The two most readily available dairy-free alternatives to cheese are called Sheese (produced by Bute Island Foods) and Cheezly (from VBites). Both come in several flavours, with ‘melting’ as well as hard cheese varieties, and the prices are similar at around £2-£2.50 per pack. You can obtain both products from health food shops, and some of the Bute Island versions are also available at selected Tesco stores under the supermarket’s own ‘free-from’ label. These are, of course, a bit cheaper than you’ll find elsewhere.
In the last few years, we have also seen the arrival of a company called Vegusto, whose nut-based ‘cheeses’ are made in Switzerland. The general consensus seems to be that they taste much more authentic, but can be hard to come by, even in health food shops, and are a bit more expensive than other brands. The best way to get hold of them is via their website.
The most recent company to try its luck is Violife, which is increasingly available in health food shops as well as some larger branches of Tesco and Asda. They produce slices and blocks of cheese in various flavours, including a surprisingly authentic new parmesan-style one, and the whole range is soya-free. From my limited tasting, they’re quite mild in flavour with an Edam-like texture, but several colleagues reckon they’re very good for melting on cheesy toast and pizza.
A number of other brands – including small, independent dairy-free cheese-makers – can be found, but are often much harder to come by.
Many vegans grow to really enjoy these products (including most of us at Animal Aid), though there is no agreement as to which is the best. Indeed, some vegans seem to spend a good deal too much time arguing over which are their favourites, with the debate sometimes growing so fierce that long-term feuds are only narrowly averted! (Yes, you’re right, some of us definitely do need to get a life!)
However, I have to admit that the most common reaction from regular dairy-eaters is to say that none of the alternatives taste particularly like the flavours to which they are accustomed. So, my advice is to accept them for what they are, rather than a direct replacement for cheddar. And even if you’re not convinced to begin with, do persevere, because you might well find that they grow on you as your taste buds adapt.
Of course, if you can’t find what you want amongst commercially available products, you may even want to consider making your own vegan cheese! There are now a range of recipe books available for adventurous cooks who fancy turning their hand to dairy-free cheese making. Some do require slightly unusual or hard-to-find ingredients, but have the advantage of allowing you to enjoy varities of vegan cheese that you can’t find in the shops.
Stand by for the last part of the Great Cheese Debate tomorrow…