While shopping at Food Fight in Portland, we found this locally made Cultured Kindness vegan cheese, excited to find something called “Pepper Brie.”

This nut-based cheese is wonderful, but there is nothing brie-like about it. Whereas Kite Hill Brie is smooth and creamy and has a rind, the Cultured Kindness cheese is thick and textured. But the pepper part is spot on — if you like pepper, this cheese is for you.

We enjoyed this cheese very much (on Back to Nature vegan crackers), and though it didn’t fulfill our craving for brie, it was flavorful and satisfying.