Prior to my vegan lifestyle, I was huge consumer of cheese. I loved cheese on burgers on pizza, but most of all, I loved soft cheese on crackers. Today, I try some delightful vegan tree-nut cheese that makes Brie look a bit medieval.

My love of cheese hasn't waned. Thankfully, the taste of cheese isn't exclusive to cheese. Who knew?

I should clarify here. My love for products that for all intents and purposes still taste like the cheese I remember, has kept pretty strong, although when there weren't really any readily available vegan versions, I just did without. In no way do I look at veganism or a plant-based diet for that matter, as a deficit way of life. It wasn't as though I continued my life as normal but cut out meat, dairy, eggs and all those other obscure animal derived products. That's a huge misconception of what this way of life can be. To the contrary, I became so engrossed with what else I could eat and became much more interested in vegetables, different grains and herbs that I wasn't too fussed over BV (before vegan).

Months back, Hayley and I wandered about the Sydney Vegan Markets at Marrickville, sampling foods that were beyond delicious. One of which was a vegan cheese, by Artisa. It was a cashew-based, ash-dusted variety. Since tasting that vegan cheese, I knew I had to start trying some of the other options closer to us.

Taylor's Healthy Grocers is my local vegan haven, supplying treats and staples to stock the pantry.

I've bought a few products at Taylor's, including our much loved nutritional yeast to oversized vegan chocolate bars for Hayley's birthday. If you're ever in Wollongong, head over there and check out their range. It's nice to know there are so many naughty vegan treats to eat without having to scour ingredients lists until you're red in the face.

After trying Artisa's cheese, I looked for something similar at Taylor's for Hayley's birthday. What they stock is a reputable brand by Sprout and Kernel, an Australian business specialising in tree nut cheeses. When faced with the options, I opted for the peppercorn flavour as I'm a real sucker for the texture and bite of coarsely ground pepper. That night we sat at the coffee table sharing grins and "mmmmm's" as we savoured every mouthful. It was hard to stop but we managed. The next night was round two and was just as delicious.

Shall we try Sprout and Kernel's herb flavour this time? Yes, we shall!

The packaging is neat, easy on the eye and has a little window that allows you to see what you're buying.

Now, I'm not going to beat around the bush. The price of this type of cheese is expensive. I mean, we're talking about tree nuts. Even unprocessed, almonds, cashews and walnuts are all expensive products. Combined with a handmade process that involves culturing with probiotics and specific timing to ensure consistent flavours, it is a product deserved of it's price.

The 'Secret Ingredient'.

The herb flavour comes from mixed dried herbs and vegetables. Is it this combination of 'secret' ingredients that make this variety distinct from it's brothers and sisters?

I'll admit, the first bite I took was with the cheese smeared onto a water cracker. While that combo tasted amazing, it wasn't a true reflection of the cheese alone.

I finished my mouthful and tried my best to swallow all the remaining tiny cracker bits before I tasted the cheese by itself. The first thing I noticed was that the consistency and texture was really pleasing. I remembered the peppercorn variety seemed smoother, ignoring the ground peppercorn. I'm not sure if it was my mind misremembering or whether there exists a purposeful distinction between their textures. As I moved the cheese around in my mouth, I didn't get any strong herby flavours. What I did perceive were noticeable garlic and onion flavours. In just the right proportions.

Compartmentalising and analysing what makes a good plant-based cheese, good.

If you've had a crumbly cheese or a powerful cheese, you'll know of the aftertaste I'm talking about. It's a sort of pleasant bite or tang reflecting the acids that have been produced in the culturing process known as lacto-fermentation. While I am absolutely not a cheese connoisseur at all, I'll have a go and speculate what one might look for in the taste of a high grade cashew-based cheese.

Mouth feel.

Texture plays a huge role in whether we enjoy a food or not. It is certainly subjective, but I think some basics exist as to what constitutes palatable cashew cheese. The soft cheese should maintain it's shape and spread apart in the mouth. Sprout and Kernel's herb spreads across the mouth easily to allow transmission of flavours. While it wasn't as smooth as the peppercorn (from memory) it feels great in the mouth.

Flavour.

The main flavour that I could perceive was that of subtle onion and garlic and right at the end, notes of herbs, possibly oregano or rosemary can be smelled. They are light and add to the layers of complexity in the cheese.

Aftertaste.

The best part is the cheese aftertaste. While it is connected to the overall flavour of the cheese, the aftertaste is distinct and is noticed when little remains on the tongue and can be detected in the back of the mouth after swallowing. It's very mildly acidic and serves as a final "hurrah!" to a reserved, yet very satisfying experience.

Combine with a cracker.

Adding a smear of the cashew cheese onto a high quality water cracker will delight the senses and really boost the mouth feel.

When you combine the smoothness of a cashew cheese with the crunch of a water cracker, you're getting everything at once and your synapses will pop and sizzle in delight. I'm not sure if it's there, but dispersing the flavour across the 'vanilla' of the cracker seemed to grant access to subtleties that may not have been apparent when eating the cheese alone. Maybe it's my imagination.

What a ride! I think I'll need to try other flavours until I eventually return to the peppercorn. Better yet, should I try making some myself?

All the best,

Nick.

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