Agave Nectar - anyone use it?

[VeggieKitten]

Okay, so I think this stuff is a total breakthrough in natural sweetener. It comes in a bottle that looks like honey, and is a fantastic honey substitute (much better IMO). It's the nectar extracted from the Agave cactus flower and is totally vegan. I learned about it from a new vegan cookbook I got over the weekend, and noticed they used it in a lot of things. I'm like "what in the world is this stuff?" I found it today at Whole Foods and my daughter and I keep licking it off of a spoon. It'll go great in sweet iced tea... I have found a new love :smitten:

[CharityAJO]

I use it in tea a lot. I've never tried any baking with it (Just cos it's expensive!) I did once try a PB and Agave sandwich, which is NOT the same as PB and honey, and I would recommend that all people avoid this sandwich.

[Tommy Gun]

I love it! I never used to use honey...at all, so I don't really have many things to use the agave nectar on. It tastes really good plain though. I tried it on a tofu burger, mixed with BBQ sauce, that was pretty good. Once I start trying to cook new things I might find uses for it.

[ChristyDotCalm]

So weird that you bring this up! I was holding a bottle
of this stuff earlier today, and debating whether or not
I should try it! Next time I will! :)

VeggieKitten -- May I ask what cookbook you were
reading? I am interested in getting a few cookbooks,
and could use some recommendations! :)

Thanks! :)

[misslego]

ha ha, i got a bottle a few weeks ago and can't get it open (there's like a snap off plastic tip i can't break) it tastes pretty good.

[veggrl]

I had to use a butcher knife to get mine open. Well worth the effort. I love the stuff.

[Ocean]

Can you find agave nectar in health food stores? anywhere else? I've seen it online and I really want to try it!

[mayuko]

agave nectar = <3. i bought it figuring i'd use it as a honey sub when i wanted something sweet, and like... man, i could drink that stuff straight from the bottle! :smitten:

..well, maybe not really. given my usual state of hyperactivity, the last thing i need is a sugar rush! :D

[CharityAJO]

HFS, yes. heck, I've seen it in Safeway. (local grocer)

[Artichoke47]

There's also something called Fruitsource that is a liquid sweetener (vegan). Some recipes in the Soy of Cooking cookbook by Marie Oser call for that.

[VeggieKitten]

VeggieKitten -- May I ask what cookbook you were
reading? I am interested in getting a few cookbooks,
and could use some recommendations! :)

Yes, the Candle Cafe Cookbook, recipes from the renowned NY vegan restaurant. It's a fantastic book.

[DCVeg]

It's really good, but I actually prefer brown rice syrup as my honey replacer. Interestingly, I have only fairly recently seen agave nectar back on the shelves. It was almost impossible to find for a good chunk of 2003; my understanding is that the agave plant is in short supply. It's the same plant that is used to make tequilla, and I've seen articles suggesting a potential major shortage of that.