Rejoice! 2014 Will Be The Year of Vegan Cheese

The year 2013 was an amazing, groundbreaking year for veganism. So many incredible new blogs, new restaurants, new products, new celebrities trying vegan food and attracting some major mainstream press (thank you Mr. and Mrs. Carter). VegNews Magazine's food covers were giving Bon Appetit and Gourmet a serious run for their money, and Forbes officially chose Vegan Dining as the #1 food trend of 2013. Even in the glow of last year's  accomplishments and milestones, 2014 is on track to becoming an even more incredible one, because vegans seem to have finally achieved the impossible: mastering the art and science of creating delicious gourmet cheese. That's right: 2014 will be the year vegan cheese shows up and takes some names. 

Sure, we already have Daiya - that ubiquitous dairy-free alternative that has been saving countless vegans from premature cheese-starvation deaths since 2009.

Daiya, for all its imperfections, is something of a miracle food and its introduction represented a quantum leap for vegan cheese from revolting, plastic-wrapped Play-Doh in health stores to edible food that melted, stretched and tasted something like real cheese. But Daiya is not a perfect product, as most vegans well know. I've definitely seen too many disgusting, Daiya-choked pizzas at too many potlucks and do not want to see one ever again (but I probably will)

You know a Daiya pizza when  you see one

 Problem is, whether you use Daiya on pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, salads or tacos, it still cannot compare to the unique textures and complex flavors of milk-based cheese. And that has really sucked.

But finally the times are beginning to change. Enter the Game Changers: a group of bold individuals and companies who aim to forever alter the concept of vegan cheese and elevate it from inferior substitute to equal peer and challenger to dairy's dominance. Here are 3 reasons 2014 is going to be one very delicious year:

1.   1. Artisan Vegan Cheese Makers – Expect to hear a lot about artisan vegan cheeses this year. Thanks to bold and daring connoisseurs, hand-cultured and crafted Brie, Gruyere, Bleu, Chevre and Pepperjack are a few of the incredible vegan cheeses coming out on the consumer market. With Tal Ronnen's Kite Hill cheese shop in California, the ever- growing trendiness of Treeline and Dr. Cow in New York, and fearless new takes on vegan cheese from Punk Rawk Labs and Door 86, artisan vegan cheese is doing things few would have thought possible several years ago. 
      Don't believe me? Just ask Food and Wine Magazine

2. The Dairy Tree 

This somewhat-mysterious company appeared on the social media scene early last year with a tantalizing Facebook page showing off some awe-inducing examples of their finest dairy-free cheese work, including creamy Bleu and melted Mozzarella. Unfortunately they seem to have since gone into hiding for research and development purposes, and it's unclear when they'll re-emerge. But if their cheeses are anywhere as good as their luscious photographs, we could be in for an amazing vegan treat. Stay tuned!

3. The Non-Dairy Formulary – I am super-intrigued by this scientific-sounding book with its easy-to-follow recipes, the long list of dairy foods  it promises to replicate (I especially heart the Greek yogurt and fresh Mozzarella), the 4 and 5-star Amazon reviews, and the fact most recipes don't require Rejuvelac (a major plus for me!) 

I'm pretty much sold on it and I'll be placing an order to try it out. If even half of the recipes in the book deliver on their promise to replicate the dairy-based foods I love and miss so much, I'll be one happy customer. I'll keep you posted!

With the cheese revolution, 2014 is indeed going to be another great year for vegan-dom. So watch out, omnivores: vegans are fast encroaching on your previously exclusive territory, and it won't be long before we're enjoying one of these again:

               

CHEEEEEEESE

And you'll want a slice of that plant-based deliciousness, too. But for now, I guess it's back to the good ol' Daiya. The only question left is: Shreds or wedges?