In honor of Vegetarian Awareness Month, which began Oct. 1 with World Vegetarian Day, we visited Dr. Cow in Brooklyn, the first vegan cheese shop.
At Dr. Cow’s, they make organic, aged, raw, vegan nut cheese with cashews from Indonesia, incorporating the same fermentation process used to produce dairy cheese. Their nut cheeses are easy to digest, environmentally conscious and loaded with enzymes, vitamins and nutrients for lots of energy.
The business is run by couple Veronica Schwartz and Pablo Castro. Schwartz is an award-winning pastry chef and Castro, who has spent his life in the food industry researching and developing products, also has a business degree.
“The vision that we have for Dr. Cow translates into the ingredients that we source to make the foods we love and want to offer. We make food based on our standards of cleanliness and sustainability in the world and as fuel for our bodies,” said the couple.
All of their ingredients are plant-based. They are dairy, egg, gluten and soy-free.
These cheeses are manufactured behind their Brooklyn storefront and are sold throughout the U.S. at shops, such as Cornucopia Natural Foods in Sayville and many throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, as well as through various online retailers.
“Dr. Cow’s Aged Cashew Cheese is an exquisite organic raw cheese that has been made by hand using traditional techniques, then aged for three months,” according to The Vegan Store (www.veganstore.com). “It’s a great source of vegetable protein and beneficial bacteria to enhance digestion.”
Dr. Cow’s retail store sells Cream Cashew Cheeses in flavors, such as Tomato Tumeric Garlic, Chives and Plain. The aged and semi-hard nut cheeses are available in complex and interesting flavors, including Cashew, Tumeric and Indian Salt with Truffle Oil; Cashew Zucchini; Cayenne, Green Tea, Tomato Relish, Rosemary; Smoked Green Tea and Porcini Oil with West Indies Cashew; and Tomato, Paprika, Beets, Saffron, Truffle Oil.
Granolas, nut mixes, fresh nut and seed milks, and sweet treats are also available. Whether you choose to live dairy free or are curious to try these healthful and exotic nut cheeses, a trip to Dr. Cow’s is a worthwhile—creamy and delicious—adventure.
Dr. Cow is located at 93 South Sixth St., Brooklyn; www.dr-cow.com; 718-486-5919.
Click here to read about Long Island’s only vegan restaurant.
Click here to read about mock vegetarian “meats.”
Click here for other vegetarian menus on Long Island.
