Unbelievable.  I have been dairy-free for much of my life, and have run a dairy-free website for almost three years now.  However, I had not yet sampled the most touted cheese alternative on the market!  At last, I finally got my oven mitts on two packages of Vegan Gourmet by Follow Your Heart (one Mozzarella, one Cheddar) and the testing began.

Cheddar

The Cheddar version was a bit oily in the package, slightly off-putting, but I quickly got past it.  For an initial test, I sliced off a small chunk for a “raw” taste.  I was quite impressed with the flavor and texture.  While it was solid, it was softer than regular cheddar.  I was impressed with the flavor, which was very notably cheddar, but milder than its namesake.  As someone who never really liked the texture nor pungent taste of cheddar very much, these differences were actually welcomed. 

Vegan Gourmet’s claim to fame is that it actually melts.  Though I have read mixed reviews on this.  Many people show beautiful pictures of the bubbling cheese alternative, while others are only able to coax it into softening.  Determined to see it for my own eyes, I got out the cheese shredder and cranked up the oven.  I immediately discovered a huge benefit of the softer texture … this was the easiest “cheese” to shred, ever!  Beautifully thick shreds rolled off my grater with nary an ounce of muscle, completing ½ the package in less than thirty seconds. 

My first medium of choice was the Polenta Casserole from Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan. As for the melting, well, it didn’t really happen.  The “cheese” softened, and made for an excellent meal.  Really, no complaints from my family … but I was unable to coax it.

With the remaining cheddar, I used it atop our spaghetti one night to add a cheesy punch to the marinara.  Not going for the melt, but rather flavor, my husband proclaimed the meal excellent.  Neither of us felt that the “cheese” was really the star, but it served as a nice accent.

Mozzarella

I was pleased to find a nice smooth block within the package, not a bit greasy.  My initial taste of this “cheese” block was a bit of a surprise.  The mozzarella was also milder than its predecessor … but alas, real mozzarella is already quite mild.  The flavor was good, I just wished there was a bit more of it.

Regardless, I went for the gold on testing.  Following the package instructions to the T, I was determined to make this cheese alternative melt atop pizza.  I followed their high heat instructions, but alas, my shreds merely softened, and began to brown at the tips, without achieving the full melt.  Not ready to give up, I slid the pizza into the broiler for one minute.  This did it … at least a bit.  The crust was a touch overdone after this escapade, but luckily not burnt.    (the version we made was a simple onion, olive, and I believe some mushrooms are hiding under there)

It really was a wonderful treat to have a pizza with “cheese,” but next time I would try a cheddar / mozzarella blend.  The mozzarella seemed to be overpowered by the bread and sauce.  Perhaps it might fair better with a mild pesto?

While I cannot yet proclaim that the perfect cheese alternative has been developed, Vegan Gourmet is pretty tasty … and I am still in love with its shredability.  I do plan on trying it again, especially to give their other two flavors, Nacho and Monterey Jack, a test run.

From reading around, I have found that each person seems to have their own “favorite” when it comes to cheese alternatives, as the few brands on the market are each so different.  That being said … if you haven’t trialed Vegan Gourmet as of yet, then it is definitely worth a taste.

My Extra Notes:

• My concerns were handled when I noted that Follow Your Heart uses only non-GMO soy.
• The ingredients are very respectable, and as luck would have it, Vegan Gourmet is lower in fat and calories than cheese.  However, they do not fortify it with calcium (may be a good move) , for those who were using cheese as their primary source of calcium.
• There may be cross-contamination in manufacturing processes for any ingredient (including nuts), so be sure to check with the manufacturer if it is a concern.

Where to Purchase: I have seen Vegan Gourmet in just about every natural food store in my area (big and small) and in the little refrigerator within the natural food section of my local mega-grocers.  As a special treat, it really won’t set your grocery budget back much, just a few dollars.  I did read on their site, that while distributed throughout the U.S., the only other place it is currently distributed is Western Canada.  Oh yes and you can also buy Vegenaise direct from the Follow Your Heart website.

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