Hi everyone. My name is 6-eyed Shaman and I'm a cheese lover. I've noticed that my cholesterol level is much higher than it ought to be. So I've decided to eat more vegan cheese. When I first tried almond and soy cheese, it tastes bland right out of the package. But when it's melted it tastes remarkably like dairy cheese if not better. Does anyone else feel this way? I love using it for quesadillas and home cooked Mexican food.
I think the same way. It's not bad tasting. It just taste like nuts and not like salt. Dairy cheese basically taste like salt. Vegan cheese basically taste like nuts. OMGosh, though I made homemade vegan goat cheese once for these vegan sliders. It was freaky awesome, it was freaky easy, and I was freaky amazed. So, I think it has to do with store bought versions vs. making it yourself. Because I also made homemade seitan and that crap taste a lot better than store bought. Overall, though... when it comes to the vegetarianism and vegamism... it's not about the 'alternatives'. It's about whole foods, fruits, vegetables, crap like that. Basically, if you're talking to a hard core vegetarian or vegan they will grab your nut sack, rip it out, and force you to eat it because you're basically eating meat by eating mock meat or mock animal by-products. Also, if you live off this stuff it's just as unhealthy for you as if you were living off the meat, animal by product. Basically, eat it in moderation. But, really... I don't care. Do whatever feels good. You only live once and it's your body. I'm just saying this because it's a public forum. So, vegan cheese, eh?
Personally, all I taste is salt and oil, and I've tried a lot of them. I'll whip out a cashew ricotta, but overall, I forego cheese at home and as a specific ingredient out and about. (I identify as lacto veg, but still cut it down. I don't worry over a small trace of dairy, basically.)
See also: http://www.hipforums.com/forum/topic/467194-vegan-cheese-but-now-how-we-think-of-it-todaybiohacking/
I've been collecting ingredients to try making this: http://anunrefinedvegan.com/2012/05/25/smoky-pesto-cashew-cheez/ I'm making the sundried tomato version from this blog: http://keepinitkind.com/lentil-mushroom-cheeseburgers-made-with-sun-dried-tomato-pesto-cheez/
Hmm. Right after posting here, I popped onto a different board, and hit the local tab. A local vegan shop is doing a ton of tastings, from local small batch (hipster, snob) companies. While I'm not willing to eat Palm oil or a ton of salt, I am curious. I'll report back. My image is Daiya and vegge slices. Ick on both.
What are you smoking? If that's the case why do vegan food vendors sell meat alternatives like hot cakes? They know that they cannot simply go up to someone on an omnivorous diet and tell them to stop eating animal based foods and expect hem to change overnight. They gotta make a gradual transition.
I have yet to find a vegan cheese that I can happily eat straight out of the bag- ew. I buy the Daiya cheddar cheese and use it for cooking, and it's wonderful when cooked. Melts great, tastes great. I like to boil some elbow macaroni, put some of the shredded cheese on it, throw it in the microwave for 30 seconds, and enjoy the vegan mac 'n' cheese. If anyone finds a vegan cheese that doesn't cost $100, the shells of 3 king snails, and an orphaned Romanian child, let me know.
Well, I have encountered some people who are vegan that have stated meat alternatives are not this lifrstyle's way. People who are vegetarians are more laid back. Depends on the vegetarianism that they're going for, though. Some eat fish. Some eat no meat, but eat fast-food that may or may not have animal byproducts. Etc.
Mod hat on: We try not to infight, so let's drop the veggie v. Vegan stuff now. Mod hat off: I sort of get the why meat alternatives people. But look at the cookbooks, the blogs and other places. They might call it grain meat, not mock meat, but the idea is the same. In the SAD, there's a role filled by carcasses. So when we go to beans or what have you (I'm thinking of Isa Chandra Moskowitz's chickpea cutlet, here) we tend to look for a similar bite, or ability to carry sauce, etc. Exceedingly close mocks bother me, since I'm not wanting the real thing.
I've only had Daiya, which tastes too much like Cheeto powder (processed and super salty) for me to actually enjoy it. I'm interested in almond cheese, though. I'll have to check it out.
For starters dont make it yourself unless your willing to do alot of research and learn how to culture it which will take days, you will also need a high quality blender. So just buy the stuff. every vegan i know eats mock meat and mock cheese and no we wont rip your balls out for it. You can eat as much as of that as you want depends on how healthy you want to be and it has no harm on animals at all if its totally vegan.
