Just over half a dozen tiny wheels of cheese are lined up on the counter, waiting to be tasted. One looks like a miniature Camembert, another like a goat’s cheese and a third has a dark orange crust that looks like it could be made of different, tasty spices.
A morsel of the Camembertlike one is handed to me and, after a doubtful sniff, I pop it in my mouth. It’s an instant hit. It’s creamy, yet tangy and salty; it tastes just like cheese! The reason I’m so surprised is that these fromages we are tasting are entirely plant-based; no dairy has been used to make them and yet they are, unmistakably, like ‘cheese’.
The secret lies in the hands of Marie Carmen Iriarte who co-founded Jay & Joy (jay-joy. com/en) with her partner Eric, one of France’s first plant-based creameries. Located at the heart of the 11th arrondissement in Paris, the shop is also the place of manufacture. The cheese is prepared and made on site, using cashew, almond and/or rice milk.
“The idea behind this was that we, as vegans, wanted to be able to enjoy a traditional platter of cheese just like everyone in France does,” explains Marie. Though they are not yet able to reproduce the creamy texture of the heart of a camembert or a brie, I was impressed by the taste and immediately convinced. I promised myself to return as we dashed off to our next tasty destination.
Vegan gastronomy
‘Gourmet’ and ‘vegan’ may not mix well in many people’s minds but here I was on a foodie tour dedicated to vegan gastronomy in the French capital.
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av France.
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Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av France.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Paindemic In Paris
For American actor and writer Alexander Burnett, a shortage of bread at his local boulangerie was one of the biggest challenges of lockdown in his adopted home city
VEULES-LES-ROSES
Between the white cliffs of the Côte d’Albâtre and the bucolic landscapes of the Pays de Caux, discover a village that combines coast and country,
Taking the BISCUIT
France is known for its exquisite pâtisserie and extravagant gâteaux but the not-so-humble biscuit deserves recognition too
PICTURE PERFECT PISTE
After a decade away from the slopes Janet Brice finds her ski legs in val d'arly, a hidden gem in the shadow of Mount Blanc
Let there BE LIGHT
Lyon’s annual Fête des Lumières brightens up the darkest of December nights in spectacular fashion, finds David Atkinson on a winter visit to the Rhône capital
Shop ‘til YOU DROP
In the first of our new Insight guides, Helen Parkinson delights in the French shopping experience
Floating YOUR BOAT
Spending a day on the River Seine in Paris, Heidi Fuller-love samples some of the city’s top entertainment that can be enjoyed afloat
Creamy Dijon Chicken With Bacon And Spinach
Enjoy this hearty dish from Bisous & Brioche, a cookbook shot on location in Burgundy
A Moveable Feast
Philip Sweeney embarks on a voyage gourmand along the Vallée de la Gastronomie travelling from Dijon to Marseille
BOND RETOUR 7
To celebrate the return of everyone’s favourite globe-trotting British intelligence officer in No Time to Die, Helen Parkinson rounds up five of James Bond’s top cross-Channel escapades
