4 ms·

For the vast majority of uses, butter can be replaced by vegetable-based shortenings like margarine. There is non-dairy (usually soy-based) cheese, too. Not t

For the vast majority of uses, butter can be replaced by vegetable-based shortenings like margarine. There is non-dairy (usually soy-based) cheese, too. Not that either of those tastes remotely as good as the dairy-based versions, but I can imagine it's possible to improve on them with concerted effort.

yorwba 9y ago
I have never noticed a difference in taste between butter and margarine, and I have eaten both with a spoon after coming home to an otherwise empty fridge. It's just fat. Or maybe you are just talking about "soy cheese"? I agree that pure tofu is pretty bland, but with various seasonings (I'm partial to Chili oil), it can be quite good.
- twobyfour 9y ago
  To my palate, butter tends to be a little bit sweeter and less oily than margarine. It tastes lighter and richer. It's not as obvious as, say, olive oil vs. canola oil, but it is distinguishable. I can imagine giving up butter in favor of margarine... but then I also doubt the half pound I go through per year has a major impact in the big picture. As for cheese... I do eat tofu sometimes in place of meats, but don't see it as a good substitute for cheese, except for perhaps a very narrow selection of cheese varieties (perhaps paneer). I've yet to find a soy substitute for a cheddar or brie. What I have had is soy ricotta, which is about 80% of the way to matching the real thing in terms of texture and about 50% there in terms of flavor. I have no doubt it will be done eventually, but we're still a _very_ long way from replacing a cheese lover's dairy consumption with alternatives.
- deleted 9y ago
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wybiral 9y ago
Agreed. I'm not trying to say that non-animal versions of those things aren't possible. The point I was trying to make is that replacing the milk sold largely for drinking probably doesn't do much of a dent in the industry demand for dairy. To make a real impact you'd probably have to replace those uses (or get people to radically change the types of food they eat).
fastbeef 9y ago
Margarine is a horrible Frankenstein of bad fats and chemicals. Don't use it. If you can't use butter, use olive oil.
- twobyfour 9y ago
  Olive oil doesn't exactly make for tasty pastry.

yorwba 9y ago

I have never noticed a difference in taste between butter and margarine, and I have eaten both with a spoon after coming home to an otherwise empty fridge. It's just fat. Or maybe you are just talking about "soy cheese"? I agree that pure tofu is pretty bland, but with various seasonings (I'm partial to Chili oil), it can be quite good.

twobyfour 9y ago
To my palate, butter tends to be a little bit sweeter and less oily than margarine. It tastes lighter and richer. It's not as obvious as, say, olive oil vs. canola oil, but it is distinguishable. I can imagine giving up butter in favor of margarine... but then I also doubt the half pound I go through per year has a major impact in the big picture. As for cheese... I do eat tofu sometimes in place of meats, but don't see it as a good substitute for cheese, except for perhaps a very narrow selection of cheese varieties (perhaps paneer). I've yet to find a soy substitute for a cheddar or brie. What I have had is soy ricotta, which is about 80% of the way to matching the real thing in terms of texture and about 50% there in terms of flavor. I have no doubt it will be done eventually, but we're still a _very_ long way from replacing a cheese lover's dairy consumption with alternatives.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

wybiral 9y ago

Agreed. I'm not trying to say that non-animal versions of those things aren't possible. The point I was trying to make is that replacing the milk sold largely for drinking probably doesn't do much of a dent in the industry demand for dairy. To make a real impact you'd probably have to replace those uses (or get people to radically change the types of food they eat).

fastbeef 9y ago

Margarine is a horrible Frankenstein of bad fats and chemicals. Don't use it. If you can't use butter, use olive oil.

twobyfour 9y ago
Olive oil doesn't exactly make for tasty pastry.