Though, the most spectacular dishes in Six Seasons—in fall, at least—tended to be fairly mundane. Collard greens and dried beans (I used cranberry beans) stewed with Parmesan rinds were so pungently rich and soft that I didn't feel an ounce of shame gnawing on rubbery cheese rinds out of the pot. Even better, a dish of roasted and smashed beets served with a poblano and cilantro-based salsa renewed my hope in the vegetable as worthy of home-cooking. Where I usually find beets served with soft cheese and nuts to compliment their sweetness, McFadden's pairing of a punchy salsa was both visually striking and the most compelling use of the vegetable in a cookbook in memory.