food&drink


The new normal: which alternative milk is right for you?


The meteoric rise in plant-based and flexitarian diets has propelled milkers of soy, oats, nuts and even potatoes to become a billion- pound industry, with one in three Britons shunning dairy last year. Once a rarity in mainstream supermarkets, by now, alternative milk has become so commonplace it feels almost passé to even call it that.


1.


Despite being neither vegetarian nor vegan, I switched to non-dairy milk in 2019 for ethical and health reasons,


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an udder a second glance since (save for the odd cuppa at a dairy- drinking relative’s). Unlike cow’s milk, starting your alt-milk journey is very much that, given that there are an increasing number of varieties to choose from. If you’re thinking of giving it a go, I’ve done some of the hard work for you…


and have never given 1. SOY 3. 4.


The OG alt-milk, but is it still the best? In terms of health benefits, soy is packed with plant protein and antioxidants and is a good source of potassium. But environmentally, it’s controversial due to the deforestation required to grow it. Taste-wise, soy is a decent starter after you switch from dairy though may seem more tasteless in comparison at first. It’s pricey but Unsweetened Provamel Soya Soleil ticks all the boxes.


2. OAT The cream of the alt-milk scene,


5. 6.


thanks, in part, to trendy Swedish brand Oatly. Oat has more vitamin D than cow’s milk, but the downside is its high sugar content. For that reason, it’s the preferred choice for baristas and I can confirm the fancy stuff tastes great in coffee, and for cooking with. (Soy, in my opinion, might be better in tea, though.) For the sugar and price-conscious, I’d recommend Alpro Oat No Sugars.


3. ALMOND, HAZELNUT & CASHEW


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Almond, hazelnut and cashew are the most widely available nut- based milk, with almond being the most popular alt-milk for a while before oat muscled in. Many prefer nut to soy as it has more flavour, and it goes really well with cereal. My personal favourite is almond, which is vitamin and calcium-rich though lacking in protein. It also uses too much water to grow. If that doesn’t bother you, try Plenish Organic Almond.


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4. COCONUT Like coconut water, coconut milk


is delicious… provided you really like the taste of well, coconut. It’s not exactly overpowering, but certainly detectable in whatever you add it to; a delicate flavour that might be best for baking and, in tinned form, curries. Though a little


anti-inflammatory and positive cardiovascular properties. Vita Coco Coconut Organic is my recommendation.


5. RICE


non-vegetarian restaurants


ASADOR 44


In 2022, wanting to eat less meat is no longer some niche pursuit, and restaurants are responding imaginatively to demand. There’s an unfortunate perception that Cardiff’s Asador 44 is a steakhouse: true, their beef is second to none, but despite Spanish food traditionally being so meat-heavy, their approach is inclusive and you can eat very well indeed, including from a dedicated vegan menu. Meatless standouts include smoked leeks with señorio cheese and coal-roasted celeriac with horseradish and wild mushroom.


BACARETO fatty, it apparently has


At Bacareto, the theme is Venetian cicchetti, and as you’d expect from a chef of Grady Atkins’ pedigree, it’s a menu driven by seasonal flavours. Meat and fish are limited, so you’ll find plenty here, all done in informal style in Cardiff city centre. Try ricotta zucchini pie and pasta primavera, or asparagus and cauliflower crepe, and imagine you’re somewhere more sunkissed.


ROCKET & RYE Hummus and seasonal greens spiced


If you love the taste of rice pudding, rice milk might be for you – though, like coconut, it’s a flavour you’ll notice when adding to tea or coffee and therefore an acquired taste for some. White or brown, rice milk is full of vitamins while being low in fat, and happens to be the most hypoallergenic of all the alt-milks. Unfortunately, its carbon emissions aren’t so healthy, but if you want to try it I’d recommend Rude Health Organic Brown.


6. POTATO


The new kid on the block, potato is hotly tipped to invade the milk sales charts this year. Is it worth the hype? The idea of guzzling liquified chips might turn your nose up, and I’d be lying if I said you lose all awareness of that when drinking it; however, that slightly salty, veggie tang is offset by a creaminess akin to oat. In fact, it may be the milkiest of the lot. Vitamins and calcium a-plenty, Dug is the go-to brand right now.


7. PEA


If you’re scandalised by potato milk, peas are here to positively frighten you. But never fear: though there’s not really a pea taste, pea milk has some of the sweetness of a petit pois but with an aftertaste that may not agree with everyone. Low in carbs and sugar and high in protein, it’s also less water-wasting in production than almond. Pick up some from Sproud.


HANNAH COLLINS


with dukkah, or Jersey royals with asparagus and a soft boiled egg- or perhaps ricotta dumplings with sage butter: you’ll be spoilt at Rocket & Rye in Cowbridge, where John and Ceri Cook rewrite their menu monthly to showcase seasonality. Their small plates keep on delivering deceptively simple instalments of what’s good right now.


PURPLE POPPADOM Purple Poppadom’s Keralan flavours


have led the way locally for 10 years now. Favourites at this Canton restaurant include thoran of vegetables stir fried with coconut, chillies and mustard seeds, which comes as a side or as part of their lavish vegetarian platter.


Cacio e pepe doughnut with mushroom ketchup is an attention-grabber, but there’s always far more to tempt at Nook, in Cardiff’s Victoria Park. Fresh pasta with hazelnuts and squash; herb-crusted cauliflower and parsley mayonnaise. The menu has always been dominated by meat-free options, and that hasn’t changed with the new kitchen team.


NOOK [pictured] JONATHAN SWAIN


5 of the best: Vegetarian menus in


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