Sprout & Kernel Tree Nut Cheeses

Price: From $8.00AUD

Where to Buy: www.sproutandkernel.com (coming soon) See below for more details.

Go to the US and you’ll see vegan nut cheeses coming out the yin yang but in Australia it’s a very different story. Sprout & Kernel are looking to give this story a happy ending with their range of tree nut cheeses.

While I do love to make my own nut cheeses, it can be time consuming and sometimes I just want to have some ready and waiting for me on demand. Recently I was given a Sprout & Kernel taster box so I could give their range a whirl and naturally I’m going to share my thoughts with you all.

First cab off the rank was the Aged Cashew Cheese ($12) and ohmygod it’s a serious taste sensaysh. It’s sharp and tangy with an awesome texture with a nice firmness to it.

Next up I had a little chomp on the Dill & Garlic Cashew Cream Cheese ($10). Phwoar! This one is a nice, smooth spreadable cheese with a deeper, richer and flavoursome taste. Eating it alone on a cracker is delicious enough but I can’t wait to pop some on a sandwich with some vegan slices, relish or pickles and salad.

The Original Pepper Crust Cashew Log ($8) has a softer, more spreadable texture than the Aged Cashew Cheese, much like most of the cashew cheeses I’ve tried in the past. It’s also much milder but that pepper crust packs some punch. The logs come in other flavours like spicy and fruit & nut too!

You can taste the delicious macadamia-ness of the Little Sister Macadamia Cheddar ($12). It’s more crumbly than the other guys but still keeps it’s shape when sliced. I popped it on a cracker with some quince paste and I could have sworn that my taste buds were having a rave.

Lastly I sunk my teeth into the Monster Cheddar ($12). It’s a lot firmer than the Macadamia Cheddar and way more intense. This is a welcomed addition to any vegan cheese board, that’s for sure!

Who would have thought that such simple ingredients like tree nuts, lemon juice and nutritional yeast could create such a diverse range of flavours and textures. An afternoon spent with this taster box, some quince paste and a selection of crackers is a real treat.

So far Sprout & Kernel cheeses are available from Newtown Markets on select dates and some festivals around Sydney but hopefully will be available in stores soon. To stay up to date with Sprout & Kernel availability, follow their Instagram and Facebook.

These cheeses are so bitchin’ that even non-vegans enjoy the varied textures and flavours! You really do need to try them to believe how awesome they are as I haven’t tried anything quite like it since becoming vegan all those years ago. It’s also great to see more and more vegan products made right here in Australia, something I hope we see more of in the future – I’m sick of paying crazy prices for imported stuff!

I guess more regular trips to Sydney will be on the horizon, because I can’t stand the thought of living without a constant supply of this cheese in my fridge!