Why does no one sell real vegan cheese?

[joehaer]

Okay, I don't understand why there are so many fake cheeses. Why can't people make real cheese with a soy base? None of the "cheese"s I've ever seen have been made with any sort of bacterial process--they're just a bunch of gums.

Why don't we have a mold process for vegan cheese?

[Pob]

I wonder if it just tastes nothing like cheese if you do that.
Tempeh is fermented soy beans - never tried it myself - does it taste cheesy?
It's unlikely to have the texture of cheddar and mozarella cheese as that is down to the casein - I suppose it could end up crumbly, though.

[Barley]

Okay, I don't understand why there are so many fake cheeses. Why can't people make real cheese with a soy base? None of the "cheese"s I've ever seen have been made with any sort of bacterial process--they're just a bunch of gums.

Why don't we have a mold process for vegan cheese?

In the UK there is an excellent hard 'cheese' called scheese made by - I think - Greendragon foods.... It's excellent. I don't use it all the time as it has the soya protein in it, but it is really an excellent alternative to cows milk cheese.:)

[Jane M]

I haven't found a good replacement in the US for cheese made by soy. I always thought tofu..soy bean curd ... was the 'cheese' made using soy milk???? Could be wrong about that. At any rate I found making my own 'cheese' sauces out of nutritional yeast much cheaper and tastier than what I could buy here. Though I do occasionally splurge on Toffuti 'Better than Cream Cheese'. I have to admit that I really do like their version much better than my own...and well life is much to short not to have a little splurge now and then.

[nmvegan]

I actually bought something called Vegan Rella last week and made enchiladas...they have cheddar and mozzarella flavor...It wasn't too bad and it did melt...and it's completely vegan...

[Cherry]

I always thought tofu..soy bean curd ... was the 'cheese' made using soy milk???? Could be wrong about that.

That's what I thought too.

[Roxy]

I actually bought something called Vegan Rella last week and made enchiladas...they have cheddar and mozzarella flavor...It wasn't too bad and it did melt...and it's completely vegan...

I quite often use that one. It melts quite well.

[Morna]

I didn't like Vegan Rella chedder flavor. It melted great but had this weird chemical taste to it. I might try Follow Your Heart cheeses. They got some good reviews, though I'll have to order them off the internet or drive to denver (an hour away).

[Unseen]

I'll keep dreaming of the day when there's vegan brie and gouda and stringy, chewy pizza cheese and it's just like the dairy kind. It may never happen, but hey, they finally put out a good vegan whipped cream.

It's casien that gives cheese that elastic texture, isn't it? If only they could find an alternate for that.

[DancingWillow]

I didn't like Vegan Rella chedder flavor. It melted great but had this weird chemical taste to it. I might try Follow Your Heart cheeses. They got some good reviews, though I'll have to order them off the internet or drive to denver (an hour away).

I thought the same of Vegan Rella...the taste is very chemical and quite untasty, to put it mildly. It does melt very well, but I can't stand the taste. I've heard really good things about Follow Your Heart, but unfortunately my health food store doesn't carry it. I would like to try it when I find it, and I really hope that it tastes good!

[Tigerlily]

I'll keep dreaming of the day when there's vegan brie and gouda and stringy, chewy pizza cheese and it's just like the dairy kind. It may never happen, but hey, they finally put out a good vegan whipped cream.

It's casien that gives cheese that elastic texture, isn't it? If only they could find an alternate for that.

Me too.

[Wildflower]

It's casien that gives cheese that elastic texture, isn't it? If only they could find an alternate for that.

I read in VegNews magazine this month that Kraft has developed a soy based casien. I am not sure it will be used in soy cheese, the article didn't say.

Of course, everyone is probably boycotting Kraft anyway, but it was exciting news!

Here are some links it gave and if you have the magazine, it is on page 14.

www.freepatentsonline.com/6780446.html

www.notmilk.com

[Unseen]

Soy based casein? Cool. Well, if they develop it, maybe someone else will develop some and make a good non-dairy stretchy pizza cheese.

Now if someone would get to work on the brie and gouda...

[lozza]

they are BOUND to develop it. think of all the new vegan foods that are being made all the time..

veganism is on the rise..and food companies are starting to meet our demands.. cos the number of vegans is growing.

i went on veganstore today and saw they had fake tuna for crying out loud..HOW can you fake tuna? its amazing :)

[DancingWillow]

i went on veganstore today and saw they had fake tuna for crying out loud..HOW can you fake tuna? its amazing :)

I have no idea how they can fake tuna, but I had some mock tuna in a cafe when I was in Seattle this past week, and it tasted, looked, and smelled like tuna, and the texture was exactly like real tuna. It *is* amazing! So I agree that the're bound to make tasty, realistic vegan cheese one day...I just hope it will be soon...

[veggiesosage]

Why can't people make real cheese with a soy base? None of the "cheese"s I've ever seen have been made with any sort of bacterial process

Hmmm, I think this is what happens when you sugject tofu to a bacterial fermentation process

http://www.makansutra.com/Makanzine/Nov99/smelly_tofu.html

[feral]

they have been known to ferment the tofu with fish, fowl or poultry innards under sealed lids, for days and weeks.

:eek: Ackk, gagg, aaaacckkk, retch...

Thanks for that veggie!

[lozza]

I have no idea how they can fake tuna, but I had some mock tuna in a cafe when I was in Seattle this past week, and it tasted, looked, and smelled like tuna, and the texture was exactly like real tuna. It *is* amazing! So I agree that the're bound to make tasty, realistic vegan cheese one day...I just hope it will be soon...

hehe are you SURE it wasnt real tuna and were just being deceived? ;)
heh. thats cool..i might try that stuff then cos i actually did really like tuna when i was omni.

and at work, i have to make tuna mayo all the time..and the smell doesnt freak me out or anything. cos i still remember eating tuna & liking it.

btw, i'm sure they will make very realistic fancy vegan cheeses soon.

[DancingWillow]

hehe are you SURE it wasnt real tuna and were just being deceived? ;)


lol...It was so realistic that I *did* have to make sure with the girl that was working there that it wasn't real tuna! But it was an all vegan place (except one vegetarian item on the menu), so I think it's safe:)

and veggiesosage, that sounds really gross!!!

[lozza]

lol...It was so realistic that I *did* have to make sure with the girl that was working there that it wasn't real tuna! But it was an all vegan place (except one vegetarian item on the menu), so I think it's safe:)

ah thats cool!

i LOVE all vegan places :D dont you just feel so 'safe' eating there? you dont have to worry about "ooh i cant have this or that" or cross contamination or anything :)

rock & roll the vegans :D

[DancingWillow]

ah thats cool!

i LOVE all vegan places :D dont you just feel so 'safe' eating there? you dont have to worry about "ooh i cant have this or that" or cross contamination or anything :)

rock & roll the vegans :D

Yeah, it's truly an amazing feeling! :D To be able to order anything on the menu and actually get DELICIOUS food!!! What a difference from many omni places where all you can get is a pathetic salad consisting of iceburg lettuce with one cherry tomato on the top and no dressing:rolleyes:

[Cumin]

I've tried various soy cheeses and most of them seem to have a horrid similarity to stinky feet. :eek:
However, - like Barley I find that 'Scheese' can be very palatable. It seems to go well with a bowl of thick soup, or perhaps with some pickle in a sandwich as it's quite hard. Cooking it just seems to enhance the oddness but I don't mind it with a Hot Chilli sauce for some nachos. I like the Smoked flavour best .
Doesn't melt though - so be warned.

[lozza]

Yeah, it's truly an amazing feeling! :D To be able to order anything on the menu and actually get DELICIOUS food!!! What a difference from many omni places where all you can get is a pathetic salad consisting of iceburg lettuce with one cherry tomato on the top and no dressing:rolleyes:

haha, i know EXACTLY what you mean. pffft..there should definitely be more vegan places. or at least vegetarian places with lots of vegan options.

[Enchantress]

I suppose if I ever got really desperate for something cheesy I could eat my toenails.

[TofuFooYung]

Redwoods Cheezly Melting Mozerella is probably one of the best I've personally come across. It melts well- not quite the same as real cheese, but well enough.

On a pizza base, with a nice spicy chili sauce and oregano in an oven for 10 mins, you can pretty much forget that dairy pizza ever existed!

Only problem with the vegan cheeses is I notice they don't keep too well which makes them an expensive luxury. My MIL got around the problem by cutting the block into pieces and freezing them... then if you need it on a baked spud or on a salad, you can grate the frozen blocks with a cheese grater over the top. :)

The vegan parmesan is good too, though it kinda 'vanishes' as you sprinkle it so you need to use lots.