After Jeanne Rivera became a vegan almost a decade ago, she heard from friends they could never do the same because they would have to give up cheese. Along with her husband, Alejandro, she decided to make something so delicious that people wouldn’t have that excuse anymore. The result is Red Lotus Foods addictive artisan cashew spreads that work as a dairy-free alternative to cream cheese and sour cream.
Spin Cycle: After fermenting cashews at a commercial kitchen in Old Brooklyn, the Riveras pulverized the nuts into a silky texture for their six different varieties. “We use this awesome machine called a Robot Coupe, which is pretty much a commercial food processor,” says Jeanne. “It’s what gives our product that creaminess.”
Flavor Faves: There are savory cashew spreads such as roasted garlic and herb and spirulina blue, or a sweet cashew creme made with dates, maple syrup and coconut milk. Customers found fun ways to use the items such as making vegan mac ‘n’ cheese with the sun-dried tomato and black garlic, while others iced a cake with the sweet cashew creme. “The natural yeast in the spread makes for a great pasta sauce,” Jeanne adds.
Test Kitchen: The duo also experiments with seasonal flavors such as a rosemary and mushroom spread made with mushrooms from Avant Gardens Farm & Mushroomery in Lowelville, Ohio. Next up? It’s roasted red pepper and basil. 216-939-5127, redlotusvegan.worldsecuresystems.com
