Vegetable Literacy

Did you know that carrots, parsley, fennel and cumin are close relatives, or that beets, chard and spinach belong to the same family? Madison builds the book around twelve such families, from the carrot and cabbage families to the nightshades, legumes, grasses and gourds. Each chapter introduces the family, describes its members in the garden and the kitchen, and explains which flavours connect them.

The recipes, more than three hundred of them, are typically simple and seasonal: soups, salads, gratins, grain dishes and small plates that let vegetables shine. The botanical framework is genuinely useful, encouraging cooks to substitute one relative for another and to pair vegetables with herbs from the same family. Gardeners will appreciate the notes on growing and harvesting. The book won a James Beard Award, and the photography is lovely.

It is more reflective than a quick weeknight cookbook, and best for cooks who enjoy learning while they cook. Even experienced cooks will come away seeing familiar vegetables in a new light, and gardeners may find themselves planning next season's beds around the families they have learned about. About 416 pages in the Ten Speed Press hardcover.