Vegan Alternatives to French Brie Cheese
French cheese is some of the most popular in the world. But there are now many brands worldwide that offer plant-based versions of all your favourites, from Brie to Camembert to stinky blue cheese!
Honestly Tasty Bree is a soft and creamy cheese with a wonderful rind. The earthy tones make this is a best-seller and it’s also sold in many good supermarkets across the UK.
Avoid blue cheese for pregnancy/nursing, children and low immunity. And keep vegan cheese away from pets. Recycle packaging at supermarket bag bins, if your kerbside doesn’t recycle.
Nuts for Cheese (a blue cheese from the USA)
Nuts for Cheese Un-Brie-Lievable (US) is a rich and creamy wedge that can be enjoyed as part of a vegan cheeseboard, or used in recipes.
Types of French cheeses
France is the unofficial cheese capital of the world, producing over 1000 types, made usually from cow, goat or sheep milk, often having strict production laws by area. The main types are:
- Soft-ripened (bloomy rind) has white mould exteriors and creamy interiors. Examples are Brie and Camembert.
- Washed-rind is similar, but the brine is aged and washed with brine, wine or brandy, resulting in a pungeant aroma and orange rind.
- Pressed cheeses are less well-known, these are aged for months to develop nutty flavours. Examples are comté (cooked) and Cantal (uncooked)
- Blue cheese is pierced with needles to let mould grow inside, for a sharp salty taste. The best-known version is Roquefort (not even vegetarian, as it contains calf or sheep rennet).
- Goat (Chèvre) is not the same as feta Greek cheese. This is a soft spreadable log of cheese, again aged to create earthy tangy flavours.
