Must-Read Books & Must-Eat Produce

The best of the season

Hi and welcome to Susanality, a newsletter by me, Susan Spungen, that celebrates seasonal cooking. Today’s post would normally be for paid subscribers only, but I decided to share it with all of you because I’m highlighting some new books by authors I love today, and wanted to share it with as many people as possible. Please remember that Susanality is 100% reader-supported, so consider upgrading to a paid subscription if you haven't already so I can keep bringing you the recipes and stories that you love.

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Hello readers!

I hope you all had a good week settling back into real life. Things have been hectic around here, as usual. I’m still working hard on the next phase of my book (it’s not over until it’s printed, and even then, there’s more work to be done!). I’m gearing up to do the food styling for another author's book, and let me tell you, it’s a big one. TWELVE days in a row without a break. It takes a serious amount of organization to be able to get through a shoot like that and to not only keep things running smoothly, but to make every single recipe look amazing. The food looks delicious and I can't wait to try some of it — a very good sign!

In the meantime, I’m enjoying the gorgeous September weather we’re having in the Northeast. This is the most amazing time of year for produce, because all the summer stuff is still going strong (Corn! Tomatoes! Eggplant! Cucumbers!), but the fall stuff is starting to trickle in too. As soon as Labor Day passes, the farmstands start displaying the first of the squash, the crisp apples, all kinds of potatoes and sweet potatoes, and much, much more. 

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Here’s what I’m excited to cook with right now:

Watermelon Radishes
These beautiful radishes have a mild flavor and turn any dish into a head-turner. I look forward to their arrival all summer. I love to fold them into salads, lightly pickle them in matchsticks, or shave them thinly with a mandoline on top of almost anything! The greens are edible when they’re fresh, and will lose their prickliness once cooked or pureed into a pesto. Once you get them home, remove the greens, cutting very close to the radish but not into it. This is true for any root vegetable. The greens will keep sapping moisture from the root, causing it to wither. Once trimmed, store in a plastic bag loosely wrapped in the fridge and they will last for weeks if not months.

Peppers
Every kind of pepper is abundant right now, but my favorites are Jimmy Nardellos. These long, thin peppers have a sweet and nutty flavor and are thin-walled, so they work well in pastas and grain dishes without being overwhelmingly “pepper-y” like a thick bell pepper would be. I like them split lengthwise and briefly grilled as a side dish on their own or added to an antipasto spread or layered onto sandwiches. They have very few seeds, which makes them easy to prep.

Japanese Sweet Potatoes
I just saw these at my farmstand this morning. If you haven't tried them, you must! They have red skin and white flesh when raw that turns yellow when cooked, and they are the most delicious sweet potato you’ve ever tasted. Nutty and sweet with a drier, flufflier texture than a standard sweet potato. You can just bake them whole, or, if they're huge, quarter them lengthwise, rub with a little oil and bake at 425℉ until soft.

Delicata Squash
This is one of the first of the winter squashes to appear and one of the first to disappear, so get them while you can. These oblong striped squash have a very thin and completely edible skin. I like to halve them lengthwise and roast them as is. Or, I’ll make a stuffing with vegetables and grains then pile it high into the roasted halves. I top that with cheese and bake again until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted. You can also slice them into pretty rings for roasting and add to a kale salad or serve as a side dish. To easily remove the seeds if you want to slice into rings, cut the squash crosswise in the center, and then use a small spoon to scoop out each half, then slice into rounds. I forgot to mention that they are really easy to cut compared to other types of squash.

I could go on and on about what else is in season right now, but those are the highlights. Now is also the time you can buy big baskets of plum tomatoes if you’re the canning type, or make these Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and freeze them to use throughout the long, cold winter for when you need a bit of sunshine.

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Fall Release Roundup

Part II of today’s newsletter is a mini roundup of some new fall books I’m excited about. This list is far from comprehensive and is completely biased. There are so many books that come out in the fall, it can be overwhelming to keep up with all of them, so I’m just bringing you a few that have either already crossed my desk or soon will. I admit, I know every single one of these authors personally, which makes me even more excited about their books. Each one is a triumph!

Published by Artisan Publishers; photography by Andrea Gentl

Cooking with Mushrooms: A Fungi Lover’s Guide to the World’s Most Versatile, Flavorful, Health-Boosting Ingredients by Andrea Gentl

Out October 11th

I wrote a blurb for this book, so spent quite a bit of time perusing it months ago, when it was still in PDF form. Though Andrea is well-known as a photographer — and is one half of the photo team Gentl & Hyers, who shot my last book, Open Kitchen — she is also an amazing cook and a dedicated forager. This debut cookbook from Andrea is not just breathtaking to look at, but is filled with creative and unusual (as well as completely approachable) recipes for all manner of fungi, along with various preserving methods should you be so inspired. I love this very personal exploration of mushrooms, one of my go-to ingredients. From the description: “Cooking with Mushrooms expands our ideas of how to use mushrooms as both a food and a flavor, a seasoning and the star of the plate.” Who doesn't want to have their mind expanded?

Published by Penguin Random House; photography by Johnny Miller

Delectable: Sweet & Savory Baking by Claudia Fleming with Catherine Young

Out October 25th

Claudia’s first book, The Last Course, came out 21 years ago, when she was at the height of her career as the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, where she made her first mark on the world. Her desserts were a combination of homemade goodness and gorgeous presentation, all executed with exquisite technique. At the time, Claudia’s specialty was plated desserts with multiple elements, and that book — which was a bible for a whole generation of pastry chefs that came after her — reflected that. This book is altogether more personal, and reflects not only a shift away from fancy restaurant meals, but also the life and kitchen of a home baker, which Claudia has always been. There are pies and doughnuts, cookies, tarts and cakes, and much more, including savory recipes too, all created with Claudia’s unerring instincts about what is delicious and what is right for the moment. 

Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House; photography by Julia Gartland

Boards & Spreads: Shareable, Simple Arrangements for Every Meal by Yasmin Fahr

Out now

The lovely Yasmin Fahr — who you may know from her delicious NYT Cooking recipes — has created this fun guide to serving and entertaining with a twist. She transforms all kinds of meals into “a fun spread situation,” that go beyond the typical cheese or charcuterie board. She includes platters in her way of thinking here, so the idea behind this book is to create snacky meals to share that are a sum of multiple parts. These spreads might be a combination of homemade recipes and store-bought items, all arranged beautifully on boards, platters, and bowls that make casual grazing festive and fun morning, noon, or night.

Published by Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press; photography by Graydon Herriott

Simple Pasta: Pasta Made Easy. Life Made Better. by Odette Williams

Out now

This book — which is about much more than just pasta — is a guide to La Dolce Vita with plenty of “supporting player” recipes making up what Odette calls “seasonal blackboard menus.” Aside from pasta doughs and dishes, you’ll also find starters, salads, desserts, and drinks that together create complete menus. Odette’s laid-back entertaining style is infectious, and this book will show you her way, deliciously. Of course there are plenty of yummy-looking pasta dishes, and guides to making fresh pasta. I agree with Odette that the idea of making fresh pasta seems intimidating, but once you do it you realize how utterly simple and satisfying it is. It may not be a weeknight activity for most of us (though it could be!), which Odette totally understands, noting that store-bought pasta can be easily substituted in many of the recipes.

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Have you ordered or pre-ordered any of the above? If so, tell us what you love about these books or their authors! Or perhaps you’re enjoying another new release? I would love to hear your recommendations.

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Edited by Molly Ramsey