Humans are the only creatures that cook their food. Our digestive systems and chewing abilities are smaller than those in other primates because raw foods take much longer to consume and digest.
One anthropologist suggests that this is a driving factor in much of human history and socialogy. (From "Love in the Time of Coriander"):
"It seems difficult for me to deny the evidence that the evolution of man came with the discovery of fire and cooking," Wrangham said. "Cooking changed the biological design of humans, and that fact is the basis of paleo-gastronomy," he added."Being able to spend a low percent of time eating made hunting possible and expanded the range of humans out of Africa and into Asia," Wrangham said. Cooking also prompted the sexual division of labor: men, being bigger and stronger, hunted, and women provisioned and cooked.
Cooking created the human family or civilization, where humans not only assumed tasks suited to their skills but also put those skills to work in taking care of one another. You hunted for the group or family, as well as yourself. Or, you cooked for the hunter, as well as yourself.
The presentation was for a group of "Culinary Professionals" and I have no idea if it was peer reviewed.
Posted by eric at June 22, 2005 10:23 AM