I read that Emes Kosher Jel is not vegetarian. Is that true, and, if so, what can I use as a substitute?
Yes, contrary to what I first thought, I’m afraid it is true! Here is the original article: http://www.vegparadise.com/news53.html There is a follow-up article here: http://www.vegparadise.com/news55.html and another: http://www.vegparadise.com/news56.html Emes seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth, BTW! However, there are other brands of kosher jel that ARE vegan. See here for more information. They do tend to be much more expensive than Emes was, though, as they are not available in bulk. BE WARNED: follow the directions with the jel you purchase– not all of them work the same, or work like Emes did. A GOOD SUBSTITUTE, especially for vegan “cheeses”, etc.: The common vegan, seaweed-based gel, agar agar, by itself, will not really do the trick. Instead of 3 Tablespoons of Emes, I use a combination of 2 tsp. agar powder and 2 tsp. carrageenan powder (Irish moss, another seaweed-based gel, in a powdery white form), possibly a little more, depending on the firmness you wa
