I have used the dairy-free cheeses available on the market for a long time, but always felt that they leave much to be desired. Despite their claims, these cheeses don’t melt very well and the taste is unremarkable.
Well, last month while I was teaching at Bob’s Red Mill cooking school in Portland, OR, the staff introduced me to a new vegan, gluten-free cheese with the brand name of Daiya Cheese. I was blown away by the cheese-like flavor. Last week, I found this marvelous cheese at my local Whole Foods store.
Here’s the story behind the cheese: Vegan for 20 years, inventor Andre Kroecher put his savvy behind developing a meltable vegan cheese back in 2005, then joined with business partner Greg Blake two years later, and rolled out Daiya, a revolutionary non-dairy cheese made from ground cassava and arrowroot that stretches, melts, and is quickly changing the world.
Daiya Cheese comes in two flavors: cheddar and mozzarella and both are shredded, which means you have greater versatility in using them for pizza or sandwiches (instead of the flat bricks that other dairy-free cheese comes in). I find it best to freeze those blocks of cheese because they are easier to grate, due to their naturally soft texture.
You can learn more about this new cheese at www.daiyafoods.com. The recipes in www.GfreeCuisine.com have recommended dairy-free cheeses by Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet and now that we have Daiya Cheese you can also use that cheese instead, in the same amount.
It tastes great (although I prefer the mozzarella flavor) and it melts nicely for pizza, vegetables, grilled cheese sandwiches…..anything that uses cheese. Most dairy-free cheeses are soy-based, but Daiya is soy-free, which is good news for those who avoid soy products.
As you might expect, it comes with a price tag. A small bag is $5, but I think it’s worth it if you use the cheese wisely (maybe one-half cup will do instead of a full cup in certain recipes) and store it correctly. I keep mine frozen to maintain its freshness. ]
Remember... if you don't see this new cheese in your store, ask the manager about it. I think you’ll like it.
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