Table Of ContentC R O S S R O A D S
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T A L R O N N E N
C R O S S R O A D S
SCOT JONES and SERAFINA MAGNUSSEN
with JOANN CIANCIULLI
Photographs by LISA ROMEREIN
NEW YORK
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Copyright © 2015 by TRB Management, LLC
Photographs copyright © 2015 by Lisa Romerein
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced—mechanically, electronically, or by any
other means, including photocopying—without written
permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ronnen, Tal.
Crossroads / Tal Ronnen with Scot Jones and Serafi na
Magnussen with JoAnn Cianciulli.
pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-57965-636-2
1. Cooking, Mediterranean. 2. Vegan cooking. I. Jones,
Scot. II. Magnussen, Serafi na. III. Cianciulli, JoAnn. IV.
Title.
TX725.M35R66 2015
641.59’1822—dc23 2015010988
Design by Michelle Ishay-Cohen
Prop styling by Robin Turk
Lighting and digital technician: Matt “Primo” Harbicht
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Published by Artisan
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225 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014-4381
artisanbooks.com
Published simultaneously in Canada by
Thomas Allen & Son, Limited
Printed in China
First printing, September 2015
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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to Lia
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C O N T E N T S
Foreword by Michael Voltaggio ix
Preface x
Introduction xiii
SNACKS AND SPREADS 1
SALADS 27
FLATBREADS 63
SOUPS 91
SMALL PLATES 113
PASTA 171
DESSERTS 211
COCKTAILS 247
BASICS 261
Acknowledgments 277
Index 278
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F O R E W O R D
by Michael Voltaggio
When Tal asked me to write the foreword to this book, my fi rst question was, why me? While my
restaurant, ink, is down the street from Crossroads, Tal is a chef who is renowned for his unique
take on plant-based dining, and I on the other hand include most animals (and their respective
parts) in my menus. What do I know about vegan cuisine? I just know food that tastes good, and
I appreciate and respect a chef who shares my passion for cooking and hospitality.
Like most people, I go out to dinner to celebrate special occasions, and I have realized that
in several instances lately, I ended up craving not “vegan” food but the food Tal creates at
Crossroads. Why? Because the food is simply delicious Mediterranean-based dishes that
focus on seasonal vegetables, grains, legumes, fl atbreads, and pastas. The dining room is
warm and welcoming, and the cocktails are incredible.
Tal’s food will surprise you: I indulge in oysters, Bolognese sauce, and a well-curated cheese
plate. I eat fried calamari, caviar, fresh salads, and hearty pastas, and even desserts. But none
of the food contains a trace of animal products. The “oysters” are made with oyster mush-
rooms that mimic the saline taste of the ocean, the fried “calamari” is made with battered and
fried hearts of palm, and the cheese plate is crafted with Tal’s own Kite Hill cheeses, which
are nondairy and made from nut milks. The fi rst time I ate at Crossroads, I thought, “Where
the hell am I?” The dishes are thoughtful, playful, nourishing, satisfying, and yes . . . they hap-
pen to be vegan. And after a meal at Crossroads, I always feel satisfi ed, but I never feel heavy
or as if I’ve overindulged.
I asked to meet the chef who has turned me into a vegan wannabe. A moment later, Tal was
standing tableside wearing a clean, freshly pressed chef jacket, an apron, and black chef pants.
I have to admit, I was ignorantly expecting a hippie with a T-shirt, a bandanna, and other casual
clothing made from hemp and burlap. Nope; Tal is a professional chef with classic French
culinary training who cooks some of the best-tasting food I have ever eaten. He is reinventing
plant-based cuisine, and he is the only vegan chef who cooks for meat eaters—me included.
Tal and I soon realized that we are in fact very similar. We share some of the same guests, we
have the same cooks rotating through our kitchens, we buy vegetables from the same farms,
and we both work hard in our restaurants to deliver the best dining experience possible. Tal
is a great neighbor and friend, an amazing chef, and perhaps a magician, because every time
I eat his food, I fi nd myself just wanting more and more, and I never miss the butter or bacon
fat. If this is vegan cuisine, sign me up!
FOREWORD ix
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