aged smoked farmhouse

I can tell you ten years ago I would have never been writing this post. Ten years ago the only vegan cheese on the market was vegan cream cheese and some pretty terrible sliced cheese that was essentially processed cheese slices sans dairy. There was no way you could have got me to eat vegan cheese and I certainly wouldn’t be telling you how to put together a great cheese platter. Times have changed though and there are a number of really amazing artisan vegan cheeses out on the market. Currently my favorite brand for the vegan artisan cheese is Miyoko’s. 

Miyoko’s Kitchen has create a line of incredible vegan artisan cultured cheeses that have cashews as their base. The flavors range from your mild mozzarella which is perfect for melting on pizza to the tangy Black Ash (one of my favorites). I am also over the moon about Miyoko’s Classic Double Cream Chive which is slightly tangy while also being rich and creamy. Let’s be real they are all pretty delicious. 

 

How To Put Together A Vegan Cheese Platter

What You Need:

• 3-4 Amazing Vegan Cheeses. Look for cheese that compliment each other while also providing a variety of flavors and textures. For the platter I went with the Double Cream Chive (soft, creamy and mild), Aged English Smoked Farmhouse (a bit firmer, a bold sharp flavor) and Country Style Herbs de Provence (mild, tangy and a bit sweet from the lavender). 
• Bread and/or Crackers. You need a vehicle to transport that amazing cheese to your mouth. I like to go with baguette and a mild cracker such as water crackers. 
• Antipasto. I like to add some items from the antipasto bar. In this case sweet peppadew peppers and a few types of olives but you can go with whatever you like.
• Fruit. I love pears, both red and green apples and grapes. On this day I had some black cherries which were also nice. 
• Spreading Knife.  If you have a little cheese knife that would be great. In my case I have a few spreaders that work wonderfully. 
• A great wooden board.   There is something about a really great wooden board when it comes to a cheese platter. If you don’t have one a big white platter would work as well. 
• Wine. Completely optional but I think a really great wine pairs well with these cheeses. If you don’t drink alcohol try a nice mild kombucha. 

What are your cheese platter essentials? Have you tried Miyoko’s Cheeses? Do you have a favorite? 

Disclaimer: Miyoko’s provided me with a few cheeses to sample. Well we ate them all up before I had a chance to photograph them so of course I went out and bought more so my fridge is now fully stocked. I received no compensation for this post.