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Yogurt


birder53

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After being loyal to Dannon yogurt for over 25 years, I am searching for a new brand. I did try making my own back in the '70s with my Salton yogurt maker, but it never seemed as good as what Dannon was making. They have added thickeners and lost that great yogurt "bite" they used to have. Yogurt has always been an easy breakfast and/or lunch for me, so I need to find a replacement. Any suggestions? What brands do you enjoy?

KathyM

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I used to make my own years ago; Dannon sold a little plug-in kit. If I remember right, the starter was simply a spoonful or two of active-culture yogurt.

The best commercial brand around these days is Total - thick, tangy, Greek-style, delicious.

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I'm a fan of Stonyfield farms, m'self. Their plain yogurt mixed with honey and some nuts (I provide the honey + nuts) is great.

"Long live democracy, free speech and the '69 Mets; all improbable, glorious miracles that I have always believed in."

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Total, by many miles. Then Brown Cow. Nothing with pectin or any other gunk (however "natural") for us.

Well, in truth, I always get Axelrod Non-Fat; I just prefer the two listed above. But He Who Only Eats wants fat-free, and Axelrod's is the tangiest. (Kinda chalky, though :sad: )

I also used to make my own -- but the commercial stuff keeps better.

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But He Who Only Eats wants fat-free, and Axelrod's is the tangiest.  (Kinda chalky, though  :sad: )

Tangy is good! :biggrin: But chalky! :blink: That sounds awful.

I actually tried Stonyfield strawbery today and liked the texture. I'll have to try their plain to see if it has 'tang'. I bought Master Choice, the A&P store brand, to try and ended up dumping it in the trash after two spoonfuls. It was pretty awful and I should have known better than to try the store brand, but one never knows... (Now I know!) I will pick up some Axlerod as part of my search!

KathyM

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I just tried Brown Cow and it's better than the stuff I used to get (Mountain something or other). The BC is tangy, but still has a recognizable milky taste. The texture is better too. I finally read the ingredients on the old stuff and saw additives. I want to try the Strauss family yogurt next. They're a local organic dairy producer.

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The best commercial brand around these days is Total - thick, tangy, Greek-style, delicious.

Cathy,

Where to you find this brand. I've never seen or heard of total before.

Kathy, I'm in Manhattan, and find it at many grocery stores. Maybe it's not distributed nationwide?

I did a quick Google search. You can order it from Ideal Cheese: Click.

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Usually I make my own yogurt- pretty easy, but you have to plan. Lately, we have been buying Brown Cow. And your starter becomes a valuable thing. I like brown cow because they don't skimp- cream at the top. I just checked my BC container for additives, and the only ingredients were Grade A Whole Milk and active cultures. There are a couple of other brands I see at Whole Foods-has a goat on the picture. 7 Star Farms? Whatever the name, it is pretty good.

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I find most commercial yogurts merely okay compared to the homemade kind.

That said, I usually buy the large size of Stoneyfield (the fattier one of the 2 -- I forget the designation), and drain it through one of those reusable coffee filters for 2 days in the fridge. You'll end up with about 40-60% of the initial volume. If you have a cat or dog, give them the leftover "water" -- it's great for them.

The resultant yogurt is concentrated and creamy, about the consistency of a good ricotta. Mix in golden raisins, fresh fruit, etc. and serve with granola and local honey -- best snack in the world and super good for you...

Also, if you're in SoHo, stop by the Yorgurt Place on Sullivan a few doors south of Sullivan St. Bakery.

best,

yb

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I gave up making yogurt at home in the '70s, too sour, too austere. Yaacov is on the right track, making yogurt "cheese", if you don't have access to good, thick, rich and mellow Greek-style yogurt. We enjoy "Biblos" brand. (They also make Lebni, a sinfully rich yogurt-type spoon-cheese. ) Good straight from the refrigerator with honey and dried cherries, which is the way this brand is served as a dessert at restaurant Chez Nous. We also freeze it, simply sweetened with about 3/4 cup of sugar per quart, then tossed into a Donvier. Excellent. About $2.99 at ethnic stores.

For Stone and other SF readers, it is always available at 22nd and Irving Produce, a place you should be familiar with if you aren't already.

Edited by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

eGullet member #80.

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If you live in or around the NYC area, you will most likely have more exotic choices in yogurts. Most of the supermarket yogurts are indistinguishable to me.

I do agree that Total greek yogurt is a completely different experience, although the fat content of the regular is 10%!! It's sooo good with honey. (It's plain yogurt) Some stores also have the 5% and the 2% which are not as unctious but good as well. Total has made great inroads in the last year, originally only at Fairway and Zabar's, it's now in a multitude of stores in New Jersey.

For a fruit yogurt, I've never had anything as good as Mamie Nova from France, but I've only seen that at Zabar's NY. Try the Pruneaux D'Agen flavor!! :smile:

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Stonyfield, Mountain High, White Mountain and Brown Cow are lovely. They are, however, a completely different product from Biblos, which is a full fat yogurt, worth every calorie. If you can't find this brand, look for other Mid-East styles with calorie counts of around 225 per cup.

eGullet member #80.

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Sandy favors Old Chatham, which is made from sheep's milk. She considers it the richest and creamiest she's ever tasted. It comes in plain and maple. I enjoy it also. Generally, however, we eat Stonyfield non-fat. Chocolate Underground is a big favorite around here. Unfortunately, they discontinued prune whip, Tropical Fruit (orange-pineapple) and cherry vanilla.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I found Total Greek whole milk yogurt with honey and with strawberry at Wegman's. I tried it with honey and it was wonderful! It's so rich and creamy that 5 oz goes a long way. I didn't see a low fat version, but I'll ask at Wegman's on my next trip.

I also tried Brown Cow whole milk yogurt. Love the cream at the top! This search for a new yogurt seems to be defeating the low fat diet I was attempting - but these rich versions can certainly be added as an occassional treat. Stoneyfield is good, but the low fat has a better consistency than the no fat. I'll trade a few days of no fat for the treat of Total Greek or Brown Cow.

Thanks to all who suggested these brands!

KathyM

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  • 7 months later...
I'm a fan of Stonyfield farms, m'self.  Their plain yogurt mixed with honey and some nuts (I provide the honey + nuts) is great.

I like taking their fat free vanilla and mixing in some fresh fruit and granola for breakfast. It's very easy to eat while cruising eGullet.

PS - I just found Stonyfield Farm's website which has recipes and coupons for their products.

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Liberty Méditerranée yogurt is the best that I've had.  Liberty is based out of Monteal but has some products available in the US. 

Their website is available at http://www.liberte.qc.ca/html/home.asp

In NYC, their products are available at Zabars and Gourmet Garage.

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