I am Thankful for Yogurt

I don’t remember when I first ate yogurt. It was long after I got married. I don’t remember why I tried it. Perhaps it was the commercials about Russians and Scandinavians who lived to very old ages eating yogurt. Nah, I didn’t start until long after those. Frankly, I wasn’t impressed when I first tried it. I did enjoy diving into the fruit at the bottom. Fruit is a favorite food of mine.

I do remember why I started eating yogurt on a regular basis. My sister Shirley, ever the scientist, informed me that the good bacteria in yogurt would neutralize the bad bacteria that produced the foul odor of intestinal gas. From that revelation forward I have seldom been far from yogurt. What a gift, a food that when properly flavored tastes good, is good for you, and makes you more socially acceptable or at least less repulsive.

I have learned to really like eating yogurt. It’s a cross between health food and dessert. In recent years I have begun experimenting with it. I have made my own. It’s really quite easy but not that cost effective. In the process of researching how to make yogurt I discovered it can be used as a mild leaven when baking. I first began using it in my cobblers. It creates a smooth texture and adds a mild flavor. I often add it to my pancake mix and other desserts. Recently I have gone to using it as a topping in place of ice cream. I have also blended it into sour cream when making stroganoff.

Yogurt is so versatile and it is my favorite instrument of culinary experimentation. Join me in my cause. Help America breath better. Eat yogurt and eat it often. [Note: cooking yogurt destroys it digestive benefits.]

Cleveland, Tennessee
June 2, 2010
JDJ