I was first introduced to the gastronomic wonder that is Greek yogurt at Aroma’s Café, across from Five Guys in Barracks Road Shopping Center, last September.. If you like Mediterranean food, I highly recommend you check it out.
I already knew I loved Aroma’s baklava — sometimes I even stop by to get a serving to go — but during this particular occasion, I could not help but try a new dessert on the menu: Greek yogurt with pistachios, maple syrup and fruit marinated in rosewater. I’ve never tasted something so heavenly in my life. Indeed, I felt that I must be eating something first consumed by the gods of Mount Olympus. The dessert combined the perfect mixture of light textures and flavors, with both sweet and salty notes, and was remarkably satisfying.
Although I can’t say I go about marinating fruit in rosewater on a daily basis, Greek yogurt has become a staple of my diet. Most brands are naturally fat-free, yet the texture is rich and creamy. Unlike the sweet yogurt I grew up eating, Greek yogurt has a delightful tang that mixes extremely well with honey.
Fortunately, I’m not the only one who has noticed the success of this combination, and nearly every commercial maker of Greek yogurt sells cups containing both delicious ingredients.
Because the yogurt is high in protein, it makes an excellent breakfast food or afternoon snack — low in calories but filling. It has become my breakfast of choice, mixed with a number of different additions to make it a truly enjoyable and well-rounded fare. Dried fruit almost always makes its way into whatever mix I’m making. My favorite medley is the Golden Berry mix from Trader Joe’s, which mixes golden raisins with dried cherries, cranberries and blueberries. Sadly, the nearest Trader Joe’s is in Richmond, so I have to stock up when I’m in a more fortunate city than ours. If I do run out, however, the dried and canned fruit aisle of any supermarket offers acceptable substitutes. To that fruit I often add some apple slices and maybe some grapes or strawberries. I once tried adding tangerine sections, but the skin was too tough to mix well with the other elements. If you want to try adding citrus, I’d suggest canned mandarin oranges instead.
For a little crunch, I sometimes add granola, or even just sliced almonds or shelled pistachios. Because I have a major sweet tooth, I also usually mix in honey or pure maple syrup.
Finally, to round out the flavors nicely, I add a dash of cinnamon.
A trip to the grocery store summarily informs me that I’m not the only fan of this wonderful food. Less than a year ago, I’d never even seen Greek yogurt on a dairy shelf — now, there seem to be as many choices as there are for conventional yogurt. Flavors used to be limited to plain and honey; I’ve now seen blueberry, strawberry, vanilla and peach.
The brands I see most commonly in Charlottesville are FAGE and Oikos, but I’ve come across at least three other brands in grocery stores throughout the state. Oikos is my favorite, but it is increasingly hard to find, as FAGE — which isn’t bad — takes its place on the shelves. I’ve yet to determine why this is, but frankly, I’m lucky if there is any yogurt left at all when I’m buying my groceries. As one Harris Teeter employee told me, the containers — especially the larger ones — fly off the shelves as soon as they’re stocked. I’ve taken to checking for it whenever I’m even in the vicinity of a grocery store, lest I run out and have to eat plain old cereal in the morning! Honestly, I can’t quite imagine what my day would be like if I didn’t get to start it with a tangy, wholesome bowl of Greek yogurt.
Sarah’s column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at s.brummett@cavalierdaily.com.
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