Fake meat—once almost exclusively from textured soy—was typically mealy, and the taste tended to be bland and garlicky, either serving as a placeholder for a cover-up sauce or overwhelming everything in its path. Neither could satisfy the craving for toothsomeness or umami that (formerly) only came from animal protein.

Today, while most animal protein analogs are still made from soy, ingredients such as mushrooms, nuts and grains (i.e., almonds, amaranth, oats or quinoa), and even eggplant are providing alternatives for meat that satisfy those primordial protein cravings. Also, new technology in gums, flavorants and sodium-replacers are making these trompes l’papilles foolproof foolers.