For vegans who were once cheese lovers and who wish they had a good substitute for some of the flavors and textures they once enjoyed, are unwilling to settle for a salty, rubbery facsimile, and resigned to just do without, well, times are changing. A number of chefs and food scientists have made it their mission to come up with ways to make products that do for vegans what cheese does. 

What does cheese do?

Cheese packs a umami punch. Our flavor receptors crave this savory component on the flavor spectrum; it makes us salivate. Umami is present in soy sauce, fish sauce, meat broth, aged or fermented foods (like cheese and cured meats), mushrooms, ripe tomatoes, celery and yup, breast milk. All have high levels of the amino acid L-Glutamate, which is responsible for this type of flavor. Cheese also gives us a variety of textures and a wonderful counter-texture to bread, pasta, crackers and vegetables. We like to create a balance with our food and sometimes cheese, or “cheese,” does just that.

So those who can’t understand why a vegan would want to eat “fake” cheese or meat can begin to see that it’s about having choices of flavors and textures that please the palate. 

Some of the new vegan cheeses on the market are being made with fermented nuts such as cashews and hazelnuts. The two brands we’re trying are Heidi Ho and Miyoko’s Kitchen. Their offerings include cheeses that are similar to a soft goat cheese with ash, aged sharp cheddar and fresh mozzarella. Try them on a cheese board, because they are made to look beautiful and have a depth of flavor that will surprise your guests, even non-vegan ones.

Diana, Chao and Follow Your Heart are doing a great job with more familiar coconut and soy, producing cheeses that melt very well in recipes and have good flavor. I highly recommend the Follow Your Heart Smoked Gouda slices. 

My name is Shawn O’Connell. I am a cheesemonger, and I approve this message.