TLT!

Tempeh, lettuce and tomato!

According to Wikipedia: "Tempeh is a traditional soy product originally from Indonesia. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that bindssoybeans into a cake form, similar to a very firm vegetarian burger patty. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities.Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vitamins. It has a firm texture and an earthy flavor which becomes more pronounced as the tempeh ages."

Reading about all it's good attributes, I purchased maple bacon flavored tempeh. The strips that I sauteed lightly in a small amount of canola oil in my trusty non-stick pan, smelled wonderful. My first impression after tasting, was less than wonderful. No, it did not taste like bacon, however I have to report a smoky, mildly nutty taste. "Not bad," I said to myself. Probably not something I would eat out right by itself until I get used to the taste. In a sandwich using a good quality bread (like my marble rye) with lettuce and tomato, the strips really do have a bacon-like taste.

Nothing will ever replace bacon but then again, I didn't have to harm a cute pig for the flavor. I can most definitely live with that!