NEW YORK: So-called "nice" cream: It's not just for vegans anymore.
A variety of creamy bases made of fruit, nut butters, rice, soy and even hemp have elevated vegan ice cream among vegans, vegetarians and health-conscious meat-eaters alike.
Vegan ice cream was once the domain of mostly soy-based varieties. But it now tastes more like the real thing. Within the last decade or so, startup companies and even big guys like Ben & Jerry's have joined the vegan ice cream movement.
We're not talking sorbets. One banana-based brand, Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit Company, tastes like dairy ice cream in a dark chocolate flavor.
Another company, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, has experimented with exotic flavor combinations in non-dairy offerings using ingredients like turmeric and matcha tea cakes that it makes from scratch.
