Crossroads

Starred review from August 3, 2015
In his second vegan cookbook (after The Conscious Cook), Crossroads founder and chef Ronnen tackles such issues as sustainabilty, health, and taste. With so many ways to approach plant-based food, the theme of Mediterranean flavor is employed to tie together all of the recipes packed into these pages. This book wonderfully includes all types of recipes, from quick snacks to full meals. The varieties of preparations and flavors include pistachio-kalamata tapenade in the spreads section, charred okra flatbread with sweet corn puree and cherry tomatoes, a small-plate dish consisting of fig caponata with polenta fries, and oat Florentine cookies with mocha chocolate. There is also a small section on pantry staples, such as almond-based Greek yogurt and demi-glace, that go well with nearly any vegetable.

September 15, 2015

At Crossroads restaurant in Los Angeles, chefs Ronnen (The Conscious Cook), Scot Jones, and Serafina Magnussen craft refined Mediterranean cuisine from plant-based ingredients. Their new cookbook bursts with artful photographs of rich vegan dishes (e.g., oven-roasted romanesco with onion agrodolce and grappa-soaked raisins, acorn squash ravioli with kale and black garlic butter sauce, oat florentine cookies with mocha sipping chocolate) and surpasses the elegance of titles such as Joy Pierson and Angel Ramos's The Candle 79 Cookbook. Knowledgable vegan cooks will recognize techniques such as turning soaked cashews into "cream," but they'll also learn new skills, such as how to mimic Parmesan cheese with thinly shaved walnuts and nutritional yeast. Expect to see plenty of healthy pantry staples (e.g., agave nectar, agar-agar, arrowroot powder, almond milk) within these recipes. VERDICT Vegan cooking taken to a new level of refinement. Epicures and professionals should take note.

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