It's perhaps not surprising that people who can't eat dairy are delighted when they discover this nut cheese. What is surprising is that cheese connoisseurs seem to thoroughly enjoy it as well.

The cashew cream cheese, from Dr. Cow, is made from soaked cashews that are blended until completely smooth and then cultured with acidophilus. The culturing is the secret to creating the complex, cheese-like flavor that we all know and love. It also thickens the cheese to a rich, spreadable consistency. This  cheese has all the tanginess you'd expect from a good, fresh goat cheese with the silky texture of a cream cheese. It makes a delicious and surprising addition to holiday cheese platters and pairs well with any cracker, relish or dried fruit.

Dr. Cow also makes a range of aged cashew cheeses with firmer textures that can be sliced. Though I really enjoy sampling them all, I keep returning to the cashew cream cheese (about $10) to use not only on toast and crackers but also as a sandwich spread. It tastes fantastic with marinated beets, mustard or anything you'd eat with regular cream cheese.

The full range of Dr. Cow products is online and the cheeses are also sold at some health food stores and raw food stores.

Amy Chaplin is a chef and recipe developer in New York City. Her cookbook At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen will be available fall 2014. She blogs at Coconut & Quinoa.