Even 20 years ago, meat substitutes tended to taste like sponge. Much progress has been made, with the Field Roast Grain Meat Co. as one of the leaders. In Field Roast: 101 Artisan Vegan Meat Recipes to Cook, Share & Savor, the company’s head chef, Tommy McDonald, shows what can be done using European charcuterie traditions infused with Asian traditions of using wheat as the primary protein instead of animal flesh. Judging by the color photos, it would be hard to spot that the meaty-looking, rib-sticking recipes are based on carefully crafted wheat, not beef—whether breaded, chopped or sliced for sandwiches. The true test will be if Field Roast’s “Southwest Philly Cheesesteak,” with chipotle pepper, jalapeños and garlic, tastes as good as it looks.
