Three Girls Vegan Creamery in Guilford: All Vegan. All Delicious.

Tender meatballs nestled in bubbling, vibrant San Marzano tomato sauce. Hearty breads that cradle cutlets generously smeared with homemade pesto. Crispy-on-the-outside Mac and Cheese balls and tender Crabcakes with a dollop of Horseradish Dill sauce. Lasagna that is layers deep, stuffed full of gooey cheese and smothered in more of that delightful tomato sauce. 

And it’s all vegan. 

Without getting too Hallmark-y, it is all based in love, as well. 

Tracy Alexander, with her two daughters Brittany and Taylor form the triumvirate of Three Girls Vegan Creamery in Guilford, Connecticut. Mama Tracy creates the recipes and menus, while daughters Brittany and Taylor run the locations and handle the marketing. 

How did these three enterprising gals end up in the vegan food industry? They actually got here because of another female in the family: Tracy’s mom. In 2011, Tracy’s mom, Theresa Picone, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer at the age of 73 and was given ten months to live. As you can imagine, this news was devastating for her loving family, but they put their heads and hearts together to see what was in their power to do. Tracy, after much research, felt that transitioning her mother’s diet to a plant-based one was worth exploration. The million dollar question: how to accomplish this when you come from a family who is accustomed to rich and delicious Italian meals, many of which involve cheeses, pasta, and meats? Well, if you ever have the occasion to meet Tracy in person, you will quickly realize that this is a woman for whom a challenge is not daunting. Her sparkly, robust energy alone can fuel anything she intends to conquer. 

So, into the kitchen this Vegan Nonni (as she calls herself) went, concocting plant-based recipes that echoed her family’s beloved meals. As I said, Tracy jumped in feet-first to attempt to conquer what could be considered one of the trickiest items to veganize: cheese. And one that gets melty and gooey.

Literally hundreds of recipes later, cheese is the keystone to a plant-based repertoire that spans “meats”, cheeses, and fan-favorite desserts such as Tiramisu and Cannoli Dip. In experimenting and conquering recipes to the specifications of their food-loving palates, Tracy’s mom’s health improved along with those in her large family. Pounds dropped, medications were no longer crucial, spirits improved. In fact, Tracy’s mom went on to celebrate her 80th birthday; seven years more than the ten months the doctors first assessed. That’s something to celebrate. That is precisely why on the website, under their name, you’ll see the words “Organic. Plant-based. Life Giving.”. 

On the day that I met with the contagiously exuberant Tracy, who encouraged me to “try this! Oh, wait, you have to try this! What do you think?” (Mangia! Mangia!), I asked her if she thought the word “vegan” on her sign scares some people. 

“Yes, I think it does.” she replied. However, she adds that “if the food is delicious, then simply enjoy it”. Apparently, more and more people are doing just that, as 85% of their customers aren’t vegan. They love the food and how it makes them feel. Tracy adds she “simply loves to feed people. It is our love language.”

At their flagship store (established in 2017 at another location-they have been at this location since 2019 and it is fabulously convenient from I-95), there is a large take-away case with prepared foods, all of which will get your mouth watering, vegan or not: “Crabcakes”, “Chicken” cutlets, paninis, individual desserts such as frosted donuts and squares of Strawberry Cake (reminiscent of the beloved Strawberry Shortcake Good Humor bar). These dishes are sure to trick your mind, as your eyes will register familiar sights but your brain will wonder how this has been accomplished with vegetables, spices, a wealth of nuts, wheat gluten, love and perseverance. Three Vegan Girls Creamery produces thousands of pounds of plant-based mozzarella each year, along with other artisan nut milk cheeses. How? And from what? Nuts. Nuts are their best friend and Three Girls Vegan has figured out how to transform these little powerhouses into cheeses (see allergy advisory at end of article). Their roster began with Chipotle Cheddar, Havarti Dill and Pepperjack and has grown from there, now including feta, aged cashew cheese wheels (Maple Bacon/Herb, Peppercorn or Cranberry/Pumpkin Seed/Pistachio), marinated mozzarella pearls, and grated Parmesan.

There are also two more frozen cases that are jam-packed with mini lasagnas, eggplant Parm, Mac and Cheese and Apizzas with toppings such as mashed potato, “chicken”, white “clam” and “meatball”, which are frequently shipped all over the country. The foods are appealing in presentation, and at the store, scents wafting from their kitchen will quickly remind you of your favorite Italian comfort-food dishes. Everything is made on premises, with care and wholesome, organic, plant-based ingredients. You'll have to keep reminding yourself that there is nary an animal product in sight.

In addition to their main store which concentrates on the savory, just a quick hop from the Guilford Green is their bakery: Three Girls Vegan Downtown. The menu is “freestyle”, so it’s always a fun surprise to see what their bakers are dreaming up that day. Tarts, scones, thick rich brownies, puddings and Italian pastries-bet you haven’t had a vegan Zeppole before and well, you should. If you love a Zeppole on St. Joseph’s Day, but not the animal products, this one is for you. Their case is filled with colorful, happy and celebratory creations. They also serve Burger and Crabcake bowls, smoothies and Oat Milk soft serve for when days are warm and a little picnic on the charming green is in order.

*Please note, though-if you have any allergies to nuts, Three Girls Vegan wants you to stay safe, so they do not advise consuming their products due to the high possibility of contamination as all their cheeses are made from nuts.

Both locations offer catering, lucky for you and your next event.

Three Girls Vegan Creamery

645 Boston Post Road, Guilford

www.threegirlsvegan.com

Three Girls Vegan Downtown

23 Water Street, Guilford

www.threegirlsvegandowntown.com