Icelandic Yogurt — Oh, Yes!

Push aside the Greek. Make way for Icelandic yogurt. This one is full of shreds of coconut.

Push aside the Greek. Make way for Icelandic yogurt. This one is full of shreds of coconut.

 

Remember the first time you went gah-gah for Greek yogurt?

Then, prepare to go insane for the Icelandic style.

I admit I’d never had Icelandic yogurt (skyr) until recently when Petaluma’s Smari sent me samples to try.

In short, they blew my taste buds away.

Icelandic yogurt has been made for generations from nonfat milk that’s heated with a culture, then strained and strained again. Smari makes its from organic, grass-fed Jersey and Guernsey milk, which is thicker, richer and more nutrient-dense than most. While its original yogurts were made from skim milk, it recently introduced the first Icelandic-style yogurts made with whole milk.

What you notice with these yogurts is how exceedingly creamy and thick they are, especially the whole milk varieties. They’re the consistency of a decadent pudding.

They have a subtle tang, not as in-you-face as Greek-style ones.

The Coconut, which has 2 percent fat and 138 calories for 6 ounces, is loaded with real shreds of coconut. The Pure Whole Milk is so balanced and rich that it doesn’t need anything more to be enjoyable all on its own — and how many times can you say that about eating a whole tub of plain yogurt?

The real star is the Vanilla Whole Milk, which to my surprise contained real vanilla bean seeds. It has the sweet, authentic taste of great vanilla ice cream. In fact, you almost feel guilty eating this super thick, speckled yogurt because it tastes so much like dessert. But at 179 calories for a 6-ounce cup, there’s nothing to hide your head in shame about.

I've found a new yogurt to love. You just might, too.

I’ve found a new yogurt to love. You just might, too.

Indeed, Smari claims that at 20 grams per serving, its yogurt is higher in protein than any other yogurt on the market. It takes four cups of milk to make just one cup of Smari.

Smari was founded by Icelandic native Smári Ásmundsson, who came to California to study photography. After starting a family, he realized he wanted to raise his son on the same nutritious, delicious Icelandic yogurt he grew up on. He decided to make it, himself, and a company was born.

Look past all the Greek yogurt on the refrigerator shelves and you’ll spot Smari at retailers including Whole Foods, Bi-Rite, Costco, Draeger’s and Mollie Stone’s.

A 6-ounce container is $2.49.

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5 comments

  • Oh wow, this looks amazing. I fall for anything coconut. Always great to meet a fellow coconut nut!
    I would never associate Iceland with yogurt! Who knew? Will have to check this out. It may just replace my current fave:

    http://www.noosayoghurt.com/products/coconut/

  • That’s interesting that they use Guernsey milk. Would love to see more companies using that milk for folks dealing with allergies.

  • This stuff is amazing. I got a free sample last year at a bike event and have been hooked ever since. This is one product I don’t feel bad about paying a little more for.

  • Tried Smari but it couldn’t match siggi’s, the original Icelandic yogurt I have been eating for last 4 years. It has much less sugar and is so delicious.

  • All the flavors are great but my favorites are coconut, coffee, and peach. And in my opinion its way better than Siggi’s.

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