Noosa Yoghurt – Made From a Secret Aussie Recipe

I’ve been eating yogurt regularly for decades. A few years back, I was in Australia for about a month, and one of the things I noticed was the incredible yogurt. I couldn’t figure out why it tasted so good; was it just because I was having so much fun on my trip? Finally, I asked my tour guide in Tasmania. Now, this wasn’t any old tour guide; this woman specialized in food-related tours, and she seemed to know every small-scale food producer on that island. She told me that Australia has long been recognized both for the exceptional quality of her dairy products and for great fruit.

I haven’t been able to find yogurt like that in a long time, which was why I was so pleased when I found Noosa Yoghurt (“yoghurt” is the typical spelling in Australia). This is very thick, very creamy yogurt, with a good portion of fruit puree in the carton. Unlike a lot of yogurts I’ve tasted in the U.S. that are too tart for me, this is on the sweeter side (thanks partly to the use of honey), though it isn’t cloyingly sweet. Noosa Yoghurt is a farmstead yogurt, meaning it’s made on the same site where the milk is produced. The milk for this yogurt contains no rGBH, and the cows graze either on fresh pasture or consume grains grown at the dairy. No pesticides are used on these grains, as the dairy is in the transition period required for organic certification.

This product is currently available in six flavors. I haven’t been able to try the Honey, Peach, or Mango yet, but I love the Blueberry and the Raspberry (Strawberry Rhubarb just isn’t my cup of tea). But just as important as the taste is the fact that this yogurt really fills me up. Yes, that’s due to the fat content; that’s one of fat’s functions. In fact, my pet peeve with currently popular Greek yogurt is that so much of it is available only in nonfat versions. They’re OK, but I’m still hungry after I eat them. While I don’t agree with the manufacturers of Noosa Yoghurt that four ounces of their product is one serving, all of the reputable nutrition information I’ve seen lately states that full-fat dairy products are good for you. It’s just a question of consumption in moderation.

If you’re not terribly familiar with Australia, you’ve no doubt wondered about the name “Noosa.” Noosa is a popular vacation spot in Queensland, Australia, on what is called The Sunshine Coast. Noosa Yoghurt, however, is produced in Colorado. It is in somewhat limited distribution in the Midwestern and Eastern US, though I have been able to find it in the mid-Atlantic region; distribution is better in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, and southern CA. Find a store near you and try some yogurt that’s truly satisfying.

noosayoghurt.com