Grains for Every Season: Rethinking Our Way with Grains

by Joshua McFadden, Martha Holmberg

Once called a “vegetable whisperer,” Joshua McFadden is now a grain whisperer too. To follow up the smashing success of Six Seasons, with nearly 200,000 books in print and named cookbook of the year by the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Bon Appétit, and USA Today, among others, McFadden gives us just as many flawless recipes to transform accessible grains into knock-your-socks off breads, pastas, and pizzas but also stir-fries, soups, and salads, and even desserts. With recipes organized into chapters by grain type and designated as gluten-free or not, readers will learn how best to prep, cook, and store the grain and then learn all the grain can do in dishes both savory and sweet, from Meatloaf with Barley and Mushrooms to Peanut Butter–Barley Cookies, from Oat Granola Bars to a super-fudgy Chocolate Oat Layer Cake with Chocolate Oat Milk Frosting, and from Beef and Swiss Chard Soup with Buckwheat to Buckwheat Cream Scones. Throughout the book there are expanded sections highlighting six seasonal variations on grain bowls, salads, rice dishes, and more, to show how flexible and satisfying cooking with grains can be. Grains for Every Season gives readers more than 200 grain-based recipes for bigger flavors, better nutrition, and incredible meals.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Culinary

368 pages, Hardcover

Published November 23, 2021

About the author

Joshua 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.

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gorgeously curated recipe book from Joshua McFadden! I'm a big fan of grains, and over the past several years I've been enjoying experimenting beyond the standard rice & oats that I grew up eating, so this book immediately intrigued me. It's divided into section by grain, and has a great variety from rice & oats to wheat berries & millet. A good amount of spread in terms of sides/mains/desserts, with a significant chunk of the recipes being vegetarian, and a number gluten-free by nature of the grain in question (such as rice, quinoa, etc.) Several recipes, primarily desserts, utilized various grains in the form of flour (e.g. oat flour), and as I've come to expect from McFadden, many of the recipes called to me. Interesting flavor profiles, and a lot of vegetable forward dishes, which is generally how I prefer to eat. As with his previous book, Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables, there is also a fairly robust section on dressings/dips/spreads etc. as a way to jazz up the dishes. While I do with *every* recipe had a photo, I'd say probably 90% of them did, which is honestly good enough for me. It's a pretty hefty book, and while I've not yet made any of the recipes, I've got several bookmarked!

Recipes I've Made
Toasted Brown Rice Horchata: First time making horchata and it was surprisingly simple! It turned out delicious, and it's definitely one I'll be making again.
Slow-Roasted Chicken Buried in Gingery Brown Rice: this concept really intrigued me and it turned out great! I'm not a big chicken skin fan, especially if it's not crispy, as in this recipe, so I actually did find the chicken itself a little undersalted--if I made this again I'd salt the chicken the day before or possibly even brine it. But the rice is phenomenal and super flavorful, so it paired well with the chicken. Great use if you've got a whole bird on hand and are looking for a new way to cook it!

[Genesee Area Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another cookbook that I have preorder after thumbing through the digital arc from NetGalley.

I was more than impressed with how well this book is laid out, the beautiful photography, the recipes and the fact that it is filled with plenty of gluten-free grains. Yes there is a section on wheat, but there is also millet, brown rice, wild rice, buckwheat, corn, oats.... They all get their own section. What I love most, besides the delicious looking recipes, is the fact that each section talks about the grain itself. What it tastes like, the weight per cup, the water ratio. All of these small details put this book ahead of all the others I've seen. As someone who mills their own grain, having those weights per cup is invaluable to me, it saves me time from looking them up.
There are both sweet and savory dishes in here. Full meals, to sides, to appetizers, to dessert. Simple and easy to follow without super weird or difficult to source ingredients. Oh and a picture for each recipe which I love. If you're looking for a good introduction to whole grains and how to use them, then this is the book for you.

[Gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book would be most valuable for those who are actively looking to cook with more whole grains, and who are a little bit adventurous. As someone who reads cookbooks like novels and is always looking for new but not specific inspiration, I found this book a little underwhelming (and honestly feel the same way about Six Seasons, though I feel more connected to the premise there). The recipes include a good spectrum of cuisine influences and flavor profiles, but as some reviewers have said they overall seem a little more labor-intensive than many prefer. Still, it does offer an interesting addition to the growing body of whole grain cookbooks.

[Agnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the descriptions of the many different grains covered in the book and learned a lot about how versatile they are. It inspired me to make a farro Parmesan for dinner tonight, which was delicious. Thank you, Liz!

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite takeaway was that corn is not the only grain that can be treated like popcorn.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joshua McFadden is on the list of food writers I will preorder by default. I don’t know how he did it but I received my copy and opened it directly to a recipe that filled the bill for something I had been hunting for ages. If even half the recipes here are as successful as those I’ve cooked from Six Seasons the book will be well worth the price.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so delicious and off the beaten path. If you want to integrate more grains in your life, this is the book for you!!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for inspiration and I got what I wanted. Can't wait to try out some of the recipes.

[Savanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is gorgeous and will absolutely inspire you to cook with whole grains. Each grain (and yes, some that are gluten free too!) gets its own section with a huge, close-up picture of the grain at the start. Throughout the book there are also pictures of rolling fields of grain that make perusing the recipes feel… almost patriotic. McFadden’s recipes can be fiddly, but are worth it—for example, my mother always puts her celery in ice water before serving it now after reading his last book. The recipes in this book range in difficulty from a bowl of oatmeal to making your own pasta by hand. A must-read!

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look, I love carbs and gluten and whole grains but…the recipes included in this feel very labor and time intensive. While I get that on a cerebral level, my internal clock says “ain’t nobody got time for that”.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winning cookbook from McFadden. We’ve slowly worked our way through this over the last few years and have been very happy with the recipes. Even just a better guideline on cooking grains for flavor and texture has been beneficial. We’ve really changed up our grain bowl game and have appreciated these simple variations to create more options for tasty meals with easy leftovers. Most recipes are not too time consuming and most make decent leftovers, so if it does take longer it is worth the effort.

Favorite recipes:
Baked eggs w/broccoli rabe, spiced tomato & buckwheat
Buckwheat cream scones (these freeze well raw to bake fresh each time)
Quinoa chicken soup with lentils &herbs
Beef and Swiss chard soup w/ spelt
Creamy mushroom, potato, wild rice soup (will make over and over, freezes well too)
The fold outs for pilaf, grain bowls, and stir fries are simple, but helpful when my brain has run dry for meal planning

The muesli was the only thing we’ve tried thus far that wasn’t great. Wouldn’t recommend. Otherwise extremely happy with what we’ve tried.

[Emily Duchon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made the creamy mushroom , potato, and wild rice soup with paprika and dill and it was excellent. Probably the best soup I've ever made. There were several steps involved but the combination of flavors was a complete sensory experience.

This was my cookbook club choice for October 2024. I will cook several more recipes from this book, but I'm located in a food desert, so some of the grains mentioned in this book were hard (if not impossible) to come by. This is a cookbook that would work better for those in metro areas. That's certainly not the author's fault, but as much as I found the recipes intriguing and flavorful, it wouldn't be a staple in my rotation due to convenience. Also, the recipes tend to be somewhat involved. That's not a bad thing but I wouldn't recommend this one for busy/working folks or new parents unless they really loved more complex recipes and were willing to make time for it.

In other words, this book is wonderful but it's a commitment.

[Brooke Dilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had this book for a year, and this last month I finally took the time to read from cover to cover. The book does a fantastic job of giving an overview on several whole grains and how to use them in recipes. (Whole or as a flour.)

I’ve made several recipes in the book and have been impressed with the results. (Spelt Pancake Flour is a winner - my teenage boys say they’re the best pancakes they’ve ever had.) many more recipes are on the list to add into our rotation.

Because of this book I feel more comfortable cooking beyond our basics — pasta, rice, potatoes… and adding more interesting and healthy grains into our diet. Next I’ll be reading Josh’s book Six Seasons and I’m looking forward to his forthcoming pasta book, too.

[Valerie Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent cookbook and reference book for cooking virtually every kind of grain. There are recipes, but the most important information is contained on the first page of each section: Why he loves it, what it tastes like; common forms; favorite ways to prepare it; how it's good for you; the uncooked weight of 1 cup; how much 1 cup is cooked; the ratio for cooking, and the method of cooking. Wonderful color photographs, along with fold-out charts - grain bowls, stir fry, pilaf dishes.

I checked this book out of the library because I wanted to add more grains to our diet. This is truly a go-to book with everything I need to know! Highly recommended!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

[Macaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great cookbook about grains. It covers cooking with whole grains, verses using flour. Each section is a different grain, from barley to wheat (and the many kinds of wheat). It’s not just baking, includes soups and salads. McFadden walks you through sprouting your grains and how to keep them fresh. After the grains, he includes recipes for the extras he used in the recipes, including cream cheese spreads. The last section is pantry staples he swears by. The soups in this cookbook are perfect for the fall.

Thanks to NetGalley and Artisan books for the advanced copy.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Grains for Every Season" offers a thorough variety of nutritious whole grain recipes. Great photography throughout and an extensive introduction providing all the basics on cooking grains makes this a very complete cookbook. I loved how much flexibility is encouraged.

I am excited to try a few recipes, although some shopping will be required. This isn't quite my standard pantry.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtfully written ode to all things grain. The recipes, cooking & storage tips, and helpful nutrition info is all so well done. I would have liked to see more plant-forward recipes, though I think many of the recipes could be easily adapted to fit your personal dietary needs. I’m definitely excited to expand my pantry to experiment with a wider variety of grains!

[Elaine - Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cooking a lot with grains myself, I found this to be an excellent cookbook with lots of new ideas on how to cook with grains all year long! There is a wonderful variety of different grains to choose from and a nice selection of ways to make delicious meals from them! A must have for cookbook lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an ARC.

[Aisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - I really liked this, I always appreciate cookbooks that can teach me something about my ingredients and show me how to use ingredients in a certain way. Some of the recipes seemed meh when it came to ingredients I already knew, but for new ingredients I really enjoyed trying new recipes. Tried this one for Cookbook club as well!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any cookbook that can get me to enjoy wild rice is a keeper. Can’t wait to see what he can do with barley! 😅
That said, I’ve never been good with cooking grains, so this book is a gift from the gods. I had to stop marking recipes halfway in because I was bookmarking almost every single one. Will 100% be purchasing a copy.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would give it 4.5 if I could, but doesn't quite earn 5. The tone leans a little pretentious foodie, but there's lots of good information about the grains and cooking techniques. I've made one recipe so far (very good) and bookmarked a lot more that sound delicious. I've been trying to incorporate more whole grains into my diet and this book has given me a lot of ideas. I love the variety!

[Diana Hawthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to get this because I use "Six Seasons" constantly. It's beautiful, well thought out, informative, and I wanted to make everything. I have already made the pizza dough (few variations on toppings) and the spelt biscuits, and I would recommend this book based on just those. Looking forward to continuing to explore more creative grain use.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an interesting book. I wish there were more pictures, but what I do see looks delicious. I would eat most of it … if someone made it for me. There seem to be a lot of ingredients, and a lot of instruction for most of the recipes.

[Juli Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful new addition to the cookbook world. These recipes make eating more whole grains sound delicious, rather than dreadful.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recipes have been a hit so far. Don't feel like I'll get as much use out of this as the Vegetable cookbook but it's still excellent.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is eye opening and beautiful. It’s a new “must have” for every kitchen. And it is a true joy for every cookbook lover.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both inspiring and informative, add this to the list of essential cookbooks every new cook should at least browse, if not own.

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book❤!

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Convincing and delicious (I assume--my week's worth of meals planned around this book is upcoming.

[Lime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read cover to cover. Made a few recipes so far, all fantastic. Lovely book.