Photo and article by Kathy Gunst.
Over the years, yogurt in the U.S. has improved dramatically. You can find a wide variety of yogurt in most supermarkets, from thick Greek-style yogurt to low-fat yogurt, to thinner European-style yogurt similar to the yogurt I first fell in love with in my travels through France, Italy and Switzerland. Many yogurt makers also include stories on their packages about how they treat their cows, support family farms and practice organic and sustainable agriculture. Some of my personal favorites come from the East Coast, including Butterworks Farm organic yogurt from Vermont, Brown Cow yogurt from New Hampshire, and Stonyfield Farm yogurt, also from New Hampshire.
The Straus Family Creamery in Northern California is a leader among the newer generation of American yogurt makers. On a recent bright, sunny morning I drove to Marin County, north of San Francisco, to meet Albert Straus, the owner of Straus Family Creamery. Their organic yogurt is tart and creamy, and the backstory of Straus Dairy is as compelling as the products they produce.
