Falling for Vegetables, Hetty McKinnon Style

A closer look at her new book, a dill-lifted cauliflower dish, and my secret kitchen weapon when prepping greens and veggies.

Dear Friends,

I am back home after a whirlwind week in Boston, where I spent my days cooking at America’s Test Kitchen, learning a few new tricks from the chefs, and reminding myself how much fun it is to be surrounded by people who love food as much as I do. My friend and fellow cookbook author Rick Martínez even dropped by the studio, which made the week feel extra special.

Boston is growing on me. The fall foliage has officially gone full drama, with trees in reds and golds that look like they belong on a movie set. Coming from Los Angeles, where autumn mostly means I do not need sunscreen in the morning (you should still apply it), it is both thrilling and slightly confusing to need an actual jacket.

Now that I am home, my big plan for the weekend is to get back into the garden. The contractor finally signed off on the irrigation system, which means I have the green light to plant. I have seedlings lined up like eager contestants waiting to enter the stage, and I am itching to get them in the beds before they riot.

September Highlights You’ll Want to Catch

All this talk of vegetables feels like the perfect moment to share a cookbook I have been looking forward to, Linger by Hetty McKinnon. Fall always kicks off cookbook season with energy. I have two events that I am especially excited about this week.

• EVENT ALERT: I’ll be live with author Hetty McKinnon TODAY at 10 am PST / 1 pm EST here on Substack to talk about her new cookbook (there’s a recipe in this week’s newsletter from this lovely book). [Substack Live Here]

• EVENT ALERT: I’ll be interviewing author and fellow ATK Editor-in-Residence, Aran Goyoaga, about her new The Art of Gluten-Free Baking, at Now Serving LA on September 25 [Tickets Here]

• Finally, don’t forget to save September 28 on your calendars. [Hint below]

What I’m Reading

Linger by Hetty McKinnon: A Cookbook That Invites You to Stay a While

Every once in a while, a cookbook arrives that feels less like a manual and more like an invitation. Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor (Amazon/Bookshop) is precisely that kind of book. From the moment you open it, you can sense her generosity, her warmth, and her ability to take everyday ingredients and turn them into food that makes you want to gather, sit down, and stay at the table a little longer.

Hetty has always been a champion of vegetables, and in Linger she shows just how thrilling, comforting, and deeply satisfying they can be. The recipes travel across borders, from cauliflower buried under a mountain of dill (this week’s featured recipe), to salads brimming with seasonal fruit, to noodle bowls that feel like home in every bite. Each dish carries her unmistakable voice: thoughtful, soulful, and always centered on connection.

What makes this book truly shine is how it balances the celebratory with the everyday. These recipes are unfussy, and you can make them on a weeknight with what is in the fridge, and others that feel worthy of a dinner party centerpiece. And woven throughout are Hetty’s stories, tender reflections that remind us cooking is not just about technique, but about memory, identity, and care.

Reading Linger feels like being in the kitchen with a friend who knows exactly when to hand you a beverage, exactly how to season that salad, and exactly why it all matters. It is a cookbook that nourishes far beyond the plate.

If you are looking for a book that will expand the way you think about vegetables, inspire you to cook more often, and remind you why we gather at the table, Linger deserves a permanent spot in your kitchen.

The Tool I Never Knew I Needed

Since we’re talking about vegetables, I’d be remiss if I kept one of my favorite tools secret. Of all the tools in my kitchen, the one that surprises people when I rave about it is my salad spinner. I use the OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner, and I cannot imagine prepping greens without it. For years, I thought a spinner was unnecessary until I realized how much better salads taste when the leaves are dehydrated and look like they’re gasping for life. Dressing clings instead of slipping off, and the greens stay crisper in the fridge. The OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner version is sturdy, simple to use, and easy to clean. The push-button pump makes quick work of spinning, and the bowl doubles nicely as a serving dish. I use it not just for lettuce and herbs but also for rinsing and drying berries, leeks, and even beans after cooking. It is one of those tools that earns its keep on the shelf, and every time I pull it out, I am glad I invested in it.

RECIPE

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with a Mountain of Dill

Hetty Lui McKinnon‘s cauliflower with dill has been on repeat in my kitchen lately. It’s one of those deceptively simple dishes that’s elevated by a single herb — dill — which carries dozens of aroma molecules (like carvone and limonene) that give it that bright, anise-like lift. A dish like this is a magnificent entry point into the fall season.

If this recipe resonates with you, I highly recommend picking up Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Linger (Amazon/Bookshop).