State native McFadden promotes microseasonal eating

When Joshua McFadden thinks about good food, his first thought is seasonality. It might just be the most important ingredient in his kitchen.

In fact, the James Beard nominated chef/owner at Ava Gene’s in Portland, Ore. wants you to think not just about seasonality but also about microseasons. It’s about eating vegetables when they’re at their very best, and only then.

His journey begins while growing up in Waterford and Union Grove, where farms were part of the landscape and neighbors’ gardens offered possibilities far from the boxes of mac ’n’ cheese and processed foods at home. His cooking has taken him from Chicago’s North Pond to Franny’s, Momofuku and Blue Hill in New York; he even worked in Rome with Alice Waters’ American Academy. But it is his time spent working on farms that has truly shaped his approach today.

A very public plea for eating within the seasons, McFadden’s first cookbook is “Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables” (Artisan, $35). Aimed at cooks of all levels, McFadden’s recipes aspire for teachable moments in the kitchen made possible by cooking through the six seasons: spring, early summer, midsummer, late summer, fall and winter.

RECIPE:Beet Slaw with Pistachios and Raisins

Q. How did you get started cooking professionally?

A. I grew up in the Waterford/Union Grove area. I went to Columbia Film School in Chicago, and I fell in love with restaurants. I’d always been interested in cooking, but there is no real reason why. There is no aha moment. The more research I did on the whole restaurant industry, the more I fell in love.

Q. How did you end up establishing your restaurants in Portland?

A. Portland is such an exciting place. I think that was one of the things about the idea of working within the restaurant industry, I was able to move all the time and be able to work. It made it really exciting.

Q. This book makes a plea for eating within the seasons, and you give us six. Explain the concept of microseasons and how that became your focus.

A. The conversation of peak moments and the idea of not buying things out of season, that’s most important. It is so easy to go to the super market when the farmers markets are out of season. Six seasons was always the idea.

I had a very clear idea. I’m still working on it and creating a series. I’m already working on fruit.

Q. How do you describe your approach to cooking?

A. Start with the seasonal, the best ingredients. There’s no place to hide. You have to get the good stuff or it is not going to taste good. It is an honest way to eat. It’s never boring.

Q. What are the most underrated vegetables?

A. New potatoes. People are always like potatoes are potatoes, but new potatoes in the spring are unbelievable. They’re dense little nuggets that take barely any cooking in a pan with butter. They’re just potatoes, but there’s a whole world of potatoes.

Q. You give thanks to Tom Petty and Bob Dylan in the book. Did you send them copies?

A. If you have Bob Dylan’s address, I will send him one. I’m actually going to see Tom Petty at Red Rocks and I’m going to give him a copy then.

Q. What’s the starting point when teaching people how to enjoy vegetables?

A. I try to make them taste like more than vegetables. We always have this joke at the restaurant, about taking things taste like potato chips, because they’re engineered to taste good whether through salt, acidity, thickening liquids. Start with the best seasonal produce.

Q. You admit you’re fanatical about dressing salads. What do people need to know about dressing a salad properly?

A. I definitely don’t do it the way I was trained. I like to dress it with the vinegar first, and make that taste great with salt and pepper all by itself, then add the olive oil as additional flavor. It’s actually really light, so you can taste the greens, the vinegar, the oil.

Q. Do you have any memorable kitchen failures?

A. I remember in culinary school I came back and cooked Christmas dinner for family in Wisconsin. The meal was five hours late. They still don’t let me live that down.

Q. Does Wisconsin play into your cooking?

A. Absolutely. I love all the crispy pizza, fish fries, all those secret traditions. I think that growing up around farms, Wisconsin is so beautiful it has to play an effect.

Q. What’s in your plans looking ahead?

A. We are looking to buy a farm. We spend a lot of time sitting and talking with farmers to figure out what they will be growing for the season. We don’t skip ahead. We wait for things to be in season. I can’t wait to have my own farm.

Q. What do you see going forward?

A. We’re opening another restaurant behind Ava Gene’s, a fast casual concept. I’m working on another book. I’d love to take a break, but I don’t think I have time.

Q. Is there a dish from childhood that sticks with you?

A. I love like the simple spaghetti dinners at grandma’s house. The kringles, that was the best for every family outing. I like the walnut ones without glaze and the cherry with glaze. I look back, and that’s how it started.