Si King and Dave Myers continue their celebration of British food. The culinary duo share fascinating stories as they explore the festivals and occasions that allow the nation to put on a spread and indulge Cooking or cookery is the art of preparing food for consumption with the use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions and trends. The way that cooking takes place also depends on the skill and type of training an individual cook has. Cooking can also occur through chemical reactions without the presence of heat, most notably with Ceviche, a traditional South American dish where fish is cooked with the acids in lemon or lime juice. Sushi also uses a similar chemical reaction between fish and the acidic content of rice glazed with vinegar. Chicken, pork and bacon-wrapped corn cooked in a barbecue smoker Preparing food with heat or fire is an activity unique to humans, and some scientists believe the advent of cooking played an important role in human evolution.[1] Most anthropologists believe that cooking fires first developed around 250,000 years ago. The expansion of agriculture, commerce, trade and transportation between civilizations in different regions offered cooks many new ingredients. New inventions and technologies, such as pottery for holding and boiling water, expanded cooking techniques. Some modern cooks apply advanced scientific techniques to food preparation When heat is used in the preparation of food, it can kill or inactivate harmful organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, as well as various parasites, tapeworms and Toxoplasma gondii being the most common. Food poisoning and other illness from uncooked or poorly-prepared food may be caused by bacteria such as pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Campylobacter, viruses such as noroviruses, and protozoa such as Entamoeba histolytica. Parasites may be introduced through salad, meat that is uncooked or not thoroughly done rare, and unboiled water. The sterilizing effect of cooking depends on temperature, cooking time, and technique used. However, some bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum or Bacillus cereus, can form spores that survive cooking, which then germinate and regrow after the food has cooled. It is therefore recommended that cooked food should not be reheated more than once to avoid repeated growths that allow the bacteria to proliferate to dangerous level.[15] Cooking prevents many foodborne illnesses that would otherwise occur if the food was eaten raw. Cooking also increases the digestibility of some foods such as grains or lactose because most foods, when raw, are inedible, and some are poisonous. For example kidney beans are toxic when raw or improperly cooked, due to the presence of phytohaemagglutinin which can be inactivated after cooking for at least ten minutes at 100 °C.[16] Slow cooker however may not reach the desired temperature and cases of poisoning from red beans cooked in slow cooker have been reported. Other considerations for food safety include preparation, handling, and storage of food. According to the USDA, the temperature range from 40 °F to 140 °F (4 to 60 °C), is the "Danger zone" where bacteria is likely to proliferate, food therefore should not be stored in this temperature range. Washing of hands and surfaces, and avoidance of cross-contamination are good practices in food safety.[17] Food prepared on plastic cutting boards may be less likely to harbor bacteria than wooden ones,[18] other research however suggested otherwise.[19] Washing and sanitizing cutting boards is highly recommended, especially after use with raw meat, poultry, or seafood. Hot water and soap followed by a rinse with a diluted antibacterial cleaner, or a trip through a dishwasher with a "sanitize" cycle, are effective methods for reducing the risk of illness due to contaminated cooking

• published: 19 Apr 2014
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