[Sca-cooks] Yogurt, was: Middle Eastern Food

[Tara Sersen Boroson]

>>>Question concerning yogurt in Middle Eastern
>>>
>>period dishes. I was under the impression that
>>yogurt back then was more like sour cream today? Is
>>that correct? My ex-father in law is from the
>>Middle East and he always said that the yogurt here
>>was not strong or thick enough. <
>>
>
> In addition to Adamantius' comments, quoted by Stefan,
> about the differing strains of little bugs souring the
> cream, Middle Eastern folk tend to use a lot more goat
> and sheep milk than we do here- most of our milk comes
> from cows, and that would cause a large flavor
> difference right there. Are you on sufficiently good
> terms with your ex F-in-law, that you might ask him if
> this might be the case?


I'm sure different milks make very different yogurts.  But, if we only
compare cows yogurt to cows yogurt...

It could also have to do with the fact that, until very recently, it's
been hard to find whole milk yogurt.  I never saw it until Stoneybrook
Farms started selling it about two or three years ago.  Since then, I've
found more brands in health food stores, but they're specialty brands
like Brown Cow, not your normal Dannon.  Whole milk yogurt is definately
a lot creamier and a little more sour than the reduced fat or fat free
stuff that we're accustomed to.  I became hooked on it, and now find
even reduced-fat to be very watery and weak flavored.

I like your differing strains of bugs theory, too.  I've found that
different brands, even though they're ostensibly the same ingredients,
have very different flavors.  The difference is usually more or less
sour or sweet, rather than creamyness.  Since the cows milk I've tasted
all seems to be pretty close to the same (unless you're comparing
pasteurized to un-pasteurized or fresh to week-old stuff from the
grocery store,) my guess is that it has to do with different pedigrees
of bacteria.

-Magdalena