Greek Yogurt: Hype or Genuine Good Food?

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Are you a fan of yogurt? If so, you've no doubt noticed how many different yogurts are on the supermarket shelves these days. Probiotic yogurt, stirred yogurt, low-fat yogurt, Icelandic skyr - even kefir has become available commercially in many stores. But by far the most popular these days seems to be Greek yogurt. Have you tried it? I'd like to know if you think it's worth all the hype. I have eaten yogurt regularly since childhood, when the popular brands were selling a set style "fruit on the bottom" yogurt in individual cups. I remember the jammy fruit tasting a bit funny to me at the time, so if I could get the stirred, or Swiss-style, yogurt then I would choose them instead. But when I was in my late teens, a friend from Iran taught me to make my own yogurt. Around the same time, I discovered both plain Balkan-style yogurt and full-fat yogurt made with cream, served sweet with fruit, vanilla, or coffee flavouring. I was in love! These days, I don't much care for the high-fat, sweetened yogurts. But I have stayed with my plain Balkan yogurt all these years. I still buy the same brand I did when I was a teenager. Now my kids love it too. When the Greek yogurt came out, I wondered what all the fuss was about. I mean, Balkan yogurt has been good and thick for decades. It's nothing new! I looked into it and learned that some Greek yogurt is made with partially evaporated milk, which not only makes it thicker but also raises its protein content. Greek yogurt may also be strained. It's good for cooking because of the lower water content. We tried Greek yogurt because I am a huge fan of tzatziki, which should be made from this kind of yogurt. But honestly, I have to say that I didn't find anything spectacular about it as a yogurt to eat with a spoon. Would I cook with Greek yogurt? The real stuff, absolutely! (Be careful your "Greek-style" yogurt isn't made the cheap way with thickeners!) I will buy Greek yogurt if I need it in a recipe. But for my breakfasts, I'm sticking with my good old Balkan yogurt. I like the taste and texture of this yogurt the best for eating by itself or with fruit and/or grains. It holds up really well in a parfait if you enjoy that. I just like to eat it side by side with fresh fruit. Or I'll top it with a little granola and dried cranberries. That's my favourite breakfast! Do you eat Greek yogurt by itself? Do you think it stands up to other popular styles, or would you reserve it for cooking? Image: Pixabay user chapmanizer, CC0