Vegan cheese

I disagree with your approach, btw! DO NOT START WITH THE BEST!!!

Rather, work up your way through batches of bland, rubbery, not-melting, second-rate vegan cheeses, so you can finally appreciate the best vegan cheeses, which would otherwise rank as "somewhat ok" when compared with good dairy cheeses....
 
Andy_T said:
I disagree with your approach, btw! DO NOT START WITH THE BEST!!!

Rather, work up your way through batches of bland, rubbery, not-melting, second-rate vegan cheeses, so you can finally appreciate the best vegan cheeses, which would otherwise rank as "somewhat ok" when compared with good dairy cheeses....
Click to expand...
That was certainly the case with me. The very first one I tried -- this was actually in the first couple months of going vegetarian, I think -- was Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella....

fyh+mozz
<---- :yuck: YUCK!! :down:


Then it took quite a while to work up the courage to try others.... LMAO :p Eventually (this past year), I discovered Chao!

chao-original.jpg
<---- :lick: YUM!! :up:


Oh, and of course I learned how to make my own cashew-cheese sauce. :drool: Hail to the nooch!! :master:
 
Dang it! The one store I really dislike, but is right by my work, has Chao on sale- well, .50 cents off whatever excessive price they sell it for. I forgot, now will prob wait till Monday.
Still no flavor appeals. I don't want black pepper in cheese. No tomato cayenne. I guess the original? It so better not taste like coconut! :mad:
What is so ironic is I probably would love the true "chao! From the website-
"Chao is a culinary tradition of fermenting tofu popular throughout Asia. Touted as the “cheese” of Asia, it can now easily be purchased in Asian grocery stores throughout North America and Europe. It looks much like marinated feta, as it is sold brined in a small jar, and has the mouthfeel of something like blue cheese. Chao is commonly used as a condiment, combined into sauces to accompany hot pot, or used to flavor rice and other grains."
 
I tried to convince myself I loved cashew sauces- I really don't. I like them as like cream cheese, and cheese balls, but for sauces I prefer good old nooch- a touch of lemon and miso, some flour and oil roux
 
I have had cashew dressing at a restaurant, and it was pretty good. It was sort of ranch-ish.
 
PTree15 said:
I am curious! How did it come out? I'm tempted to try it as well. I just need the tapioca flour.
Click to expand...
I didn't make it! It's such a simple recipe. I actually have both tapioca starch and small tapioca pearls- you can just grind the pearls for starch/flour. Indian store sells it very cheap. I've used it with nooch sauces.
 
My Whole Foods have it --I checked the prices and they are pricey :rolleyes: And no blue cheese! :(
I'll have to keep stocking up on olives I guess. I finished off my Daiya--I so love that stuff. I swear I like it as much as I did dairy.
Good news is I still prefer olives to cheese :)
 
Hey, quick question.... Tomorrow's my three-year veggieversary (and five months vegan), I wanted to make something special... like sliceable cashew cheese! :) I know Kroger carries Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour.... Do I need agar agar, or can I do this with just the tapioca flour?? o_O

I can't find agar anything around here! Not Kroger, not Meijer, not themuch-hated Walmart, not Discount Health Foods (they're actually out... of course), not Nature's Gift Market in Midland.... :pout:

And I can't even find carageenan.... GRRRR!!! :mad:
 
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I don't have an answer to your question, but HAPPY VEGGIEVERSARY, MadamS!!!!!!
 
MadamSarcastra said:
Hey, quick question.... Tomorrow's my three-year veggieversary (and five months vegan), I wanted to make something special... like sliceable cashew cheese! :) I know Kroger carries Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour.... Do I need agar agar, or can I do this with just the tapioca flour?? o_O

I can't find agar anything around here! Not Kroger, not Meijer, not themuch-hated Walmart, not Discount Health Foods (they're actually out... of course), not Nature's Gift Market in Midland.... :pout:

And I can't even find carageenan.... GRRRR!!! :mad:
Click to expand...
Didn't you mention an Indian store before? I have a pack from an Asian grocery, and my Indian grocery also carries them. I bought it for cheese but haven't tried yet. I have used tapioca starch, which is the same as flour, but can also be tapioca pearls whirred in a blender. Tapioca gives things a very thick stretchiness. I use about a teaspoon for a mac and chese sauce with nooch. I didn't really like the cashew mozzerella recipe - this one- Vegan Mozzarella Recipe | How to make vegan mozzarella that melts! I added garlic and some miso but it still tastes like cashews. I can appreciate the texture though and I guess it has possiblities with more flavors. Oh yeah, I even added some olive brine, I think I may try with all olive brine
I really got off the cashew bandwagon!
 
I haven't tried any of the vegan blue cheeses yet.

I want to try Tyne Chease, someone I know lives near one of the places that stocks it so I'm going to see whether he minds going there and buying me some to bring over next time he visits.
TYNE CHEASE | Artisan Organic Cultured Vegan Cheese | Dairy-Free

silva said:
I have used tapioca starch, which is the same as flour, but can also be tapioca pearls whirred in a blender. Tapioca gives things a very thick stretchiness.
Click to expand...

Nothing to do with vegan cheese, but I saw a chia pudding in a shop the other day and finally thought what it reminded me of, tapioca pudding!
 
Second attempt earlier today.... Hey, I think I did it this time!! YAY, cashew cheese!! :jump:

VeganCheese!.JPG

I filled another more narrow ramekin fuller, so that's gonna chill overnight... this was the shallow one.

The secret was learning the difference between agar flakes (which I have) and agar powder, and then making the necessary adjustments. ;)
 
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Andy_T said:
That one looks pretty awesome!!!
What did you use for the taste?
Click to expand...
My last quarter of Roma tomato, more for color than anything (that's all I had left... it actually called for half a red bell pepper, but I didn't have any), about 1/4+ cup of nooch, some garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, a slight dash of cayenne, and a little sea salt.
 
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MadamSarcastra said:
Second attempt earlier today.... Hey, I think I did it this time!! YAY, cashew cheese!! :jump:

View attachment 13221

I filled another more narrow ramekin fuller, so that's gonna chill overnight... this was the shallow one.

The secret was learning the difference between agar flakes (which I have) and agar powder, and then making the necessary adjustments. ;)
Click to expand...
Wow!:lick: May i have a bite?
 

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