Surprisingly Cheese-like - Kite Hill Truffle, Dill, and Chive Vegan Cheese

Since I went vegan last year, I've been on the hunt for good vegan cheese. As you might imagine, it can be pretty hard to find. Most of don't taste like cheese, don't melt like cheese, or are just plain old nasty. I've gotten creative and can make some great cashew cream "cheese" sauces, but...in terms of eating a big old hunk of cheese, most of the kinds of vegan cheese I've tried have fallen short. (unless they're homemade - I know some folks who make a mean vegan cheese in their own kitchens)

Until I tried Kite Hill cheese over the weekend. Now, this isn't your typical hunk of vegan cheese. It's "artisanal nut milk based cheese, " which means it's high quality, and high priced cheese. (one container will run you about $11.99 at Whole Foods)

Kite Hill Truffle, Dill, and Chive Vegan Cheese

There were 3 varieties of Kite Hill cheese available at my local Whole Foods. I decided to try out the truffle, dill, and chive variety. My non-vegan fiance and I tried it out on some crackers. You could definitely taste the dill, but it wasn't overpowering. The texture was a little different than I expected. My fiance compared it to ricotta cheese. I was surprised at how light and airy it was. I expected it to be a bit denser. But it was definitely flavorful and a great substitute for "real" cheese. I think it would be great crumbled up and put in a pasta dish or on a salad. Or probably even on a pizza. I wonder if it melts? The only bad thing about this cheese is the packaging, I think. It comes in a non-sealable container, so if you don't plan on eating the whole thing, you'll have to get creative and find a good way to store it. 

It makes me happy to see that there's a market for high quality vegan cheeses. As more and more people embrace a plant based lifestyle, I can't wait to see what other good "fakes" are developed. 

Do you have a favorite non-dairy cheese?