Baking is the form of cooking using a surrounding dry heat, for example within an oven, whereby the fumes caused by the operation are not carried off - as distinct from roasting which is carried out amid ventilation so that the fumes are carried away. Baking is essential for cooking bread, cakes and pastry, and is also used for cooking meat. Indeed by the 21st century most meat described as roasted is actually baked. Research Baking