Six Seasons of Pasta: A New Way with Everyone’s Favorite Food

McFadden follows his James Beard Award–winning Six Seasons with this substantial and highly informative treatise on pasta. He opens with a detailed dive into pasta fundamentals, listing sensory cues that can help determine when noodles are cooked (“the closer they are to al dente, the more water they absorb, and the quieter they become,” he notes) and tips for ensuring that they are then fully coated in a smooth, unified sauce (he recommends adding a bit of pasta water and gently tossing with tongs). Sauce recipes range from rich ragus—including one with pork, beef, kale, and chile, and another with green lentils—to “build-in-the-skillet” options like aglio e olio and cacio e pepe. Most are organized by season, with summer divided into three parts, taking advantage of peak vegetable ripeness. In spring, there’s leek alfredo with shrimp. Early summer brings fennel, mascarpone, and arugula; midsummer features a broccoli fra diavolo; and late summer offerings include eggplant with garlic, capers, raisins, and herbs. For fall there’s mushrooms with sausage, spicy chiles, and burrata, while winter offerings include charred cabbage with pork shoulder ragu and lemon. While McFadden’s guidance is meticulous, his detail-dense prose demands careful reading before readers break out any pots or pans. Still, this encyclopedic resource is sure to become an essential tool for home cooks looking to elevate their pasta skills. (Oct.)