What do you think?
Rate this book
Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables
The debut cookbook from Joshua McFadden, a chef with the soul of a farmer and the palate of a visionary
Joshua McFadden, chef and owner of renowned trattoria Ava Gene’s in Portland, Oregon, is a vegetable whisperer. After years racking up culinary cred at New York City restaurants like Lupa, Momofuku, and Blue Hill, he managed the trailblazing Four Season Farm in coastal Maine, where he developed an appreciation for every part of the plant and learned to coax the best from vegetables at each stage of their lives.
In Six Seasons, McFadden channels both farmer and chef, highlighting the evolving attributes of vegetables throughout their growing seasons—an arc from spring to early summer to midsummer to the bursting harvest of late summer, then ebbing into autumn and, finally, the earthy, mellow sweetness of winter. Each chapter begins with recipes featuring raw vegetables at the start of their season. As weeks progress, McFadden turns up the heat—grilling and steaming, then moving on to sautés, pan roasts, braises, and stews. His ingenuity is on display in 225 revelatory recipes that celebrate flavor at its peak.
Joshua McFadden, chef and owner of renowned trattoria Ava Gene’s in Portland, Oregon, is a vegetable whisperer. After years racking up culinary cred at New York City restaurants like Lupa, Momofuku, and Blue Hill, he managed the trailblazing Four Season Farm in coastal Maine, where he developed an appreciation for every part of the plant and learned to coax the best from vegetables at each stage of their lives.
In Six Seasons, McFadden channels both farmer and chef, highlighting the evolving attributes of vegetables throughout their growing seasons—an arc from spring to early summer to midsummer to the bursting harvest of late summer, then ebbing into autumn and, finally, the earthy, mellow sweetness of winter. Each chapter begins with recipes featuring raw vegetables at the start of their season. As weeks progress, McFadden turns up the heat—grilling and steaming, then moving on to sautés, pan roasts, braises, and stews. His ingenuity is on display in 225 revelatory recipes that celebrate flavor at its peak.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2017
About the author
Joshua McFadden
4 books47 followersJoshua McFadden is executive chef/owner of Portland, Oregon’s Ava Gene’s, which Bon Appétit has named a “Top 10 Best New Restaurant.” Before moving to Portland, McFadden helped define the burgeoning Brooklyn food scene when he was chef de cuisine at Franny’s; his other restaurant experience includes Momofuku, Blue Hill, and Lupa in New York and the groundbreaking raw food restaurant Roxanne’s in Larkspur, California. McFadden also spent time in Rome, cooking at Alice Waters’s project in sustainable dining at the American Academy. He kindled his love of soil, seeds, and seasons during two years as farm manager at Maine’s Four Season Farm, founded by sustainability pioneers Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch. McFadden’s latest restaurant, Tusk, opened in Portland, Oregon in 2016.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
May 1, 2017
I am SO impressed! It takes something pretty extraordinary to catch my attention and catapult a cookbook to both a 5-star rating and an immediate place on my must-own list. I am picky with cookbooks; I just don't have the space to own many, so I carefully evaluate whether a new book will be consulted often and cooked from, and whether it offers something new that my other books don't provide. Only a scant handful of cookbooks jump from the "read it once" category to "I need this now!" This one does. I took so many notes. I am inspired to cook, frantic to get to a farmers' market, and just plain excited to try these recipes. The author has a daunting, impressive resume and his recipes don't disappoint. Get thee to a bookstore!
I received a review copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I received a review copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 7, 2018
I try to eat lots of vegetables though I don't naturally love them so I appreciate any cookbook with an imaginative approach to plant-focused cooking. But really, the five stars may have come from from this sentence alone:
"And please, eat salads with your hands."
Clearly, Joshua McFadden and I are kindred spirits.
"And please, eat salads with your hands."
Clearly, Joshua McFadden and I are kindred spirits.
July 18, 2020
I’m OBSESSED with this book! I have made so many recipes out of it, and they are all so easy and delicious! We were lucky enough to eat at Ava Genes when we were in Portland, and having this book is like getting to eat Josh McFadden’s food in our own home. Highly recommended to anyone who likes vegetables, likes to cook, or just wants to try something new.
August 19, 2020
Yes, delicious. Not a definitive cookbook by any means. A few recipes for various featured plants generally ordered by this book's categories of agricultural seasons. Just before the Ava Gene's restaurant got really popular, sometime around...2012?, I had a salad that I still think about.
Come fall down some holes with me.
I. Separating/not-separating artists and their art
II. Shades of gray
-----------------------------
I.
There are waves of social change but lasting ones are rarer. This current one might be a rarity? Me Too and Times Up (but remember Anita Hill?), George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and ad infinitum (but remember Rodney King?), pandemic (but remember 1918?), Obama (but now the embarrassment)...it feels like the air moves on its own (but it kind of stinks). Riding this partial effort of awareness is a local-ish Portland reckoning in the food service industry. Everyone within their field talks, but I think it doesn't often spread to those downstream. Around the beginning of July 2020, someone decided it was time to take a stand and began posting anything sent to her that called out bad actors and behavior.
KABLOOEY
Defenses went up, offenses went out, she'd had some bad acting and behavior in her recent past, so she stepped back from the activity although not the actions. But now the stone wouldn't be stopped by no dingdang moss. The city joined an ongoing movement to expose - https://www.the86dlist.com/. The posts started - https://www.instagram.com/86dlistpdx/.... There are rules. Paramount behind it all is: believe victims. All submitted stories are posted only if the submitter agrees, which means there are some that aren't posted and only submitted as a catharsis, a sharing. I think I saw just one where the submitter may not be a victim. But all the rest, too easy to believe.
And in that list, Joshua McFadden, presiding over a toxic back-of-house kitchen that on at least 1 occasion protected a sexual harasser and belittled the sexually harassed, a "legendary yelly baby", a "shitty tipper".
He'd built a brand of local sourcing, seasonal produce, flavors, and thoughtful cooking which can be projected by the gullible (hand raised here) to mean a thoughtful person. To learn he's just another asshole? Another example of why not to put anyone on any sort of pedestal, or even gentle slope.
https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-dr...
https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/202...
https://pdx.eater.com/2020/7/10/21315...
https://www.streetroots.org/news/2020...
On the national level, bon appetit! For only a couple months prior, I'd put their youtube videos on auto-play for a comforting background of food, appealing personalities, and quirk. I recognized jokes spanning over time, between people, developed favorites, on repeat. But then. The photo. The callout by the very talented, very underpaid, very used Bengali-American staff member. The resignations. The sharing of pay info, and public awareness of the absence of pay in the case of their staff of color. The stories of petty behavior by some of the "cool" staff of color who were "in" with the regime. The apologies. The negotiations. The disappointing but expected lack of change in the controlling corporation. The decision by most of their staff of color and a couple of their white personalities to no longer do the $$$$$-making videos where they don't see the $. The silence of the white people who have the largest video following and therefore likely the most lucrative contracts. All easily googled. Man, I ate that sh*t up.
But now I don't want to watch those bon appetit videos. I don't want to eat at a bunch of Portland restaurants, where I've tried to tip heavily for the workers who, it turns out, often get robbed. And this cookbook. A beautiful cookbook, with beautiful thoughts on food, by a man who's a jerk, like many other people. But most of those other people don't have beautiful cookbooks. I can just not think of them. Should I keep this book? I've already bought it so he's long spent the royalty that comes from 1 sale, apparently not on tips for his nights out. Ugh.
-----------------------------
II.
I haven't risen above the viewpoint of a child, or a certain kind of individual who can't do nuance. Once something is "bad", my inclination is that it's forever tainted and cannot be redeemed, Jesus as savior be damned! But in following the 86d stories, there's shitty behavior covering the full range from disappointment to horror.
How equivalent is the restaurant systematically shortchanging servers of tips to the restaurant with staff who use the n-word? What about the verbally abusive chef who may actually be genuinely contrite and horrified at the mirror being held up (Aaron Adams, Farm Spirit)(although, the effort it took to successfully hold that mirror up for his journey to decency? sheesh), or the verbally abusive chef who phones in a canned apology and nothing else (this dude, Joshua McFadden, Ava Gene's), or the verbally abusive chef who lawyers up and attacks (Doug Adams, Bullard)?
When comparing these levels of "bad", how to avoid minimizing the relatively smaller incidents that "only" leave mental cuts by putting them up against the physical or financial damages of larger incidents? I mean, the smaller things build the environment that lead to the bigger things, like the frog in a pot of water on the stove. Certain things described may sound kind of mild, but how would I know the harm caused leading to these stories of panic attacks, having to quit, anguish at being stuck between unemployment and being unwilling targets? Even the need for a statement like "believe her" which fights against the notion that we should suck it up, everyone goes through the same hazings, it's all like that...the expectation that people suck and things are bad get in the way of envisioning and working to a better way. It's like those people who think just because they had to pay off student debt, everyone forever should have student debt and pay it off - I was downtrodden so I can't allow anyone else to be untrod.
I don't want to support the "bad". How much does that hurt everyone associated with the location or people who suck? How can one tell if a place or person is really trying? The religious childhood had taught that humans can't judge since we can't see the heart, only God knows. Well, God doesn't care about social media or where I get takeout from tonight, so how should I spend money?
At this point, I have the cookbook. But I not going to Ava Gene's anymore.
Come fall down some holes with me.
I. Separating/not-separating artists and their art
II. Shades of gray
-----------------------------
I.
There are waves of social change but lasting ones are rarer. This current one might be a rarity? Me Too and Times Up (but remember Anita Hill?), George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and ad infinitum (but remember Rodney King?), pandemic (but remember 1918?), Obama (but now the embarrassment)...it feels like the air moves on its own (but it kind of stinks). Riding this partial effort of awareness is a local-ish Portland reckoning in the food service industry. Everyone within their field talks, but I think it doesn't often spread to those downstream. Around the beginning of July 2020, someone decided it was time to take a stand and began posting anything sent to her that called out bad actors and behavior.
KABLOOEY
Defenses went up, offenses went out, she'd had some bad acting and behavior in her recent past, so she stepped back from the activity although not the actions. But now the stone wouldn't be stopped by no dingdang moss. The city joined an ongoing movement to expose - https://www.the86dlist.com/. The posts started - https://www.instagram.com/86dlistpdx/.... There are rules. Paramount behind it all is: believe victims. All submitted stories are posted only if the submitter agrees, which means there are some that aren't posted and only submitted as a catharsis, a sharing. I think I saw just one where the submitter may not be a victim. But all the rest, too easy to believe.
And in that list, Joshua McFadden, presiding over a toxic back-of-house kitchen that on at least 1 occasion protected a sexual harasser and belittled the sexually harassed, a "legendary yelly baby", a "shitty tipper".
He'd built a brand of local sourcing, seasonal produce, flavors, and thoughtful cooking which can be projected by the gullible (hand raised here) to mean a thoughtful person. To learn he's just another asshole? Another example of why not to put anyone on any sort of pedestal, or even gentle slope.
https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-dr...
https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/202...
https://pdx.eater.com/2020/7/10/21315...
https://www.streetroots.org/news/2020...
On the national level, bon appetit! For only a couple months prior, I'd put their youtube videos on auto-play for a comforting background of food, appealing personalities, and quirk. I recognized jokes spanning over time, between people, developed favorites, on repeat. But then. The photo. The callout by the very talented, very underpaid, very used Bengali-American staff member. The resignations. The sharing of pay info, and public awareness of the absence of pay in the case of their staff of color. The stories of petty behavior by some of the "cool" staff of color who were "in" with the regime. The apologies. The negotiations. The disappointing but expected lack of change in the controlling corporation. The decision by most of their staff of color and a couple of their white personalities to no longer do the $$$$$-making videos where they don't see the $. The silence of the white people who have the largest video following and therefore likely the most lucrative contracts. All easily googled. Man, I ate that sh*t up.
But now I don't want to watch those bon appetit videos. I don't want to eat at a bunch of Portland restaurants, where I've tried to tip heavily for the workers who, it turns out, often get robbed. And this cookbook. A beautiful cookbook, with beautiful thoughts on food, by a man who's a jerk, like many other people. But most of those other people don't have beautiful cookbooks. I can just not think of them. Should I keep this book? I've already bought it so he's long spent the royalty that comes from 1 sale, apparently not on tips for his nights out. Ugh.
-----------------------------
II.
I haven't risen above the viewpoint of a child, or a certain kind of individual who can't do nuance. Once something is "bad", my inclination is that it's forever tainted and cannot be redeemed, Jesus as savior be damned! But in following the 86d stories, there's shitty behavior covering the full range from disappointment to horror.
How equivalent is the restaurant systematically shortchanging servers of tips to the restaurant with staff who use the n-word? What about the verbally abusive chef who may actually be genuinely contrite and horrified at the mirror being held up (Aaron Adams, Farm Spirit)(although, the effort it took to successfully hold that mirror up for his journey to decency? sheesh), or the verbally abusive chef who phones in a canned apology and nothing else (this dude, Joshua McFadden, Ava Gene's), or the verbally abusive chef who lawyers up and attacks (Doug Adams, Bullard)?
When comparing these levels of "bad", how to avoid minimizing the relatively smaller incidents that "only" leave mental cuts by putting them up against the physical or financial damages of larger incidents? I mean, the smaller things build the environment that lead to the bigger things, like the frog in a pot of water on the stove. Certain things described may sound kind of mild, but how would I know the harm caused leading to these stories of panic attacks, having to quit, anguish at being stuck between unemployment and being unwilling targets? Even the need for a statement like "believe her" which fights against the notion that we should suck it up, everyone goes through the same hazings, it's all like that...the expectation that people suck and things are bad get in the way of envisioning and working to a better way. It's like those people who think just because they had to pay off student debt, everyone forever should have student debt and pay it off - I was downtrodden so I can't allow anyone else to be untrod.
I don't want to support the "bad". How much does that hurt everyone associated with the location or people who suck? How can one tell if a place or person is really trying? The religious childhood had taught that humans can't judge since we can't see the heart, only God knows. Well, God doesn't care about social media or where I get takeout from tonight, so how should I spend money?
At this point, I have the cookbook. But I not going to Ava Gene's anymore.
January 7, 2019
Made two recipes so far, and this book is just a pleasure to read and cook from.
April 24, 2019
Got from library, and the general information was good. I certainly like the idea of this book, and as my gardening ventures out into more obscure vegetables I want recipes to cook and enjoy them. This...was not that kind of book. There are very, very few recipes that one could just cook from ingredients in the pantry. I tried a few that were simpler, and they were ok. Not amazing, just OK.
I tried Celery Puntarelle-Style (146), although I had to buy anchovies. It tasted like savory celery salad. With anchovies.
I tried Rigatoni with Broccoli and Sausage (although I used store-bought Ricotta instead of making my own from scratch), and again, it was fine. It was pasta with sausage, veg, and white sauce. The whole book was a strange combination of mundane recipes with precious descriptions (I mean, beans on toast? You need a recipe for that? I guess it has "Perfect Shell Beans".) and overly convoluted recipes that I can't imagine cooking. I meant to try the Beet Slaw with pistachios and raisins, but you are meant to make pistachio butter, then not to mix it into the dressing, but coat the bowl or plate with it. Why? He doesn't explain.
Back to the library, and not planning on buying it.
I tried Celery Puntarelle-Style (146), although I had to buy anchovies. It tasted like savory celery salad. With anchovies.
I tried Rigatoni with Broccoli and Sausage (although I used store-bought Ricotta instead of making my own from scratch), and again, it was fine. It was pasta with sausage, veg, and white sauce. The whole book was a strange combination of mundane recipes with precious descriptions (I mean, beans on toast? You need a recipe for that? I guess it has "Perfect Shell Beans".) and overly convoluted recipes that I can't imagine cooking. I meant to try the Beet Slaw with pistachios and raisins, but you are meant to make pistachio butter, then not to mix it into the dressing, but coat the bowl or plate with it. Why? He doesn't explain.
Back to the library, and not planning on buying it.
September 7, 2017
I loved this book. Checked it out of the library because I'd read a few favorable reviews, and liked it so much I've bought a copy. The full-page color photos are mouthwatering, the recipes are easy to follow yet different enough to warrant another cookbook on my shelves, and the chef/author's enthusiasm and knowledge make this more than a collection of recipes. The concept is to cook using the freshest produce available, hence cooking seasonally (and he's divided it into 6 instead of 4 seasons). This is not a vegetarian cookbook (lamb, chicken, beef & fish are all included) but the majority of the recipes are vegetarian or can be easily adapted.
October 8, 2020
Enduringly rewarding. I am utterly consumed with Six Seasons and feel I could cook from it every day without tiring.
Nigella Lawson
Joshua McFadden has the soul of a farmer, and his recipes are beautifully in tune with the seasons and the land.
Alice Waters
Nigella Lawson
Joshua McFadden has the soul of a farmer, and his recipes are beautifully in tune with the seasons and the land.
Alice Waters
May 9, 2017
Title: Six Season A New Way With Vegetables
Authors: Joshua McFadden & Martha Holmberg
Publisher: Artisan Books
Published: 5-2-2017
Pages: 284
Genre: Cooking, Food & Wine
Sub-Genre: Special Occasions; Vegetables; Meals
ISBN: 9781579656317
ASIN: B01L83TSVE
Reviewed for: NetGalley and Publisher
Rating: 4.75 Stars
Although I do eat meat I have always had a preference to vegetables. Six Season - A New Way with Vegetables offers a variety of new to me recipes to revive some of my old favorites. There are a number of butters in addition to a few salads and dips and sauces. Jump next to side dishes such as salad, mixed vegetables, raw vegetables, Vegetarian dishes and a few vegetable dishes with meat. Everything tasted great and was filling. There was no recipe I prepared that was not a huge success with my family. All were easy to follow.
From beginning to end Six Season is a desirable cookbook for any one looking for a few new ways to use those excess summer vegetables. My rating is 4.75 out of 5 stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L83TSVE/...
Barnnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/six-s...
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
The Reading Room: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
Authors: Joshua McFadden & Martha Holmberg
Publisher: Artisan Books
Published: 5-2-2017
Pages: 284
Genre: Cooking, Food & Wine
Sub-Genre: Special Occasions; Vegetables; Meals
ISBN: 9781579656317
ASIN: B01L83TSVE
Reviewed for: NetGalley and Publisher
Rating: 4.75 Stars
Although I do eat meat I have always had a preference to vegetables. Six Season - A New Way with Vegetables offers a variety of new to me recipes to revive some of my old favorites. There are a number of butters in addition to a few salads and dips and sauces. Jump next to side dishes such as salad, mixed vegetables, raw vegetables, Vegetarian dishes and a few vegetable dishes with meat. Everything tasted great and was filling. There was no recipe I prepared that was not a huge success with my family. All were easy to follow.
From beginning to end Six Season is a desirable cookbook for any one looking for a few new ways to use those excess summer vegetables. My rating is 4.75 out of 5 stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L83TSVE/...
Barnnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/six-s...
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
The Reading Room: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
February 5, 2021
I had (very) high expectations for this book since it was highly recommended by a friend. This is the fourth book I've read on the subject of vegetables and seasonal cooking in the past few months and this was by far the most underwhelming.
The book is beautiful, the pictures are stunning and gorgeous mise-en-page. I found the recipes a bit on the complicated side and not the most intuitive cooking something that I find crucial when cooking with seasonal vegetables.
I didn't realize that his cooking (and recipes) is highly influenced by Italy and from that perspective, no one beats Marcella Hazan that was ahead of her time talking about seasonal cooking.
I have been trying to broaden my horizons in the kitchen and I think Joshua preaches pretty much the same things that I'm trying to move from, yes olive oil is king, amazing, incomparable - I will never ever not have it in my kitchen - but what about other oils that are produced locally? I've made amazing discoveries lately trying different local ingredients that are as good as the classics ingredients that I thought were essential for good cooking.
He comes across with a very colonizing, European way of cooking that I'm trying to spet away from even if I would never stop buying a good piece of parmesan.
The book is beautiful, the pictures are stunning and gorgeous mise-en-page. I found the recipes a bit on the complicated side and not the most intuitive cooking something that I find crucial when cooking with seasonal vegetables.
I didn't realize that his cooking (and recipes) is highly influenced by Italy and from that perspective, no one beats Marcella Hazan that was ahead of her time talking about seasonal cooking.
I have been trying to broaden my horizons in the kitchen and I think Joshua preaches pretty much the same things that I'm trying to move from, yes olive oil is king, amazing, incomparable - I will never ever not have it in my kitchen - but what about other oils that are produced locally? I've made amazing discoveries lately trying different local ingredients that are as good as the classics ingredients that I thought were essential for good cooking.
He comes across with a very colonizing, European way of cooking that I'm trying to spet away from even if I would never stop buying a good piece of parmesan.
July 28, 2017
Now this is a book that is liable to become a classic. Fresh, veggie-forward recipes that are kicky enough for a restaurant but simple enough for a home cook. Nearly all the ingredients are easily procured and inventively prepared. I love the frequent mixing of fresh produce and everyday pantry items like olives, raisins, and canned tuna. I also love that meat and dairy are not taboo here, but merely not the stars of the show. Overall, this book deserves the hype it has gotten, and I would even consider purchasing this one later on down the road.
November 3, 2019
I have read this book twice now and am still find amazing and unique recipes.
July 6, 2022
I've really been trying to get into cooking with the seasons, along with experimenting more with veggies I'm less familiar with, and just generally trying to work a lot of nutritious variety into my diet while having fun with new recipes, so this book was right up my alley! It's a long book, and I really loved the way it was divided by season (with summer further divided into early, mid, & late given the abundance of produce during that time) as it was really visually pleasing and helpful! It's further divided within the seasons by veggie, with each one getting a little spread about it, and generally at least two, if not more recipes. Certainly there are a lot of great side dishes, but also quite a few main dish options, vegetarian & meat, and some really interesting flavor profiles and techniques. I earmarked quite a few recipes I'm excited to make! I also really liked that the book mostly laid flat, and there were a good amount of photographs--*almost* every main recipe had one. Like (I'd guess) most people, there are certain vegetables I don't enjoy, and they're some of the more popular veggies/bigger sections (beans, tomatoes, and mushrooms are for me!) which was a bummer, but I could hardly expect a cookbook to totally ignore the vegetables I don't like! However, just given my own personal preferences, there weren't *quite* as many recipes that called to me as I'd have liked in a book of this size, though I think mileage will be better for those with less particular palettes, and I still quite enjoyed it!
ETA: I've now made some recipes from the book with varying success...
Gratin of Brussels Sprouts, Gruyere, and Prosciutto -- flavors are good, but I needed to roast my Brussels WAY longer than suggested, and I found myself wanting more of a bechamel as opposed to just heavy cream with gruyere on top
Swiss Chard, Leek, Herb, and Ricotta Crostata -- the filling was good, but we're told to make his Pecan Dough (another recipe in the book) but just sub walnuts for the pecans, and as I was making it, I was pretty concerned about the amount of sugar in the dough, but decided to trust the author. Sure enough, the dough was SUPER sweet--perfect for a dessert galette, but I really wasn't a fan of it paired with this savory filling.
cabbage and farro soup -- Phenomenal. Doesn't look or sound like much, but it was perfection.
Brined and Roasted Almonds -- Dead easy, almost not even really a recipe, but these almonds were crazy delicious! Perfect amount of salt and toasty-ness, and made for a great snack!
Squash & "Tuna Melt" Casserole -- Simple recipe with relatively few ingredients, that manages to taste SO much better than it has any right to! Definitely use a good quality tuna in olive oil.
ETA: I've now made some recipes from the book with varying success...
Gratin of Brussels Sprouts, Gruyere, and Prosciutto -- flavors are good, but I needed to roast my Brussels WAY longer than suggested, and I found myself wanting more of a bechamel as opposed to just heavy cream with gruyere on top
Swiss Chard, Leek, Herb, and Ricotta Crostata -- the filling was good, but we're told to make his Pecan Dough (another recipe in the book) but just sub walnuts for the pecans, and as I was making it, I was pretty concerned about the amount of sugar in the dough, but decided to trust the author. Sure enough, the dough was SUPER sweet--perfect for a dessert galette, but I really wasn't a fan of it paired with this savory filling.
cabbage and farro soup -- Phenomenal. Doesn't look or sound like much, but it was perfection.
Brined and Roasted Almonds -- Dead easy, almost not even really a recipe, but these almonds were crazy delicious! Perfect amount of salt and toasty-ness, and made for a great snack!
Squash & "Tuna Melt" Casserole -- Simple recipe with relatively few ingredients, that manages to taste SO much better than it has any right to! Definitely use a good quality tuna in olive oil.
November 7, 2020
this cookbook reads like a series of seasonal pinterest boards for the vegetable-obsessed: it's full of recipes that i could spend hours looking at with longing (the food pics! the fonts! the watercolors!) and thus from which i'll likely draw unconscious cooking inspiration. the chef-author organized it into six seasonal chapters, each of which highlights several vegetables from that season. he includes primers for the featured vegetable, which i found helpful because i didn't grow up learning how to prepare, say, rutabagas, and now i feel empowered to work with them and other new-to-me vegetables.
however, i cringed whenever the chef-author ascribed terms like "sexy" and "feminine" to certain foods. this detracted from my reading experience, and i suspect others may have felt similarly. also his culinary canon – italian, american, and french – doesn't fully encompass my interests. at least he stans olive oil as hard as i do. :')
however, i cringed whenever the chef-author ascribed terms like "sexy" and "feminine" to certain foods. this detracted from my reading experience, and i suspect others may have felt similarly. also his culinary canon – italian, american, and french – doesn't fully encompass my interests. at least he stans olive oil as hard as i do. :')
October 9, 2019
This is a phenomenal cookbook that has changed the way we eat, from a starch and protein-heavy diet to a more produce-centric one. Once a week we check the local Sprouts flyer, see what's in season, and turn to the corresponding sections in this book to pick out a few recipes.
The recipes are versatile and after learning a handful of new techniques and dressings, we can break down whatever the Farmer's Market throws at us. Overall, I've gained a much better fluency with vegetables that goes beyond recipes. And it's good eats.
The recipes are versatile and after learning a handful of new techniques and dressings, we can break down whatever the Farmer's Market throws at us. Overall, I've gained a much better fluency with vegetables that goes beyond recipes. And it's good eats.
September 14, 2017
I hate vegetables with a passion IMO one day scientists are going to discover the cure to cancer is a daily Big Mac and french fries.
But I have to admit, Mr McFadden's book has almost changed my mind. It's well-written with a beautiful layout, great pictures and interesting writing. I checked it out of the library, brought it back and ordered a copy from Amazon. This is a book you want around the house.
But I have to admit, Mr McFadden's book has almost changed my mind. It's well-written with a beautiful layout, great pictures and interesting writing. I checked it out of the library, brought it back and ordered a copy from Amazon. This is a book you want around the house.
December 15, 2017
I discovered this book through my CSA newsletter. The recipes are straightforward and very interesting. It is the go-to book when you can not think of one more thing to do with cabbage or brussels sprouts or...With great photos and a relaxed engaging writing style, I like the book. Its an idea book for me. I probably won't be grilling any radishes in the near future and I'm not big on pickled vegetables but the food is fresh, modern and appealing.
June 7, 2020
If I don't know what to cook or what I feel like, this is my go-to book. It has simple but surprising recipes, ingredients are easy to source or swap, the recipes themselves are no fuss and it's vegetables oriented. Love the ideas, explanations, suggestions. This book already had plenty of stains from all the cooking I've been doing with it :) can only recommend
September 18, 2017
This is the kind of food I like to eat. I have many books on vegetables, but this one is a stand-out. Thus far everything I've made has been delicious and fairly easy. These dishes are full of flavor and healthful farmers market bounty. Definitely a new fave.
May 25, 2017
I want to make everything in this book. But that will take a year and a slightly older kid in the family. Putting it on the cookbook wishlist for 2019.
June 27, 2020
Don't particularly know when one is "finished" with a cookbook - but I've cooked a large chunk of the recipes in here and I've noticed I've started looking elsewhere for recipes so I'm going to call it on this one. Overall it's great how much these recipes have brought me closer to trusting my cooking. I now have a more intuitive and comfortable sense of how to taste and season. The book itself is beautiful and almost every recipe has a photo. Loved how it was laid out by season and produce item. Highlights in the recipes that stuck out were really the most simple ones, I was stunned how I can take 3-5 ingredients and that contrast and really make them sing. The cauliflower with almonds, cherries, and sumac. The artichoke and farro salad with salami and herbs. The celery, apple, and peanut salad. All incredibly simple yet I crave them constantly. My gripes are that this book is clearly designed for someone with a good CSA or farmers market and lives in California. I can't even buy fava beans in Texas as far as I can tell. As well because I'm mainly looking to meal prep la lot of these recipes don't hold up well in the fridge and get slimy. But my big take aways are 1) buy what's in season, 2) vinegar is actually an amazing ingredient, 3) scallions should go in everything (after an ice bath of course). Highly recommend.
October 12, 2023
I like this book and I think the concept is fantastic, with sections based on the seasons and sub sections for each vegetable.
I often scan through to come up with ideas or see if a recipe peaks my fancy depending on what produce I have in season.
That being said, some of the recipes have fallen flat for me. The cabbage and frekah soup was especially bad. There are many recipes I’ve tried and not repeated- they are usually good but not great/worth the effort.
That being said I do really like the leeks with anchovies colcannon and corn tomato salad. The best recipe in the whole book is the parsnip bread, which I’ve made countless times and is sooooooooo delicious as a sweet breakfast, snack or deserts
I still recommend the book overall and will keep trying recipes.
I often scan through to come up with ideas or see if a recipe peaks my fancy depending on what produce I have in season.
That being said, some of the recipes have fallen flat for me. The cabbage and frekah soup was especially bad. There are many recipes I’ve tried and not repeated- they are usually good but not great/worth the effort.
That being said I do really like the leeks with anchovies colcannon and corn tomato salad. The best recipe in the whole book is the parsnip bread, which I’ve made countless times and is sooooooooo delicious as a sweet breakfast, snack or deserts
I still recommend the book overall and will keep trying recipes.
August 20, 2020
Finally, half the cookbook I've been looking for! (the other half of one adapted to my local area I'm still looking for).
Most of the recipes don't fancy super odd ingredients, all of them really focus around the vegetable in question.
You will have to acquire some oils and spices, but those are all mostly contained in the front section, (also you probably have half of those already if you cook at all) but otherwise most of these recipes are fairly practical once you get your +2 dexterity modifier for knife skills. (or buy a mandolin I suppose)
A few things I've already implemented such as quickly roasting vegetables before using them in a dish, roasting radishes whole is the key (it takes the heat off without drying them out), and I've got bunch more I want to try just to expand my range of cooking options and see what I keep around.
Most of the recipes don't fancy super odd ingredients, all of them really focus around the vegetable in question.
You will have to acquire some oils and spices, but those are all mostly contained in the front section, (also you probably have half of those already if you cook at all) but otherwise most of these recipes are fairly practical once you get your +2 dexterity modifier for knife skills. (or buy a mandolin I suppose)
A few things I've already implemented such as quickly roasting vegetables before using them in a dish, roasting radishes whole is the key (it takes the heat off without drying them out), and I've got bunch more I want to try just to expand my range of cooking options and see what I keep around.
November 10, 2020
Wat een fantastische benadering voor een kookboek: je vertrekt van de groenten in elk seizoen en je deelt het jaar in in 6 seizoenen. Wie zelf groenten kweekt, zal deze keuze nog meer weten te waarderen. Het boek van McFadden weerspiegelt een filosofie die ik zelf ook zoveel mogelijk probeer te volgen: eten volgens de 3 h's. Heden (volgens het seizoen), hier (lokaal) en heel (zo onbewerkt mogelijk, in zijn puurste vorm).
Ik kreeg het boek cadeau van mijn man; hij kweekt bijna alle groenten die we het jaar rond eten zelf. Het is een luxe en een plezier om te kunnen vertrekken van verse, zelfgekweekte, smakelijke groenten. Zij krijgen de hoofdrol in mijn keuken. Ik geef mezelf dan ook de uitdaging om elk recept in dit boek te maken. We starten onze reis doorheen dit boek in de herfst met de bieten... Ik kijk vol spanning uit naar wat er komt!
Ik zou in herhaling vallen als ik meer schrijf over dit boek, de andere recensies zeggen het al. Een meesterwerk in de keuken!
Ik kreeg het boek cadeau van mijn man; hij kweekt bijna alle groenten die we het jaar rond eten zelf. Het is een luxe en een plezier om te kunnen vertrekken van verse, zelfgekweekte, smakelijke groenten. Zij krijgen de hoofdrol in mijn keuken. Ik geef mezelf dan ook de uitdaging om elk recept in dit boek te maken. We starten onze reis doorheen dit boek in de herfst met de bieten... Ik kijk vol spanning uit naar wat er komt!
Ik zou in herhaling vallen als ik meer schrijf over dit boek, de andere recensies zeggen het al. Een meesterwerk in de keuken!
January 4, 2021
McFadden's "Six Seasons" is a wonderful vegetable-forward cookbook. I love that the recipes are vegetable-forward, and not strictly vegetarian or vegan --- so you can use this book to amp up your vegetable consumption without totally giving up meat and dairy. The chapters are arranged by season (Spring, Early Summer, Midsummer, Late Summer, Fall, and Winter), so it is easy to find recipes for the freshest seasonal ingredients that you can find. The recipes are straight forward and beautifully photographed, making them very easy to follow. The combination of the ingredients are unique in many of the recipes (such as winter squash with yogurt and spiced green sauce, and parsnips with citrus and olives), so I am having fun exploring new taste combinations. I also really appreciate the chapter on "go-to recipes" (sauces, butters, dips, dressings, breads, grains, etc.). Easily a 5 star cookbook that I am glad that I have in my kitchen.
February 6, 2022
A good cookbook if you want to get creative and try new things in the kitchen! Many of the flavor profiles of the recipes were new to me (or at least uncommon in my routine) and some hit the spot and others did not. Also all the recipes are pretty tedious.
June 13, 2018
Loved the kindle version of the book. Expand my vegetables vision a lot ! I think I'm gonna buy the paper version !
June 26, 2020
I refer to this religiously and can't believe I ever prepared non-Chinese-style veggies without it.
January 10, 2022
I read this cookbook from front to back and I learned so much. I love this book and use it now regularly!
April 5, 2022
If you love vegetables, you will love this book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews