Foodie Monday: Daiya’s Jalapeño Garlic Havarti and New Cheese Slices

Daiya. Day-ah. Initially, I didn’t like Daiya. After trying multiple vegan cheeses, it was clearly the closest I was going to come to the moo, baaaa, or *insert goat noise here* versions. Nevertheless, I still didn’t like it. The longer I went without animal cheeses, the better Daiya tasted. I love it now. Using anything else in a grilled cheese is now unfathomable to me.

When Daiya’s new block cheeses came out last year, I fell in love with the Jalapeño Garlic Havarti. Yes, the Cheddar and Jack flavors were delicious, but the Havarti was amazing. It was and still is my all-time favorite vegan cheese. Unfortunately, I could only find the Havarti cheese in online vegan stores. Paying through the roof in shipping charges for refrigerated foods, wasn’t worth it to me. Last week, on a mad post work rush to Whole Paycheck, I squealed out loud when I saw the Havarti cheese. I then saw the Swiss, Provolone, and Cheddar slices. Within seconds, all four cheeses were in my basket. It occurred to me to put at least one back, but I was so excited that I bought them all.

The Jalapeño Garlic Havarti tasted just as good as it did a year ago. All of the slices were round with little pieces of parchment separating them. The cheddar didn’t disappoint. I have decided to blame my first impression of the Provolone and Swiss on the lateness on the hour. I went to bed disappointed that I had spent all this money on cheese and only loved half of it. I tried the Swiss and Provolone in the morning and was floored by the difference from the previous night. The flavors that I thought they were lacking the night before were suddenly present. The Provolone tasted like Provolone! The Swiss I had missed so much was melting in my mouth. Oh yeah . . . they melt too! All Daiya cheeses melt!!

Their new cheeses are all delicious. The fact that I can put any one I want into a grilled cheese makes me even happier. Veganism would be hard without Daiya. Now with their cheese slices, wedges, and shreds, I am now faced with the dilemma of trying to decide which flavor of cheese I want to buy. Yeah right! You can never have too much of a good thing . . . especially if it is new Daiya flavors.