Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables

As an avid home cook and vegetable enthusiast, I recently delved into the culinary world presented in "Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables," and it has completely changed the way I approach cooking and savoring vegetables. This cookbook, written by Joshua McFadden, takes a refreshing and innovative approach to vegetable-centric cooking, divided into the six distinct seasons of the produce calendar. Each season celebrates the bounty of vegetables available during that time, inspiring me to embrace the seasonal variations and experiment with new flavors and ingredients. One of the book's strengths lies in its thoughtful organization and informative content. The author's deep understanding of vegetables shines through, as he shares insights into the unique characteristics of each vegetable and the best ways to highlight their flavors. From root vegetables in winter to tender greens in spring, the recipes are tailored to make the most of the seasonal offerings. I appreciate the simplicity and elegance of the recipes presented in "Six Seasons." While some cookbooks can be overwhelming with elaborate techniques, McFadden's approach is approachable and encourages home cooks of all skill levels to explore and enjoy the pleasures of vegetable-focused dishes. Each recipe is well-written and easy to follow, and the accompanying photographs beautifully capture the vibrant colors of the dishes. The emphasis on fresh, locally sourced ingredients resonates with my desire to create sustainable and wholesome meals. The cookbook has inspired me to visit farmers' markets and explore a wider range of vegetables, opening up a whole new world of culinary possibilities. As I worked my way through the recipes, I found myself experimenting with flavors and textures, gaining a newfound appreciation for the versatility of vegetables. The dishes are not only delicious but also nutritious, making it easier to incorporate more plant-based meals into my diet. In terms of value for money, "Six Seasons" is a treasure trove of vegetable-based culinary inspiration. Its timeless appeal and focus on seasonal cooking make it a book I will turn to year after year. The wealth of knowledge and culinary wisdom within its pages make it an invaluable addition to any home cook's collection. In conclusion, "Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables" is a must-have for anyone looking to elevate their vegetable cooking game and embrace the joys of seasonal produce. Joshua McFadden's approachable style, insightful guidance, and mouthwatering recipes have enriched my culinary journey, and I highly recommend this book to all vegetable lovers and aspiring chefs alike.

Finally, a book geared towards seasonal vegetables. Genius. The seasons are separated by Spring, Early Summer, Mid Summer, Late Summer, Fall and Winter. This book is so helpful to create fresh vegetable dishes when the flush of summer harvest is coming to an end. I am truly excited about this book, the layout, recipes and how much information the author offers up. McFadden is an incredible writer and I will collect all of his books. He is an inspiration!

This cookbook was a total revelation to me, and has now dictated what I plant in my own home garden. The recipes are divided not by "mains" and "sides" or even "meat" and "veg" but rather by what's in season and when. The book begins with some basics, like simple flatbreads that you can use as a base for the things that follow; easy pickles, to preserve the things you might grow too much of (I have become obsessed with pickled cherries as a result of this book), and simple compound butters to enhance easy meat and vegetable dishes. In the winter, when I'm craving anything that isn't a meat and potato, here are recipes using things I can readily find that will bring some life and brightness to a meal. From there it eased me into what to do with all of the tomatoes, zucchini, and chard I had overplanted. I'm not a great gardener, but I try--I'd never eaten a fava bean in my life (you can't find them fresh or frozen in stores where I live) and I had enjoyed every recipe I'd tried, so I grew some. I will never NOT plant favas again. The recipes are simple, beautiful, balanced, fresh, and delicious. If I had to give up all of my cookbooks but one, this is the one I would keep.

I've been cooking out of this for about a year. A lot of the recipes in this book are great, and most of them aren't too hard to make. I've gotten a lot of mileage out of this one. The salads in particular are pretty much all huge winners -- creative, delicious, and good ways to use veggies. I especially like that there are often tips at different stages for what the seasoning mix should taste like. Downsides: I'd say most of the recipes are good-or-great, but a couple (like the radish and honey one, squashed risotto) just flopped so badly I was left scratching my head. There are a lot of common veggies that aren't covered in here. Like I get that McFadden doesn't like spinach or whatever, but that doesn't stop spinach from showing up in my CSA box. I would have appreciated more recipes for stuff like red kale, mustard greens, bok choy, chard, etc.

I love this cookbook! I am a VERY novice chef. I hesitate to even associate myself with the word chef because I consider myself a waffle box level recipe follower! That said, every recipe in this book that I’ve tried to make turns out incredible. The author Josh McFadden has a way of writing the instructions that make it easy to follow and interesting to read. I have bought this cookbook for almost every person in my family And it is one of my favorite gifts to give! Not only on the recipes, fun and unique, the pictures are beautiful! I went to his restaurant in Portland a couple times just before Covid and now that I live in St. Louis, I’m trying to make these recipes more just to bring me back to some of the amazing dishes I had at his restaurant.

I’ve been waiting for a book like this. Simple veg-forward dishes that celebrate seasonal cooking. I especially like the chapter about how he stocks his larder and some easy, on-hand recipes to have to elevate any dish. I removed one star because his writing honestly comes across as demeaning to his reader. In the same vein of someone telling you “don’t touch the plate; it’s hot” when bringing you a visibly smoking and audibly sizzling skillet. He tells you to taste a salad dressing to see if it needs more seasoning (“but don’t cut yourself on the blade!”) like??? Yeah, man, I’m aware not to stick my whole hand in a food processor and flap it around a sharp blade to see if my dressing is under seasoned. He also refers to a lemon cream dressing as “feminine” (what, prey tell, is a “feminine” salad dressing?) and in subsequent pages he refers to a different salad as “masculine.” Which, is truly bizarre from a cookbook. It reads like a 1940s propaganda piece on gender roles and I’m going to be sent to electric shock therapy for putting salami on my salad as a woman. That space would have been much better for knife tips (do you slice your snap peas vertically? On a diagonal?) or perhaps even a good beginner garden for an aspiring chef. Instead it is ridiculous male garbage writing that comes across as demeaning and outdated, and a bit stupid. The pictures are great. If subsequent editions are released, I hope his writing is edited a bit more.

This is absolutely a book everyone should own. It covers so much information. It is a vegetable book but so much more...The authors Joshua McFadden along with Martha Holmberg covers so much information as to products your pantry should contain and why these products. The recipes are not your usual fat laden boring recipes but beautiful recipes you can use for entertaining. There are sections for seasonal recipes that make it easy for entertaining in the seasons. Put several of these on your gift list for all your friends!

If you are into vegetables, if this title has piqued your interest, (and obviously it has since you are reading the reviews on this product page), then "Six Seasons, a New Way with Vegetables" is a book you must seriously consider. Whether you have your own vegetable gardens or get a weekly CSA box or patronize a thriving farmers' market, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this book. If you would rather eat veggies than meat, you have to have it. I haven't seen such an exciting and creative vegetable-themed cookbook in a long time. Besides dealing with the vegetables themselves, Joshua McFadden has loaded this book with wonderful vinaigrettes, sauces, and butters. He makes valuable and experienced recommendations of his favorite flavor enhancers, too. I am so enamored of this book that it sits on the edge of my ottoman where I prop my feet up, and I re-read some part of it daily: It is that time of the year when veggies really come into their own--exciting and varied and so obviously fresh--that I can't get enough of them. It is so, so satisfying and rewarding to have so many terrific recipes to refer to for the vegetables and herbs and greens that I have at hand, in hand. We do get a CSA half-bushel box each Wednesday, and I always have an assortment of fresh vegetables in our refrigerator bins, with overflow in a cooler on our porch. I also have a thriving herb garden, and a small raised garden of leafy greens. Plus my tomatoes are ripening, and sweet corn is ready in my area. (The corn recipes in this book are great!) So, this cookbook is right up my alley, and it came available at the perfect time. And, get this: He encourages us to eat our green salads with our hands. Tried it and loved it and will continue to eat salads with my fingers from here on out. He does an excellent job of training the reader to season properly. He salts, peppers, and dashes vinegars on his fresh greens, then tastes and adjusts. Then he adds olive oil for richness and mellowness. The technique works well for me. McFadden has a technique that I find invaluable: Dry-grill veggies. After many years of trying, I had finally discontinued grilling vegetables. Period. Didn't like the taste of most veggies on the grill. McFadden claims that off-flavor is the oil in the marinade or simply the oil that one uses to "grease" whatever vegetables get put on the grill. Solution? Don't oil them, put them on the grill without adornment, and dress them after you take them off the grate. Simply amazing how well this technique works. He also is a fan of refrigerator pickles. I am too, and I am always searching for and buying cookbooks that contain new ideas for frig pickles. There are two charts for frig pickles--listing vegetables along with appropriate seasonings to go into a basic brine. There is a longer list of vegetables that go into a cold brine, a short list suited for a hot brine. I like that he incorporated grains into his veggie dishes, too. And the idea of six seasons? It’s about time we acknowledge them. Those of us who garden vegetables know in the back of our minds that there are many differences between early and late summer. Those of us down South, (I grow in south-central Texas), can even call out Early Spring and Late Spring, and Early Fall and Late Fall, rather than the three Summer seasons that are called out in this book. But it is good to acknowledge them all: For me, acknowledgement spurs me to plant earlier and more. Recipes in this book are arranged by season, then alphabetically by main vegetable. There are line drawings in addition to full-color photos of the veggies themselves, how-to photos and finished dishes. The pages are a nice, heavy stock, and the books is a hardback. My favorite recipe at this point is a fairly simple one: Grilled Carrots, Steak, and Red Onion with Spicy Fish-Sauce Sauce. I could make it all grilling season long. And I don't need the steak. And I can make it with summer squash, too, but the carrots and onions is a must. And the Spicy Fish-Sauce Sauce comes together in a few minutes of prep work. (I use Red Boat fish sauce as McFadden recommends). The sliced Hakurei turnips with herbs, yogurt and poppy seeds is almost too awesome looking to eat--but we did, and can't wait until those turnips come back into season. How much do I love this book? I am a reviewer of cookbooks. It's one of my hobbies. And I first received this one as a temporary download from the publisher. I worked with the recipes for quite a while before this book was published a few weeks ago. But, as you can see from the "Verified Purchase" tag at the top of this review, I had to have my own copy. And, now that it is in my hot hands, I can say that it's even better than it was in its preliminary form.