Rise of the artisan vegan cheese

A trend of fancier-than-usual things seems to taking the country by storm. Artisan, boutique and gourmet are only a select few of the words used to reference anything that is a cut above the commercially mass produced fare that is found so abundantly in the local grocery store; you can now add artisan vegan cheese to this list.

The rise of the vegan lifestyle has brought with it hopefully an end to nasty vegan cheeses that should be sued for even pretending to be as delicious as the real deal. Delicious vegan cheeses can now be bought around the country.

SEE ALSO: A typical vegan’s daily menu

It isn’t only vegans who are venturing into the world of plant-based cheeses. More and more people are looking for healthier and creative alternatives to foods that they typically enjoy.

Plant-based milks such as almond milk or soy milk have skyrocketed in recent years. They have been especially popular because their typical client base spans the spectrum of dietary allegiances.

Hampton Creek’s “Just Mayo” offers a product free of animal products in the name of health and sustainability. More than ever, consumers are looking for ways to opt out of the environmentally unsustainable, cruel and unhealthy products provided by traditional methods in the modern food industry.

Ingredients for such non-dairy cheeses include cashews, brazil nuts, chia seeds, herbs and spices. Cheese is a staple in cooking, so why shouldn’t environmentally friendly and compassionate people have the same option of smothering their pasta with cheese or creating sandwiches that ooze with deliciousness?

Arguably two of the biggest trailblazers, Miyoko’s Kitchen and Dr. Cow are getting lots of attention for selections like Smoked Farmhouse Rarebit and Organic Aged Macadamia Cheese respectively.

Dr. Cow even has a brick and mortar store in Brooklyn, New York, which has potentially started a whole new trend with the recent addition of Vromage in Los Angeles, California. Vromage is a mecca of aged cheeses such as mock mozzarella, brie, cheddar, pepper-cheddar and, the most popular of all, “veganzola.”

A recent spin on the popular show “Shark Tank” saw the sharks devouring Heidi Ho Organics plant-based cheese, with shark Lori Grenier investing $125,000 in the company despite the fact that she isn’t vegan herself.

SEE ALSO: Peach gazpacho recipe, a savory vegan soup

“I love it,” she gushed over the product. “I seriously think it is so delicious, so amazing.” In fact, the world of vegan cheese has gotten so tasty that word is getting out, which means sales are going up. To be exact, they were up 22.7 percent in 2014 which translates to $30 million in sales.

With the destructive way that factory dairy production impacts the environment and its undesirable saturated fat content, not to mention the inhumane way animals are treated, increasingly health and eco conscious people are cutting it out of their diets.

As the demand for vegan cheeses increases, there will be a dramatic shift from processed food-like substances to real, clean ingredients. The more people that attempt to explore the world of making vegan cheeses, the more creativity and taste will be discovered and explored.

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