Vegan Cheese

Why vegan cheese?

 

When I became vegan, the food I missed the most was cheese. And this is the case with most people going vegan.

Why?

As it happens, dairy cheeses are very addictive. The casein protein in milk, concentrated in cheese is very hard to give up. In fact, it has similar addictive properties as some drugs … but without the high, of course. And the more you eat, the more you crave it.

For a long time, I did without cheese. Then several years ago there were ‘alternatives to cheese’ coming onto the market. I tried them. Some were edible, others not so much.

Hungry Soul’s vegan cheese

Dabbling in cooking, veganizing all type of recipes I realized that vegan food without dairy was actually very good and so healthy.

Could we veganize cheese?

After planting the seed in my culinary mind, I started looking into it.
I wanted to re-create that tangy cheesy taste. After a little research I came to understand that the process of turning dairy milk into cheese was through fermentation. Could this be done with plant food?

It can and it was, several people were already making it and some with quite a bit of success.

I tasted vegan cheeses from Blue Heron Creamery in Vancouver Canada, some from Omage ‘aux Fromage’ in Belgium and an interested one in Ireland, from Flying Squirrel …all interesting, all cultured and fermented.

I decided to try my hand at this vegan cheese making.
My aim was to make a hard cheese, like cheddar or Manchego. To test the cultures, I first made cream cheese. Then spent many months making dryer, harder and aged cheeses.
Somehow I kept coming back to the cream cheese.

My dear wise wife one day looked at me and said,
” If the cream cheese works so well, why are you trying to make other things? make the cream cheese!”

 

Cultured & Fermented

The fermentation makes all the difference.

The fermentation’s the thing. When cultures are added to a medium, with a little time and controlled temperature, the nature of the carbohydrates / sugars change. The result is a unique and desirable tangy taste.

Fermentation – an age old method of preserving food naturally without chemicals!

Vegan Cream Cheese Choice

 

We want choice in our food. Why?  Perhaps because we are all individuals and each of us have our own tastes, likes and dislikes.
My mother said, “you should have three types” … so I took her advice, sort of, we now have four and soon maybe five!

My initial flavour was Garlic & Chives, to me, irresistible. Someone said, you should have a plain one, Natural so it can be eaten savoury or with sweet things, so I did. And to make up the third choice, I thought of Smoked Paprika & Onion. A friend really liked it, so that was settled… and then there others who did not like onion or garlic, so we developped the Cracked Black Pepper … we try to be obliging to our customers.

Natural

– Organic cashew nuts
– Filtered water ( to make the cream )
– Cultures
– Sea salt

Garlic & Chives

– Organic cashew nuts
– Filtered water ( to make the cream )
– Cultures
– Sea salt
– Organic garlic & chives

Cracked Black

– Organic cashew nuts
– Filtered water ( to make the cream )
– Cultures
– Sea salt
– Organic cracked black pepper 

Smoked Paprika

– Organic cashew nuts
– Filtered water ( to make the cream )
– Cultures
– Sea salt
– Organic smoked paprika & onion

Stockists

Hungry Soul Vegan Cheese

Ennis

   Meanwell

   The Health Connection

   Open Sesame 

Ennistymon

   The Aloe Tree

   The Cheese Press

Kilrush

   Celestial Times

Scarriff – The Grainey 

 

 

Limerick City 

     

     Eats of Eden – City centre

     Horans Health Store – William St

     Nature’s Hand – Castletroy SC

     Nature’s Hand – Dooradoyle, Crescent SC

     Nourish – Jetland SC

     Urban Co-op – Eastway Business Park, Ballysimon

 

Newcastle West

      Sonas Health Foods 

 

Milltown

   The Organic Store

Kenmare

   Heidi Ryan’s

   The Pantry Health Store

Tralee

   Manna Organic

   Nourish

   Rustic Boowa

   The Cheese Shop

Ventry

   Siopa Ui Luing – Ventry Post Office

 

 

Westport – This Must Be the Place  

 

 

Ballincollig – Quay Coop

Ballinspittle – Gather Community Grocery

Bandon – An Tobairin

                – Urru Culinary Foods

Bantry – Organico 

Carrigaline – Quay Coop

                       – The Gourmet Pantry      

Charleville – New Leaf  

Clonakilty – The Olive Branch

Cork City – Quay Coop – Sullivan’s Quay

                   – The Good Food Shop – English Market

                   – Nourish – Bandon Road

                   – Here’s Health – Oliver Plunkett St.

                   – Here’s Health – Douglas SC

                   – Here’s Health – Wilton SC

                   – Fitzpatricks Foodstore – Glouthane

                   – JJ O’Driscoll Superstore

                   – Menloe Stores

                   – Bradley’s Specialist Off-licence

                   – O’Keeffe’s Shop

Kinsale – The Gourmet Pantry 

Kanturk – New Leaf 

Millstreet – Capabu Foods

Midelton – Well & Good 

Scull – Roaring Waters 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Briarhill – The Health Store

Caherlea – Green Earth Organics

Galway City

   Evergreen – Eyre Square SC

   Evergreen – Galway Shopping Centre

   Evergreen – Knocknacarra

   Evergreen – Mainguard Street

   Evergreen – Westside

   Morton’s of Galway – Salt Hill

   Nourish – Knocknacarra

Gort – Open Sesame

Kilcolgan – Gran Gran’s Pantry 

Kinvara – Siar Cafe

Loughrea

      Apple Health Foods

     The Happy Loaf Bakery

Moycullen – Replenish

Oranmore – Evergreen

 

 

DUBLIN CITY

Dublin North Side

     – Bang Bang Cafe – Phibsborough

     – Lilliput Stores – Stoneybatter

     – Lotts & Co – Clontarf

     – Nolans – Clontarf

     – Noms – Phibsborough

     – Nourish – Donaghmede

     – Nourish – Blanchardstown

     – The Fresh Market – Marino

Dublin South Side

     – Dublin Food Coop – Kilmainham

     – Fallon & Byrne – Exchequer St

     – Fresh Avenue – Ballinteer

     – Green Door Market – Bluebell

     – Lotts & Co – Beggar’s Bush

     – Lotts & Co – Terenure

     – Marlowe & Co – The Tenders

     – Nourish – Leopardstown

     – Nourish – Stephen’s Green

     – Nourish – Wicklow Street

     – Small Changes – Inchicore

     – The Fumbally – The Liberties  

     – The Hopsack – Rathmines

     – Wilde & Green – Miltown

South Dublin 

     – Barnhill Stores – Dalkey

     – Cavistons – Glasthule

     – Nourish – Cornelscourt

     – Nourish – Beacon Court

     – Whole Health – Ballybrack

 

DUBLIN COUNTY

Rathcoole

     – Nature’s Gold – Avoca

 

Bray

– Get Fresh

– Kilruddery Farm Shop

Greystones

– Nature’s Gold

Wicklow Town

– An Tairseach Organic 

– Refresh Health

Collooney

– Nook Cafe

Easkey

– Pudding Row

Sligo Town

– The Wellness Shop 

– Tir na Nog 

Strandhill 

– Shells Cafe

Enniscorthy 

     Evolv

New Ross

     In a Nutshell

     Ronan’s Full & Planty

     

Nenagh – Horan’s Health

Roscrea – Healthy Vision 

Thurles – Health & Harmony

Portlaois – Fruit’N Nut

Donegal Town – Simple Simon

Letterkenny – The Natural Way

 

Birr – The Organic Shop

Waterford City – Ardkeen Stores

Trim – Cult Zero

Kilkenny

   Food for Life

   The Little Green Grocer

   The Natural Health Store

Longford Town – Golden Healthstore

Carlow Town

       Alive & Well

Belfast City

     Natures Way – Newtownards Rd

What people are saying about our cheese.

” … Wow ! This is sooooo good”.
Michelle, after her first taste of Garlic & Chives

“… I ate them all myself and did not even share 😉 … I NEED MORE, please,”. Julie, Wickham Way

” … Mmmmmn,” followed by a long silent pause , “I would not know this was vegan, it tastes just like other cream cheese.”. Cesar, Chef of Republic of Grill

” … this is the best vegan cheese I have ever tasted.”. Pablo ( from Chile visiting Ireland )