Spring into the Kitchen
Joshua McFadden is an accomplished chef who combined his culinary expertise and knowledge of farming into an amazing cookbook idea. After working in highly acclaimed kitchens, such as Momofuku and Blue Hill, and spending two years farming in Maine, McFadden now owns his own restaurant, Ava Genes, and has published his first cookbook: Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables (Artisan Books, 2017). McFadden challenges the four seasons status quo by including two additional seasons that intertwine.
Within the traditional four seasons, Six Seasons divides summer into three seasons: early summer, midsummer and late summer. Each season is then organized by vegetable, which is demonstrated through tempting dishes such as Asparagus-Garlic Chives, colorful Beet Slaw and Red Pepper-Potato Frittata. Loaded with roasted peppers, potatoes and Parmigiano-Reggiano, McFadden delicately assembles the frittata while cherishing its moist ingredients. For spring, McFadden tangles asparagus, pea shoots and tendrils in a “mess o’ greens” which, he asserts, pairs perfectly with a poached egg or a piece of fish. Six Seasons not only provides us with more than 200 recipes but also teaches us to “Cherish the vegetables when they’re at their best ... then wait until their season rolls around again.”
Acclaimed chef David Tanis has worked in the restaurant industry for more than 30 years. As an author of numerous award-winning cookbooks such as A Platter of Figs (Artisan Books, 2008), Tanis thought it essential to publish a cookbook that defined his philosophy of living: Market Cooking (Artisan Books, 2017). Tanis incorporates the French style of cooking by capitalizing on fresh ingredients in season.
The cookbook is formatted into five categories including Alliums United and Mad for Vegetables. Each category explains the harmony of the produce, with precise ways to indulge in each item. Tanis then seduces us with Kitchen Essentials, and a love for lingering at the table. Tanis stimulates the appetite while strengthening the immune system with his Provencal Garlic Soup, infused with medicinal properties. He also entices the sweet tooth with a warm Rustic Apple Tart. He challenges the delicacy of cooking asparagus with the Spicy Asparagus Stir Fry, by adding assertive flavors to the dish. Market Cooking makes vegetables the central part of the home cook’s menu. Aside from the glamorous photography and the alluring dishes, Tanis depicts cooking as a “personal and cultural expression” that guides us to the past, present and future.
