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What is that vegan cheese stuff?
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So what's the deal with that vegan cheese stuff, is it any good? I won't argue that dairy cheese can be very diverse as I have tried many in my non-vegan days, but the barely-tapped world of non-vegan cheeses could potentially have even more diverse flavors. Think about it. Regular cheese is usually made from either cow or goat milk and is processed in a certain way sometimes with rennet or ash and such to create distinct flavors.
However, vegan cheese can be made from soy, rice, almond, hemp, nutritional yeast, and possibly many more sources as the market for vegan cheeses expand. If you're ready to try some vegan cheese, my advice for you is to clear your palate. Think of this food as exactly what it is--something you've never tried before. People who take a bite expecting a hit of real cheddar (a flavor suggested by the packaging) are often psychologically convinced into believing they don't like it. Be open minded.
Is soy cheese vegan?
We vegans have to read the ingredients on soy cheeses to ensure they're vegan. Read that again. I'm not saying we have to make sure our cheeses are soy but make sure our soy cheeses are vegan.
In fact, the vast majority of non-lactose cheeses are not "non-dairy". Soy cheeses were originally conceived to offer a suitable product for individuals with sensitivities to the lactose molecule. Casein, a protein found only in milk, is usually still included to allow the cheese to stretch.
As veganism has become increasingly popular, this has been an irritating and often hidden fact about cheeses. I cringe to think this very article may be alerting a vegan reader at this very moment their favorite soy cheese is no more vegan than velveeta*.
My cheese of choice
Some of my readers may be surprised to learn one of my most often used cheeses are not the fancy $10 packs found in Natural foods stores, but good ol' Galaxy Foods Rice Vegan Cheese.
Rice Vegan isn't my most favorite cheese in terms of taste but when it comes to just making some grilled cheese with Earth Balance butter, it fits the bill. I mainly recommend these kinds of cheeses to vegans where they would be using Kraft singles or velveeta in their alternate omnivore universe. Use these singles on a Ritz cracker, with macaroni, or even on pizza loaded up with veggies.
While my review of this particular cheese is positive, I'm not happy this brand decided to retain their non-vegan soy/rice cheeses. These have often and will continue to confuse vegans into believing their product is vegan. I have tried the non-vegan variety (accidentally) as well as the vegan version. I simply can't tell a difference, so why not just modify the original product to be vegan? That is, when animals suffer to produce milk and a suitable alternative is right there and selling, why have two separate versions?
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While this makes a great grilled cheese sandwich, if you're skeptical of non-dairy cheeses you may want to skip to the premium vegan cheeses like Cheezly, Road's End Organic (Chreese), or Teese.
(*It's okay, you didn't know.)
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