I think modern people tend to think of cooking as it makes food taste better. But you point out that the really important part of cooking is it saves time in chewing. Can you explain that? Because that's remarkable. Both chewing and digesting. And that saves a lot of energy for the humans who are lucky enough to eat the cooked food. Of course, the energy has to come from somewhere. Part of it is from the thermal energy of the fire. The rest is from the energy of the people or animals or later on wind or water or steam which do the hard work of grinding.
Rachel Laudan, visiting scholar at the University of Texas and author of Cuisine and Empire, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the history of food. Topics covered include the importance of grain, the spread of various styles of cooking, why French cooking has elite status, and the reach of McDonald's. The conversation concludes with a discussion of the appeal of local food and other recent food passions.