For a dairy product that's little more than fermented milk -- sometimes flavored, sometimes not, yogurt is becoming an international star in your neighborhood dairy case.
Thick and dense, Greek-style yogurt isn't going anywhere, as it's still a fan favorite. But if you've looked at the proliferation of yogurt brands and wondered what the differences are between Asian, Australian and Icelandic yogurts, read on and maybe we can offer a little clarity. If we really wanted to muddle your brain, we'd include French, Bulgarian and Swiss yogurts, but consider yourself spared.
From the Nordic isle of Iceland
Icelandic yogurt, known as skyr, like Greek yogurt, is a strained variety that yields thick, creamy results when the watery whey is removed. It generally contains less sugar than traditional American-style yogurt and is packed with protein.
A brand you'll often see is siggi's, which boasts that it makes its yogurt with milk from grass-fed cows, and contains no gelatin and pretty much nothing artificial. It's sweetened with cane sugar and, according to the company, the products "don't contain any of those dreadful artificial sweeteners." Along with vanilla, flavors include the seasonal strawberry-basil, coconut and orange-ginger. Siggi's offers nonfat and full-fat yogurts.
Smari organic Icelandic yogurt also boasts a low-sugar, high-protein combination, but it has the added benefit of using only grass-fed Jersey and Guernsey cows, which produce a richer milk. Flavors of Smari include black cherry with chia, New Orleans coffee and pure (plain).
Inspired by the yogurts Down Under
Yogurts made the Aussie way have a lush, creamy texture, not as dense as Greek style, and the best example of that is found in noosa, which bills itself as "Aussie culture, Colorado fresh." It's named after a resort town in Queensland, Australia.
So, what sets noosa apart from other types of yogurt?
"We make it in small batches on a family farm in Colorado, using farm-fresh whole milk, wildflower honey, and purée made with real fruits. From strawberry-rhubarb, pumpkin, blueberry, passion fruit and blackberry-serrano, we have 18 delicious flavors sure to please any palate," said Koel Thomae, co-founder of noosa.
Noosa offers a whole-milk indulgent yogurt with a high sugar content that easily works as a dessert. Check out the salted caramel and you'll probably ditch your ice cream.
"Choosing to make noosa with whole milk at a time when low-fat Greek yogurt was flying off shelves was a major risk, and now full-fat dairy is a well-established movement in food that is now trickling down to the masses," Thomae said.
Vietnamese-French fusion yogurt
When you think of yogurt, Asia seldom comes to mind. But two brothers who grew up in California took a cue from their mother who would make them yogurt inspired from French-Vietnamese fusion cuisine. They parlayed their childhood favorite into Tarte.
Tarte, which isn't strained, boasts lofty protein levels, and brings to mind the tangy qualities of frozen yogurt. This yogurt has a light body and a low sugar content. The yogurt sidesteps traditional methods of adding sugar to milk before it's cultured. Employing the Vietnamese caramelizing process their mother used, the two brothers who originated the brand carmelize the milk and sugar together prior to culturing. Tarte flavors include Thai tea-and-cream and acai-and-banana.
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