Well, it's almost out. Just another couple of months, and this baby will hit the shelves. In fact, it's available for pre-order right now on Amazon. Vegan cheeses like you've never had - ones that are rich and creamy, sharp and hard, gooey and meltable, complex and nutty. To name a few, there's brie, camembert, sharp cheddar, gouda, even a parmesan that grates. And to tempt you, here's a photo of a cheese platter from my book.
 |
| Cheese Platter - Boursin, Sundried Tomato Cheese, Gruyere, Peppercorn Brie, Muenster, Gouda |
Indeed, if you venture into the land of homemade vegan cheese, know ahead of time that they are a labor of love. And love requires patience. But you will be justly rewarded: yes, the Sharp Cheddar you make today will be nuttier, more complex, and richer in flavor three months from now. And if you can't wait that long, there are quickie recipes where you can reap the rewards almost instantly. But the best results come with a bit of patience, even if only a few days.
What distinguishes the cheese recipes in this book is that most of them are cultured. Recipes for delicious raw nut cheeses abound, and some of my cheeses borrow principles from them. But I don't stop there. I take them a few steps further, flavoring them, coaxing them, culturing them, and aging them to transform them into a variety of textures, flavors and hardness. You'll even find cheeses that actually melt and ooze, while being made from real, whole foods.
Finally, because these cheeses can be used just like their dairy counterparts in all sorts of cooking, there are chapters filled with delicious concoctions made with them, just in case you had forgotten how to cook with cheese. Not just vegan mac and cheese - although I don't leave that out - but Porcini and Gruyere Croquettes, Cheese Gnocchi, Artichokes Stuffed with Almonds and Cheese, Chile Rellenos, Brie en Croute....
 |
| Cauliflower Gratin |
 |
| Chocolate Chestnut Cannoli, Tiramisu |
To pre-order, here's the link again on Amazon.
Congratulations, Miyoko! I'm so glad this is finally happening after such a long (for us!) wait.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to try them - they look fantastic, and such an interesting process!
Thanks! Hope you do give them a try.
DeleteOh my god, am I dreaming? Thanks very much, Miyoko!
ReplyDeletei am afraid to ask...is there oil in them? I assume they are not lowfat.
ReplyDeleteBenjamin, the majority do not contain oil, although the ones that melt need oil (unfortunately). There are also recipes for super low-fat ones that are not cultured, but still delicious.
DeleteI think you're amazing! Why don't you have a national food show on networks like the Food Channel? Who do I need to call? Where's petition for me to sign? :-) I'm really excited about the latest book!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Denise! What sweet comments! I would LOVE to have a show on the Food Network! In the meantime, please check out my shows on YouTube at the Miyoko's Kitchen channel. I will also be on a public television show called Vegan Mash-Up in the fall.
DeleteAre there any blue cheeses in your book?
ReplyDeleteEverything looks delicious. I'll be pre-ordering.
I do wish I could hit upon a credible recipe for blue cheese, but alas, I have been unsuccessful to date. I have been working on this for awhile, but the particular flavor of blue cheese, from a mold, has not been duplicatable with plant-based ingredients. I have tried using noni, which is reminiscent of blue cheese, as well as tried numerous recipes offered by other vegan chefs on the internet, but none of them come close to the real thing. My intention with the book was only to provide recipes that came really, or reasonably close, to the real thing. I have not given up on blue cheese yet, as it was definitely one of my favorites!
DeleteCongratulations Miyoko. I am looking forward to your book and making the recipes in it. Most of us could use more culure in our life.
ReplyDeleteI was just alterted by someone on Twitter that the title of this post ought to be Sneak Peek not Sneak Peak. The latter is correct.
ReplyDeleteI am stil thrilled to see this either way.
Yes, Jill, it should absolutely be "Peek!" I'm sure the spelling of Sneak crept in somehow...very funny. I usually catch these things.
DeleteI will be buying that book...Hopefully it will be available in Australia! If not, I am just going to have to put in some detective work! YUMMMMMM!
ReplyDeleteYou can preorder Artisan Vegan Cheese through Fishpond (www.fishpond.com.au), or you could always preorder through Amazon. :-)
ReplyDeleteI just went to The Book Depository and pre-ordered it. No postage charges from the U.K. to Australia (or anywhere in the world for that matter)...can't do better than that!
DeleteLooks wonderful. I am a big vegan cheese fan, can't wait to try the fermented versions. Looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteLinda (from the Netherlands)
Hello, I can't wait to get this book and try some cheeses. I have two questions. Is Miso one of the main ingredients in the recipes? Can I culture the cheeses with probiotic capsules instead of Rejuvelac? Miso is not available in my country and whole grains are difficult to find. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMiso is a flavoring in only some of the cheeses, not all. You can always just add salt. You can culture with probiotic capsules but I can't tell you how much - you'll have to experiment. My experience with several brands is that they all differ in strength. I avoided using them because they are expensive. I tried to focus on ingredients that are more universally available, as much as possible (you can make rejuvelac and yogurt at home cheaply; a bottle of probiotics might be $20, and many are not vegan at all). What country are you in? I'm just curious about the unavailability of whole grains.
DeleteI have two books on pre-order, August can not come fast enough! Love your other books too. I am slowly learning to cook all over, thanks so much.
DeleteThank you! I hope you enjoy it!
DeleteAmazing recipes.. I like it. Thanks for sharing this information Php Web Development
ReplyDeleteSo excited for your book! Thanks for the teaser! I've already decided the brie en croute is going to be on my thanksgiving/christmas appetizer to-do list. And later this week I will be making your buffalo mozzarella for my mom because caprese salad used to be one of her faves b4 she went vegan.
ReplyDeleteLOVE your videos!
Thanks!
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteDo you use alcohol (wine etc) in the recipes?
There are a few recipes that do use wine (for flavor). You can omit if you like. The majority of recipes do not use alcohol.
DeleteOh im tempted by this, im a vegetarian (15yrs) but cutting out dairy for my 6mth old baby. Do you think these take some skill to make? Im going to miss having cheese the most i think. Im especially wondering if there is a suitable pizza cheese? ;) Thanks so much. You are amazing for creating this book too!!
ReplyDeleteThe Meltable Mozzarella is perfect for pizza. I just served it at a large party and people were raving. Best to use higher heat - 400 degrees or above. I use 450 to bake a pizza, using a pre-heated stone. Makes all the difference on how the crust turns out, too.
DeleteWOW thank you so much, is this the mozzarella recipe ive found on your site, plus the extra oil? How exciting :D I think i might have to invest in your book... They all just looks too tempting i want to try them all :)
DeleteI'm so excited about this book. But does it take two months to make a cheese? What would be the shortest time for a nice Parmesan type of cheese?
ReplyDeleteSomeone just told me that after 8 days of air-drying the parmesan that he got impatient and dried it in his convection oven at low. He said that he was "stunned" how remarkably close it was to the dairy version. Anyway, the book contains cheeses that are almost instant, to those that take a day or two, to those that take a few weeks. There is a variety.
DeleteI am making your cream cheese and it is getting a hard crust on it. Is this normal, and how do I make the final product smooth again?
ReplyDeleteDid you cover the cheese? If you covered it (either with plastic wrap or a lid), it shouldn't get a crust. If you forgot to cover it and a crust formed, just scrape it off.
DeleteHey Miyoko. Thanks you so much for creating this book. I can wait to try all of the recipes. I am in the midst of air drying the herb encrusted chevre and I just finished with the brie. The consistency was spot on but my brie had a sour or kind of vinegar taste to it. Is it possible that I let the base culture too long on the counter? Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteJohn from Pa
Yes, it sounds like you let it culture too long on the counter. You have to taste it a couple of times per day and then stop when it's right. My suggestion is that you wrap it in puff pastry and bake it. Serve it as a brie en croute where the sharpness will be appreciated. Good luck!
Deletei've never tried noni. would i be able to use this in your recipes in lieu of nutritional yeast (which i can't consume as it's a major migraine trigger for me) or would there be a better substitute?
ReplyDeleteNutritional yeast isn't used in every recipe. It is critical for the flavor of some of them, however. That being said, it may be possible to substitute miso for some of the recipes that only call for a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast. Noni has a stinky, blue cheese flavor, and I use it to make a cambozola (a brie-type cheese with a hint of blue). I originally had a crumbly, aged blue cheese in the book, but took it out because the flavor of the noni seemed to dissipate over time. I'm still working on that recipe, but the cambozola works pretty well. Because noni has a cheesy flavor, it might work in other recipes as well. Note that it is very expensive - about $20 per small bottle, but it seems to last awhile in the fridge. Expect more recipes in the future with it.
Delete