I am a big fan of cheese. Because of this, I'm positive I could not survive as a vegan. I am also pretty sure that Cheese in a Can absolutely should NOT be considered cheese.I have some great friends who bring amazing dishes to the random parties and potluck-style get-togethers at our house. Last Sunday was no exception.
Never one to disappoint, Jeffrey showed up with an entire box of cheese crackers and not one, but TWO cans of Easy Cheesy. I remember it best from grade school lunches. Some kid - usually the one that had chips, cookies AND Sour Patch Kids in his lunch box - would whip out cheese-in-a-can and proceed to flaunt it around, while I ate my apple and healthy sandwich with sprouts and fake meat on it.Amazingly, now that I pack my own lunches and eat what I want, Easy Cheesy completely freaks me out!
I must say the decorative way it can be placed on crackers is nice. As is the un-naturally orange color - although I believe it might look better on a flower. Or the sun.
I checked out the ingredients to see if cheese is even present:
Ingredients: MILK, WATER, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, WHEY, CANOLA OIL, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, SORBIC ACID AS A PRESERVATIVE, SODIUM ALGINATE, APOCAROTENAL (COLOR), ANNATTO (COLOR), CHEESE CULTURE, ENZYMES.
And low and behold - second from last ingredient - it is! In culture form no less. YUMMY!
I understand what the first few ingredients are. Then there is some stuff I'm not so sure of.
And then . . . LACTIC ACID?!! Isn't that what my body produces as my legs begin to fatigue in a race? Why would I want to eat this?! Upon further research - lactic acid is primarily found in sour milk products. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, tasty!
Wiki describes SODIUM ALGINATE: "its form is a gum, when extracted from the cell walls of brown algae. . . " Seriously?! I did not read further.
I have absolutely no problem with anyone who loves Easy Cheesy, just as I have no problem with anyone who loves to eat meat. But please don't try to make me eat it! I should mention that at our party, Jeffrey's Easy Cheesy cracker platter disappeared faster than my home-made pizza!
