, and cultural traditions of different parts of the world are visible in cooking techniques and ingredients. Cooking was an important factor in the evolution of human. It is believed by the anthropologists that about 250,000 years ago the cooking fires were discovered. As agriculture, commerce and transportation developed new ingredients from different civilizations made cooking tastier and delicious. Part from new inventions and technologies advanced scientific techniques are used in cooking. A majority of the cooking ingredients are from plants like Vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts, etc while others are obtained from the products of animals for example, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Even fungi like mushrooms and yeast are also used in cooking. Apart from this water, minerals like salt, wine, etc are also used. Molecules like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are contained in natural ingredients whose chemical properties are changed while cooking.

Most of the methods of cooking are derived from the olden times, for example, roasting, frying, smoking, steaming, baking, braising barbecuing, boiling and grilling. Method of microwaving is a modern innovation. Different methods of cooking require different levels of heat and moisture. Methods of cooking, time for cooking and levels of heat and moisture are different for different types of food preparation. Making of foodstuffs for eating is called food preparation. When food is prepared, to improve the digestibility and taste of food, selection of methods, blending of ingredients and tools has to be considered.

The word Chef and cuisine are often used in cooking. Chef is a person who is professional in preparing all types of food. A practice and tradition of cooking related to a particular culture is called cuisine and is normally named after the region of that culture. Ingredients are the most important factor in a cuisine. Molecular gastronomy is sub-discipline of food science where scientific knowledge to cooking is applied. As before, cooking is no more confined to home alone. Bakeries and factory food preparation are some examples. Ready to eat and home cooked foods have become very common nowadays.