I tried plant-based 'cheese' from a startup that claims it's the future of dairy
Kite Hill makes a variety of products, including a "soft fresh original" and a "soft ripened" cheese-like product, a cream cheese-style spread, and yogurt. (Under FDA regulations, the company can't use the word "cheese" in its products — a problem Hampton Creek encountered with its eggless "Just Mayo" mayonnaise alternative.)
Kite Hill isn't alone in their vegan cheese initiative. Lots of other plant-based cheeses exist, like the selection below. But while most vegan cheeses are made by basically blending whole ingredients like nuts or soybeans, Kite Hill's products are made from almond milk, using "traditional techniques" involving microbial cultures and enzymes, Sade said.
And unlike dairy-based cheeses, which are usually made from cultures fed on dairy-based microbial food, Kite Hill uses all plant-based microbial food, according to Sade.
Source: Kite Hill, Vegetarian times, One Green Planet
This process enables them to make a variety of dairy products that taste more authentic. They even make a yummy-looking ricotta "cheesecake."
Kite Hill's products are sold at Whole Foods stores nationwide. I stopped by one close to our offices in Union Square, New York, and found them colorfully displayed in the cheese section.
Whole Foods was also advertising Kite Hill's plant-based ricotta ravioli, but I decided to stick to the cheese product.
I bought some of the "soft fresh original." At $9.99 a pop, it wasn't cheap, but still not unheard of for artisanal cheese.
First: The nutrition. Each 80-calorie serving of the soft fresh original (about a quarter of the palm-sized container) has 7g of fat (though no unhealthy saturated or trans fat) and 3g of protein (a bit on the low side), but no calcium (a characteristic ingredient of dairy products that helps build strong bones).
Sources: Kite Hill, Calorieking.com
For comparison, an 80-calorie serving of Cacique Ranchero queso fresco (like the one shown below) has 6g of fat (4g saturated), 6g of protein, and 150mg of calcium (a little over half what you'd get from drinking a cup of milk).
Now, onto the taste. Here's what the Kite Hill's product looked like right out of the package:
When I sliced it up, the product had the look and consistency of raw tofu, and didn't smell like much.
First, I tried it on its own.
Then, I tried it with some crackers.
The verdict: It tasted exactly like...salty tofu! It was definitely edible, but didn't really taste like cheese! (Though maybe their soft-ripened product is more cheese-like). While I might consider buying it for a snack, I don't think I'll stop buying dairy cheese anytime soon.
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement