Veganism that speaks volumes

Here's a sixpack of newer, vegan-themed books:

* Crossroads by Tal Ronnen (Artisan). The eponymous L.A. restaurant is the closest thing to Vedge on the West Coast. Ronnen holds his own devising gourmet creations that spotlight vegetables in this sumptuous volume.

* Cook the Pantry by Robin Robertson (Vegan Heritage Press). The prolific and always dependable Robertson follows up her power-outage classic Vegan Unplugged with recipes that combine one or two fresh ingredients with stuff you already have in the pantry.

* The Homemade Vegan Pantry by Miyoko Schinner (Penguin Random House). The godmother of the artisan vegan cheese industry shows you how to stock up with homemade staples, including yogurt and tofu, as well as veganized condiments such as Worcestershire sauce.

* Thug Kitchen: Party Grub By Thug Kitchen (Rodale). This foul-mouthed blogging/meme duo, who are white, have been criticized for coopting African-American street slang and attitude. They've dropped some of that but are still cursing with this irreverent but accomplished guide to fun and tasty party food.

* Simple to Gourmet Vegan by Peter Tarantelli (twitter.com/gourmetsimple). This homegrown South Philly collection includes White Bean Asparagus Cakes with Vegan Basil Aioli that was inspired by the author's walk through the Italian Market with only pocket change to spend, a display of fresh asparagus and "69-cents-a-can cannellini beans."

* The Sustainability Secret by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, with Eunice Wong (Insight Editions). The creators of the influential documentary "Cowspiracy" deliver a comprehensive look at the needed global shift from animal-based to plant-based agriculture.