Look Ma, no Cheese!

The Uncheese Cookbook
Creating Amazing Dairy-Free Cheese Substitutes and Classic "Uncheese" Dishes

By Joanne Stepaniak

Book Publishing Company, 1994
Paperback, 190 pages, $19.95

Reviewed by Anna Olson

The Uncheese Cookbook is not for the culinary faint of heart. If you're a beginning cook, pass this one by - unless you're a devout vegan determined to expand your repertoire.

With four other cookbooks to her credit, Joanne Stepaniak presents an abundance of innovative though often complicated recipes. If you're already into health food, you have an advantage because you're familiar with ingredients such as tamari, nutritional yeast, and miso, to name a few. If you are used to using a blender or food processor, you have another advantage. Many spices are called for, so it's good to make a list and go shopping at a bulk food store like (here in Winnipeg) Organza, The Almond Tree at The Forks, or Scoop N'Weigh so you can keep your costs down. Some items, like umeboshi paste, are expensive ($13.00 for a six ounce jar), but you only use a small amount at a time.

I was interested in reviewing this book because I would like to be less dependent on dairy products, for myself and for entertaining. Cream cheese, hard cheeses, sour cream, yogurt, and whipping cream are staples for making something special for company. I get an allergic reaction to dairy that I didn't get when I was younger, so weaning myself from dairy is a definite goal. Stepaniak feels strongly that dairy products are hard on our health and the environment too - not to mention the poor cattle. Consider her arguments:

• Dairy products can cause or exacerbate diarrhea, headaches, coronary distress, allergies, respiratory problems, iron deficiency anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, and obesity.

• Dairy foods are high in fat and cholesterol and void of dietary fibre. They also contain significant quantities of hormones and antibiotics.
• As we grow older, our bodies produce less lactase which is needed to digest the lactose in milk, thus increasing our tendency to poor digestion of dairy products.
• Dairy cows lead short and miserable lives. They are bred, medicated, implanted with hormones, artificially inseminated, and kept perpetually pregnant -- all to keep the milk flowing nonstop.

• The disposal of waste products from dairy barns into our waterways damages the environment.


With The Uncheese Cookbook in hand, I hoped that recipes such as Fresh Mostarella, Garbanzo Havarti, and Gee Whiz Spread would help fill the void left by deleting dairy. Stepaniak also includes "uncheese" recipes for soups, fondues, sauces, pizzas, breads, quiches, casseroles, and sweets - so there's a broad range of recipes to explore. As I worked my way through the book, I felt some frustration. A number of the recipes called for ingredients I don't normally have around like capers, pimento pieces, and non-dairy milk. So, in some of my recipe testing, I resorted to using handier but similar ingredients. The results were acceptable, so I recommend this approach rather than giving up if you don't have exactly what's called for. I found it helpful to look through several recipes and note common ingredients like cashews, nutritional yeast, tofu, lemons, and arrowroot power which I could buy in bulk to have on hand.

So far, I have appreciated the taste of this new cuisine, and the reception by others has been encouraging. Stepaniak doesn't pretend that these recipes exactly duplicate the flavour and texture of real cheeses. Rather, she is trying "to launch our taste buds on an exciting new adventure while providing the comfort of familiarity." For those who share Stepaniak's concerns about the negative impact of dairy in our lives and who are willing to go to extra trouble to make replacements, The Uncheese Cookbook is an excellent investment.
 
 

From The Uncheese Cookbook: Fresh Mostarella 2 cups water  1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes  1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats  1/4 cup tahini  4 T arrowroot or cornstarch  3-4 T fresh lemon juice  1 T onion granules  1 tsp. salt  Process all the ingredients in a blender for several minutes until very smooth.  Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until very thick and smooth.  Pack into a lightly oiled, 3-cup rectangular mold, or cylindrical container. Cover, cool and chill overnight. To serve, turn out of the mold and, because of its soft consistency, slice carefully or use as a spread. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

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