Fauxmage vegan cheese — a new cultured nut cheese

Vegan cheeses seem to be multiplying like cat hairs on a couch — every time I go shopping there are new ones I haven't heard of. We were recently gifted with two flavors of Fauxmage, a brand new vegan cultured soft cheese being made right here in Seattle, by Brooke Young. Spreading the delicious cheese on crackers and munching away made me reflect on how much our access to vegan specialty foods has  changed since I first became vegan in 1981. We had things like dried beans, grains, tofu, and a couple of cookbooks in case we wanted to make special items like "cheese sauce" or seitan. I had a copy of "The Farm Cookbook" with a recipe for a cheesy sauce I used for pizza, enchiladas or lasagna. I also had a recipe for tofu cream cheese, that I made on occasion. In 1998, "The Uncheese Cookbook" was published, and more recipes became available.

Most of the time, though, we just enjoyed plant-based cooking that didn't try to replicate the animal foods we had left behind. I was never much of a processed-foods consumer, and since there were very few vegan fast foods accessible when I became vegan, I didn't get into the habit of using them regularly. Even now that so much is available, we don't depend much on packaged vegan foods, though we do sample them on occasion. However, I'm definitely happy to see all the current vegan foods at one's disposal to help new vegans and potential vegans transition to a plant-based diet. I know how hard it can be to let go of certain foods — especially cheese. Although it was more than 30 years ago, I vividly recollect my hallucination of pizza slices with extra, molten mozzarella, floating past my eyes at the moment I decided to stop consuming dairy. This is the truth, not a joke.



I know many vegans are fervently attached to one vegan cheese or another, but my husband and I have never been impressed enough in the past with any of them to make them more than a very occasional part of our diet. Many of the standard vegan cheeses are made from ingredients that, to me, don't seem worth eating, but now that the newest versions of cultured nut cheeses have appeared, we find ourselves splurging on one variety or another — usually Miyoko's Kitchen. (That is, if I don't make my own cashew cheese from one of Miyoko Schinner's recipes.) When Brooke offered sample containers of her new cheese, Fauxmage, we were curious, and happily agreed to try it. And we were impressed. It's amazing how some tastes and textures come flooding back no matter how long it's been since you've tasted them, and I think cheese is one of those items.

Here's what Brooke says about Fauxmage on her Web site:
"The future of food is here! All of our cheeses are 100% dairy free with real, live, active cultures and are healthier for people and the planet than traditional dairy products. Our cheese is raw, vegan, Paleo, as well as gluten-free and cholesterol-free. We make our cheeses by hand, in small batches, to ensure the highest quality. We don’t use any oils, gums, starches or thickeners, so with Fauxmage you get all cheese and no fillers. We source our spices from World Spice Merchants in the heart of Pike Place Market and grind them fresh for each batch."



We are enjoying both flavors, and I encourage you to give Fauxmage a try. The cheeses are spreadable and delicious, with subtle flavors in a creamy base — delectible! Good ingredients and good taste! Do you have a favorite vegan cheese?

(Ingredients, Herbes de Provence: cashews, herbes de provence, garlic, lemon juice, salt, cultures.

Ingredients, Rooster Spice: cashews, Mama Lil’s pickled peppers, spice blend, garlic, lemon juice, salt, cultures.) The Rooster Spice cheese has a spicy kick.


Hop over to the Fauxmage Web site to find out more about the cheese and where it can be purchased. 

(Photo of a Fauxmage advertising post card.)

One last little thought. I hate to be extra picky, but I have to point out the cheeses aren't organic, and there are a few ingredients that may be of concern if you worry about GMOs or pesticides. For example, the Rooster Spice contains Mama Lil's peppers in canola oil, which is possibly a GMO oil, and I don't usually buy peppers unless they're organic because they are such a heavily sprayed crop. I haven't asked Brooke about this yet so take my warning with a grain of salt. It may not be an issue, but I'm offering the information in case it is important to you.

UPDATE!!! 
The canola oil in the peppers (that flavor the cheese) is certified non-gmo. Also, Brooke has switched to organic cashews but must use up her old labels for financial reasons. It's too expensive for a small company to print all-new labels.

Easy vegan scallion-crushed red pepper jack cheese

UPDATE: The last two times I made this recipe it failed to firm-up properly and I don't know why. I suggest that no one try to make it until I figure out what's going wrong and fix it! I'll remove this notice when I get it right.

In my last post I talked about a dinner party we hosted, and how I made so much food I couldn't talk about it all in one story. This is a continuation. I previously mentioned the mini-omelets we had as part of the appetizer assortment.  In addition to the omelets, I also made a nacho dip and a sliceable vegan cheese. You can read about the fabulous nacho dip (from Miyoko Schinner) and find a recipe link and how-to video, here. What I want to tell you about now is the cheese.

A wedge from the round cheese — roasted peppers and scallions.

Vegan cheese isn't one of my favorite food groups. It makes up a very small part of my diet, and I almost never buy it, unless I'm really curious about a new brand, or someone is coming for dinner who I know is a fan. One thing I can tell you, though, is when I eat vegan cheese, I don't really care if it tastes exactly like dairy cheese, as long as it tastes good. Vegan cheese has to be worth eating on its own terms, not because it tastes like something else. And it has to be made from ingredients that, in my opinion, are worth eating! Fermented nut cheeses, for example, are real food and real cheese, but I don't like the idea of eating some of the other commercial vegan cheeses — something made of fat and starch — just because it is cheese-like. That might not be the most popular opinion, judging from the tidal wave of vegan cheeses on the market, but that's how I feel. I know cheese is very hard to give up, and I appreciate that. I was there. Now that I don't need cheese to be happy (:D) I only want to eat vegan cheese that's worth eating. Or not at all. I've made cheeses that I thought were really good, but except for cream cheese-type-cheeses, they didn't make me think I was eating dairy cheese, and that's okay. I've had people say tell me that they can't understand the concept of 'vegan cheese.' If you want cheese they say, why not just eat 'real' cheese. Well, I could give you a few dozen reasons, starting with animal cruelty, global weather change, food equity, etc., but I don't really want to get into all that here. I just want to share a recipe that I've become extremely fond of. It is cheese-like, tastes really good, satisfies certain textural and taste cravings, and isn't filled with added oils.

One of the reasons I write this blog is to provide ideas for new vegans, or those just looking for a vegan-friendly dish or two, so even if a certain food category isn't a priority for me (like cheese), I still try out recipes in case someone else might enjoy it. But I never post recipes I haven't tried and really like a lot. Which brings me to today's recipe for vegan pepper jack cheese, or, in this case, vegan scallion-crushed red pepper cheese.
 

A thin slice of the scallion-pepper flake cheese.

I found the recipe for Vegan pepper jack cheese on Baked In (Sept. 2014). But after further checking before posting it here, I see that Julie from Baked In found the recipe on Nouveau Raw (Oct. 2013). The only difference in ingredients I could see between the two versions, was that on Nouveau Raw the recipe contained one and one half tablespoons of agar agar, and on Baked In it contained two tablespoons. I tried the Baked In recipe as written, and I found the cheese a bit too jelled — if you know what I mean. I served it as appetizer to a mix of vegans and omnivores, who liked it fine, and gobbled it up. It's a very good recipe as is, but the texture just wasn't my cup of tea; it reminded me too much of extra firm jello. Texture can be a personal hangup. I tried the recipe again with less agar agar and more tahini, as well as a few other changes, but the same group of people preferred the first version. Oh well.

Scallion and pepper flake cheese melted in the microwave.

I tried it a few more times, and am finally delighted with the result. It's softer and creamier than the original, but still can be thinly sliced — and it melts! I put a cracker with a slice of cheese on it into the microwave for 15 seconds, and it melted, and tasted great. (I haven't tried melting it in the oven, yet.) I gave a melted sample to my husband and he was uncharacteristically enthusiastic. He also loved the unmelted version. I made the latest version with green onions and crushed red pepper flakes because when I went to get the roasted peppers from the refrigerator, they were gone. The green onions made for a great-tasting cheese, and I think I might use green onions again next time I make the cheese.

I'm providing a recipe for my latest version of the cheese, and the one that I like best of all the ones I've tried. I've made it in so many variations, that giving it a name seems kind of hard. I've made it with olives, peppers, green onions, sun dried tomatoes, and various combinations of these. They were all good, and, if I didn't plan ahead, the add-ins I used depended on what I had on hand. The cheese takes about 20 minutes (or less) to mix up, and an hour in the refrigerator. If you have a high powered blender, you don't have to soak the cashews or seeds, but if not, soak them for two to four hours, drain well, and be sure the blended mixture is super creamy with no trace of grit. You may want to use a food processor instead, to make blending and cleanup easier. The first few times I made the recipe, I formed it in a 7"x2" round pan because I thought the round cheese looked cool, and I liked slicing it into wedges. But for the most recent version I used a 4"x8" loaf pan, and I think I like the rectangular slices better. I think you'll like this as much as I do. It's so easy to make you can whip it up spur of the moment, or it makes a great make-ahead snack for a party. You may want to try the original version instead of mine, but either way, try it. Do you have a favorite vegan cheese? Is having vegan cheese in the pantry important to you? Do you care if it tastes like dairy cheese?

Vegan scallion-crushed red pepper cheese

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder (I used toasted onion powder from Penzey's)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (I used coconut milk yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon agar agar powder (not flakes)
• 1 cup finely minced green onions (or jarred roasted peppers, or calamata olives, raw red or yellow peppers, roasted red peppers, jalapenos — whatever)
• 1 tablespoon dried pepper flakes (optional)

pan suggestions: 7" x 2" round or 8" x 4" x 3" loaf pan

1. If you don't have a high speed blender, soak the cashews and seeds for two to four hours and drain. If your blender isn't very powerful, use a food processor.
2. Prepare the pan. For a round pan, cut a round piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan. For a loaf pan, cut a piece of parchment paper to cover the bottom and extend up the two long sides. It's not necessary to oil the pan.
3. Place the almond milk, sunflower seeds, cashews, tahini, nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked Spanish paprika, yogurt and lemon juice into the blender jar. Blend until very smooth and creamy with no trace of grit. The mixture will be extremely thick and you may have to give it a little stir at the top to get the vortex going.
4. Put the arrowroot powder into a small pot. Add the water and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the agar agar into the pot and let it sit a minute to soften. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once bubbling, turn the heat to simmer and cook, continuing to stir, about four minutes until the agar agar is completely dissolved and the mixture is translucent and thick.
5. Scrape the agar agar mixture into the blender and blend on high until thoroughly mixed. Turn the blender off and quickly add the pepper flakes and about 2/3 of the veggies. Turn the blender to low and blend for about two seconds (in a high speed blender) or until the veggies are as fine as you want them to be. You don't want them to disappear. Turn the blender off and quickly stir in the rest of the veggies. By leaving some of the veggies larger, you add color and interest to the cheese. You can, if you wish, stir all the veggies in by hand.
6. Immediately use a silicone scraper to scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Allow to cool, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 
7. Unmold onto a plate and sprinkle with paprika, chopped scallions, or decorate as you wish.

FYI: As soon as the agar agar mix is blending, soak the pot right away in hot water, not cold. Cold water will cause the mixture to immediately jell and adhere to the pot. You can still get it off, but it will be harder. Agar agar jell will solidify even at room temperature, so the faster you get hot water into the pot, the better.

Here's a link to a blog post about arrowroot and kudzu on Real Food for Life that you might find interesting. I haven't checked out the claims recently, but I remember hearing the same information years ago when I was macrobiotic.

P.S. 

As long as I'm talking about cheesey foods, I want to repeat my recommendation to try Miyoko Schinner's nacho (queso) dip made from butternut squash. None of my dinner guests could guess what the main ingredient was. One person said, "It tastes just like cheese." It's now one of my three favorite hot dips. And you don't have to use it just for a dip. You could make mac 'n cheese with it, or you could spread the leftovers (if there are any) over roasted brussels sprouts. :D

Seattle Vegfest 2015 (nachos included)

I've been told that Vegetarians of Seattle was the first group to coin the name "Vegfest." Now, it seems everywhere you turn there's a vegfest going on, one more bountiful than the next. I'm not complaining; the more vegfests there are, the more people are exposed to the idea of following a plant-based diet, and the fewer animals have to suffer. Of course, I'm not sure I've ever seen an actual vegetable at Vegfest, but rather a mind-boggling array of edible products made without the use of animal-derived products. Seattle Vegfest wasn't entirely vegan, but it seemed that more items than ever were vegan this year. And a large number of the products were gluten-free as well.



This year our plan was to attend two cooking demos, then wander the hall tasting the products that were most appealing to us. Miyoko Schinner did a demo on vegan cheese, of course. She made two things — a butternut squash nacho cheese sauce, and a cream cheese and lox spread. I have actually made the smokey chipotle no-queso nacho sauce before (recipe on page 63 in Artisan Vegan Cheese, or by following this link) and it's delicious, and I've made the cashew cheese (Artisan Vegan Cheese) but haven't turned it into a lox and cream cheese spread ... yet. Miyoko was very entertaining — even singing to us. I had no idea she was a singer, but apparently, at one point in her life, she sang jazz in clubs! Huh. You can watch her make the nacho sauce in a video from her TV show, above.

I've written more about making cheese from Artisan Vegan Cheese, here.

Similar to, but not exactly, the spring roll from the demo.

Our second demo was by Chat Mingkwan, who has written a whole slew of Asian Fusian cookbooks. He made fresh spring rolls and a spicy dipping sauce. I thought I knew how to hold my chef knife, but now, thanks to Chat Mingkwan, I know I've been doing it wrong. What a difference it makes to hold it correctly. Tonight as I type, my husband is in the kitchen making pho from the new Vietnamese Fusion cookbook he bought at Vegfest. I wish he were making spring rolls to go with it.

Here are a few of the vegan foods we sampled at Vegfest. I'm not really a great fan of vegan cheese — maybe it's because I never was a big dairy-cheese eater except for mozzarella and sharp cheddar. Maybe a little brie. Or maybe it's because I've been vegan so long I don't crave dairy cheese anymore. But, I always taste the cheese offerings at Vegfest, just to see if any of them can change my mind about vegan cheese. I LIKED the Punk Rawk Labs cheese — a lot. Punk Rawk Labs is owned and operated by three women who make fermented nut cheeses in Minnesota, and if you want vegan cheese, try some of this.

I also liked Vtopian cheese. And Miyoko's Creamery double cream chive, which had a lovely sweet and mild creamy taste.

I was curious about the new Follow Your Heart block cheeses. Follow Your Heart has always been the vegan cheese I liked best in the past. The provolone I sampled at Vegfest wasn't bad, though not as flavorful as dairy provolone, but the mozzarella was spot on. I'm not comparing it to fresh, artisan mozzarella, but to a standard cheese you might buy in the supermarket. Eating it plain was appealing in both taste and texture. What isn't appealing to me is the ingredient list. You may not feel this way, and I respect that, but I can't see any reason (for me) to eat it when there are so many delicious, real foods to eat instead. I'd rather eat a fermented nut cheese, but if you are absolutely craving a mozzarella fix, try Follow Your Heart. The factory is solar powered, and the company is extremely ethical in all its practices.

What you're looking at is sipping broth. It's meant as a satisfying snack instead of a mug of tea. It was really delicious, and maybe I could get used to sipping broth.

If you're into vegan meats, you would probably like Beyond Meat. It had a very good taste and texture.

Might as well include the Sorta Sausage here, too. I'm sorry to say I have no memory of eating it, but my husband says it tastes sorta like sausage and is sorta good.

I had a little shock when I picked up and consumed a small cup of probiotic drink at the Firefly table. It was exactly like drinking sauerkraut juice. I probably won't be buying any, but I like other Firefly products a lot — especially the kimchi. It's made here in Seattle. Do you see the book in the photo? It's a book about fermentation written by the people who make Firefly cultured foods, and I have a copy sitting on my pile of books I'm supposed to review. One of these days. One of these days.

I don't know how much squash is actually in a serving of chips, but they sure tasted good!

GT's is our favorite brand of kombucha, and ginger is our favorite flavor. We went back to the GT's table quite a few times to sample the kombucha in between our other indulgences. The citrus tastes a lot like the ginger, and also is an excellent flavor.

The Purple Sunrise breakfast cereal was a pleasant surprise. After indulging in chips, cheese, ice cream, etc., the little cup of cooked mush required will power to consume, but I'm glad I made the effort. It's made on Camano Island, not far from Seattle, and I'm going to include a blurb from their Web site rather than try to describe it myself.

Product Description
Purple Sunrise™ – The hot cereal that tastes like cookies.
Whole Grain Gluten-Free, an exotic blend of rare ancient grains, nuts and rices. It is a SUPERFOOD powerhouse with knock-your-socks-off taste.

This isn’t your mother’s oatmeal. In fact, it is great for people who may want an alternative to oatmeal. Purple Sunrise contains an ancient rice that only Emperors were allowed to eat, hence the name “forbidden rice” and the purple color. You can have this incredible superfood and 9 other grains or seeds in one powerhouse cereal with taste that will knock your socks off.

Take the best certified organic ancient grains and rices, mill them and package them in just minutes from the process, add an oxygen absorber and put it all in a high-barrier foil bag and you will have the freshest tasting cereal available.

If you like the taste of Mandel Bread, you will love this cereal.

100% Certified Organic Grains and Seeds, Non-GMO, Vegan, Non-Oat, and Gluten-Free. No wheat or animal products are used or have ever been used in any part of the production process.

Almonds, Amaranth, Brown Basmati Rice, Short Grain Brown Rice, Canahua, Forbidden Rice, Buckwheat, Chia, Flax, Millet, with vanilla and almond flavors. No preservatives added.

What would Vegfest be without So Delicious. Seriously, I would have been mighty disappointed if I hadn't had my ice cream treat. I was hoping to try the new cashew milk ice cream, but had to settle for an coconut almond mini bar instead. Poor me. So delicious.

Here's a snack I really liked — flavored nori. I tried the chipotle. The excess packaging is the main problem, though I was told the nori is also available in full sheets in family-sized packages. I don't know exactly how much the packages contain or what they cost.

I tasted quite a few of the Way Better chips, and they were excellent. There were several flavors available, and I didn't really have a favorite. They were all good.

I'm getting fatigued writing this post, and you're probably tired of reading it, if you've gotten this far, so I'll leave you with one last oddity. When I stopped by the Someday Farm Vegan B&B table to chat with owner, Jill, I was confused by a large poster she had laminated and put on her table.

Last year.

 I had created a tee shirt with this design on the front many years ago, and I knew Jill owned one, because she wore it to Vegfest last year. I asked her where she got the poster, and she said she'd had it printed at Cafepress, where my tee-shirt is for sale. Lots of people who stopped by her table wanted one! I felt bad that I hadn't made a more decorative poster, but I had originally intended the design to be on a shirt, and it was a lot to fit on as it was. I'll have to think about this and come up with a more poster-friendly design.

By the way, if you're ever in the Pacific Northwest looking for a fabulous place to stay for a couple of days,  I highly recommend Someday Farm B&B on Whidbey Island for wonderful accommodations and excellent breakfasts! I posted about my visits here, and here.

The best tofu cream cheese

We were supposed to go to a solstice party tonight and my husband made a big pot of chili to take along, but the weather is so nasty and we've turned into such wimps, that we've decided to stay home and watch a movie instead. I'm really disappointed about this but the thought of driving on slippery, snowy roads just doesn't appeal. By early yesterday morning we had nearly a foot of snow and stayed home from work as the schools were all closed the roads were pretty bad. I wasn't feeling that great so the day at home was welcome, but it's snowing again and we're supposed to get four to five more inches tonight. We are on track to break last year's snow record of 101 inches. In fact, we're way ahead. At least we've got that pot of chili on the stove.

We've been going to quite a few parties lately where we had to bring a dish along. It started me thinking about the good old tofu cream cheese that I used to tote to every event. I haven't made it in years, but I dug up the recipe since it's party season, and this was a dish that everyone, vegans and omnivores, all seemed to like. It never failed that at least one person (usually more) at every event would ask who made it and request the salty-tangy recipe. There were times when I was hesitant to say the word "tofu," if you know what I mean. And the ingredients are not the most common, everyday sort.

I learned to make it during the years when we were macrobiotic, and I really don't know where the recipe came from. Maybe I got it at a cooking class or lecture. I've looked for similar recipes on the Internet but haven't seen anything quite like this one.

There is one part in the recipe where you are supposed to press the tofu for 30 minutes. At first I used to do this in my pickle press, but when pinched for time I used extra firm tofu and skipped it. I think the texture is slightly better when the tofu is pressed but it's not that big a difference. Today the tofu I used seemed more watery than usual so I squeezed it between the layers of a thick waffle-weave kitchen towel. If you want to press it you can wrap it between layers of paper-or non-linty cotton towels, place it on a plate, and put something heavy on top.

The most important thing is to buy extra-firm water-packed tofu. It just doesn't work to use the pasteurized tofu in the box. (like Mori-nu) My favorite is Whitewave organic vacuum packed extra-firm tofu. Also, measure the tahini and umeboshi exactly! Exactly.

Tofu Cream cheese

• one pound extra-firm water-packed or vacuum-packed tofu (NOT Mori-nu)
• 1-1/2 level tablespoons umeboshi paste
• three tablespoons tahini (three VERY LEVEL tablespoons. Don't be generous.)
• three or four green onions, white and green parts

1. Place the tofu in a pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the tofu for two or three minutes.
2. Drain then press the tofu for 30 minutes. Or just drain it. (see story above)
3. Place the tofu, umeboshi and tahini in a food processor and process until creamy and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Finely slice the green onions and add to the processor. Pulse a few times to distribute them evenly but don't purée the onions.
5. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with paprika or a garnish of your choice.
6. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.
7. Serve as a spread for crackers or bagels or stuff into celery or cherry tomatoes.

This is a spread and is quite stiff. It has a consistency similar to cream cheese, but can be thinned to use as a dip.

UPDATE: OK, this may be the best tofu cream cheese, but I've discovered a better vegan cream cheese made from cashews. It's a dead ringer for the real thing and you can read about it here.

garbanzo cheese

There used to be a Country Life restaurant near our house. (If you're not familiar with Country Life Vegetarian Restaurants, they are a chain of restaurants associated with the Seventh Day Adventist church. I'm not sure of the exact relationship — franchises or independently owned — but in the case of our local Country Life, the restaurant was staffed and managed by members of the church. The restaurants promote the Adventist principle of keeping your body healthy by eating the highest quality food. This generally means vegan. There are other obvious items to be avoided, like alcohol and tobacco, and less obvious ones like cinnamon.)

Anyway, in addition to being the only vegan restaurant in town, Country Life was also very child-friendly. So, being vegans with three young children, we went there a lot. We got to know the managers pretty well and it got to be kind of like going to their house for dinner, except that we had to pay. Our children were never the kind that would be happy with a few bites from my plate. They were all hearty eaters who required full portions of food. They loved going to Country Life with its huge, comfortable room, fireplace and attached store, and where they could order anything on the menu. And they enjoyed the food. I usually ordered the salad bar — a wonderland of fresh salad ingredients with extras like chickpeas, olives and vegan potato salad.

Since the staff were not really professional restaurant people, this was not the sort of place you would go if you were in a hurry. Once we waited so long for our food, and the order was so confused, that they gave us the meal for free. We were quite comfortable with the pace and we liked going there. And even though they were all obviously "working in God's service," they never suggested we actually read the literature on the table, or pressed their religion on us.

The food was mostly familiar-sounding "comfort food," which is why I once got the (stupid) idea to take my parents there when they came to visit. I thought they would enjoy the food even though they weren't vegetarian. My father was not a patient man, but I thought we could all go out and enjoy a leisurely meal together. I mean, we could hang out, have conversation, enjoy each others company. Right? Well, I'll spare you the gory details, but I wasn't sure we'd be welcome again at Country Life after that night. But they were very gracious and understanding, of course, and we continued our visits there until the restaurant closed. (I can assure you we never returned there with my parents.)

We took a series of cooking classes at the restaurant and learned how to make tofu and other stuff and bought a couple of cookbooks. "Ten Talents" by John and Rosalie Hurd is a classic Seventh Day Adventist cookbook that has some weird and interesting recipes. We also have a "Country Life" cookbook, which brings me to the subject of this post. I've decided to revisit some of the old recipes I used to make. Some of the food seemed really good to me back then and I want to see if it still has appeal. I remember making garbanzo cheese and thinking it was so delicious, so I started with that. It isn't hard to make, but takes several days to sprout the beans. And the final step of cooking requires constant stirring for 25 minutes. It didn't seem as great this time around. But the process still fascinates me and the cheese is interesting and slice-able. Actually, I don't know why they called it "cheese." It's more like a garbanzo loaf. Today I wrapped some slices in a burrito with avocado and shredded lettuce and it tasted pretty good. Will I make it again? Maybe; it's strange, but it has a certain something that I find very compelling.

I fried a few slices in a tablespoon of oil until they were browned and crispy, and they were delicious. I gave some to my son, who had been grossed out by the stuff while I was cooking it, and he said it was really good.

Garbanzo cheese
Soak 1 cup dry garbanzos for 24 hours. Sprout for 48 hours. (To sprout, drain the beans and place them in a glass jar or ceramic bowl. Rinse and drain them twice a day. It helps to use beans that are not too old.)

Whiz in blender or food processor until smooth (really smooth):

• the soaked sprouted garbanzos
• 1/2 cup brazil or other nuts
• 1-1/4 teasp. onion powder
• 1-1/2 teasp. salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup yeast flakes (you know, nutritional yeast)
• 1/2 cup jarred pimentos
• 1/8 teasp. garlic powder
• caraway or celery seed (optional)

Place in double boiler and cook until thick, or cook in a saucepan over low heat, 20–25 minutes, stirring constantly. I used the sauce pan and medium heat because I didn't have the patience for low heat. This stuff burns in an instant and you have to be vigilant. If you keep stirring and scraping the pan bottom, it will cook more easily over medium heat. It gets quite thick. Pack it into a loaf pan rinsed in cold water. I used a 9" square pan because that's what I had. Chill thoroughly before slicing. Try frying some slices for breakfast.

Update: Oh no. I'm addicted to this stuff just like I used to be. Especially the fried version.

Grilled "cheese"

I got inspired by Vegan Dad's grilled cheese post, and I knew I had to have some. It's been so long since I've had this, and I just wanted a gooey, greasy, melty sandwich. I admit that I restrained myself in the greasy department and opted to lightly spray a non-stick griddle with olive oil and grill my sandwich like a responsible person, but thank goodness I have a bunch of the cheez stuff leftover and can go back and do it right! I mean, shouldn't a grilled cheese sandwich leave you with fingers to lick? I've photographed the responsible version, but you do what you think is best. I like to spread the outside of the bread with Earth Balance margarine and grill it until it's brown and toasty. The recipe comes from "The Uncheese Cookbook" and there are lots of versions of "cheese" to choose from. Naturally, I chose an easy one.

This makes a very thick cheez. If you want to use it right away to drizzle on pizza, use only half the arrowroot. You may also have to thin it down a bit by whisking it a little extra water.

Mostarella Cheeze
2 cups water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes (not brewers yeast powder)
1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)
1/4 cup tahini
4 tablespoons arrowroot (arrowroot melts when re-heated)
4 tablespoons FRESH lemon juice
1 tablespoon onion granules
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (if you like the taste of smoky provolone)

Process all ingredients in blender several minutes until very smooth.
Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until very thick and smooth.
Pack into a lightly oiled, 3-cup rectangular container.
Cool, cover and refrigerate overnight.

You can use this cheez right away for grilled cheese sandwiches and save the rest for another day. After it chills, you can sort of slice it. (Remember, I said "sort of.") I made sandwiches again with the leftovers and this time coated the outside of the bread with Earth Balance margarine before toasting it in my wok—more calories but more "authentic" look and taste.

Does this really taste like cheese? You know, it's made from yeast flakes and oats. That said, it makes a very tasty grilled sandwich and my kids always loved it on homemade pizza. It was also a component of my kids' favorite dish, enchiladas. I once gave a taste of something all hot and bubbly with cheez sauce to a friend who is not vegetarian, and asked her if it tasted like cheese. She said, "No. It doesn't taste like cheese, but it tastes great! What is it?" I've also taken the previously mentioned enchiladas to a potluck, where they were quickly devoured by an appreciative crowd. I haven't had cheese in more than 25 years - it tastes really good to me!

note: I just got a new copy of the updated Uncheese Cookbook now called "The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook" (my old copy is too decrepit to use any more) and there are two grilled cheese recipes - All American Grilled Cheez and Gooey Grilled Cheez. Get the book from the library and have fun. There are lots of interesting concoctions for when the dairybug comes whispering in your ear.

Can home-made pizza be fast?

Well, now, it depends on your definition of fast. In light of how long it can take to make pizza, yes, this recipe seems pretty fast to me. Is it easy? I think so but you'll have to decide for yourself. There are always short cuts for anything. No leftover pasta sauce in the fridge? You can always keep some emergency cans of pizza sauce on hand. Don't want to blend up a vegan cheese substitute? You can always buy some vegan mozzarella (Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet is a good choice) And there's the wonderful bread machine.

I once laughed my friend Deborah out of the house when she first rhapsodised about a new appliance that had just come out - the bread machine. Understand, she was talking to someone who had once taken a pottery class to create a huge bowl in which enough bread dough could be made to create four loaves of bread. I still have that bowl but it hasn't seen the light of day in years. I love my bread machine and without it there would probably be no pizza at our house. So, yes, making pizza dough seems quite do-able to me.

(I have a bread-making book called "The Bread Maker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart and it's an amazing book. Not fast. Not easy. It's an all-day (sometimes two-day) approach to making the best bread you've ever tasted. Sometimes I use the recipes and adapt them to my machine (just for making the dough, not for baking). I'm telling you this because if you really want to learn about bread-making, you might want to read this book.)

I'm about to simplify something that's not really so simple and that I've been trying to perfect for about 30 years. Anyway, I'm going to give the recipe I've been using pretty successfully and hope that it works for whoever tries it. Before scooping the flour into the measuring cup be sure to stir it up well to lighten it. And level off the cup with the flat side of a knife or chopstick.

into the breadmaker (I have a Breadman) put:
1 cup semolina flour (the yellow, sandy stuff meant for noodles and baking)
1 cup unbleached white flour (you can substitute 1 cup unbleached white for the semolina and just use 2 cups unbleached white)
2 cups white whole wheat flour
3 Tablespoons evaporated cane juice (like Sucanot)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking yeast (the kind called "instant yeast")
1 1/3 cups water
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil (optional)

Set the machine to make pizza dough. This will make enough for two large pizzas.
When the dough is ready, I put it into a bowl, spray with oil, cover with plasic wrap and a towel and let rise if I have time. If I'm in a hurry I just use it right away. Divide it in half and cover the part you're not using. Turn on the oven to 500˚. (I keep a baking stone in my oven at all times and bake my pizza on it. You should too.)

Sprinkle cornmeal on a large wooden board and roll out the dough very thin. I make it about 15" diameter to fit on my stone. I then put it onto a cornmeal-sprinkled wooden pizza paddle and cover it to rise while I cut the veggies. (The cornmeal sticks to the dough and prevents it from sticking to the stone. NEVER oil the stone. This is very important.) If you don't have a stone, put the dough on an oiled pizza pan to rise. I then thinly slice mushrooms, broccoli and onion. To use the Follow Your Heart cheese, slice about 1/2 of a bar as thinly as you can. It's easiest to slice across the end. This will be enough for two pies.

Spread sauce (you know, that leftover pasta sauce or stuff from a can or jar.) lightly on the dough. Use less than you think you'll need. Too much sauce makes a soggy pie. (Last night I made the best pizza ever and I was sure there wasn't enough sauce.) then arrange the cheese slices in a pattern around the pie. Next arrange the onion, then the mushrooms and broccoli. Sprinke the whole thing with oregano and spray with olive oil. Ease it onto the stone with the help of a spatula if necessary (or put the pan in the oven, near the bottom or on the bottom) and set the timer for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, lower the temerature to 350˚ and set the timer for 10 more minutes. Check the pizza and if it's all brown and delicious looking take it out. Or bake a little longer if it's not quite done. Cut and EAT.

As soon as the first pizza goes in the oven, start assembling the second so it can go in when the first comes out. Good luck.