The one and only Yogurt Museum in Bulgaria

 

Yogurt and Rose Oil are two iconic Bulgarian products.

Today's Google Doodle (above) celebrated the birthday of Bulgarian scientist Stamen Grigorov who in 1905, while working in Geneva, Switzerland, discovered the bacteria responsible for making yogurt. Yogurt had been around long before but only when Grigorov looked at the homemade yogurt under a microscope he discovered a previously unknown bacteria, now called Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. 

  

Stamen Grigorov, in the middle, as a student in Geneva, Switzerland (credit  Planet Lactose)

 

I do not know a Bulgarian who does not like yogurt. We grow up with it, we eat it on its own, we add it to our food, we cook with it, we drink it, we have it as a desert. And we don't shy about the amounts! Yogurt is notorious for its health benefits and longevity and has been a staple food in Bulgaria for centuries. It promotes a healthy digestive tract, is high in protein, aids weight loss, is good for your bones, and the list goes on. As a Bulgarian, it tickles me that yogurt containers around the world have Lactobacillus Bulgaricus stamped on them.

Curious Fact 1

What many may not know is that most Bulgarians prefer their yogurt to be sour or tangy. Also, we like our yogurt light, with no thickeners. Some yogurt makers use pectin, gelatin, corn, or tapioca starch to give low-fat yogurt the sensory equivalent of thick whole-milk yogurt. That, however, takes away from the goodness of yogurt.  See, fruits, nuts and honey we happily add to our yogurt for extra Yum!

 

Curious Fact 2

What most people know as Greek yogurt is actually strained plain yogurt. It may appeal with its thickness, however by straining it you remove some of the most beneficial ingredients, the whey. The whey fraction contains the highest quality protein in milk, along with several essential minerals, like calcium.

Curious Fact 3

The one and only yogurt museum in the world is in Bulgaria, not far from the capital Sofia. The Studen Izvor Yogurt Museum may be found in the town of Trun, in a two-story house in the heart of the village, not far from Dr. Stamen Grigorov’s childhood home. A room with characteristics of a Bulgarian home built in the middle of the nineteenth century occupies the first floor. On the upper level, you’ll find the library and the exhibition space. The walls are covered in informational boards detailing the origins of yogurt, the processes involved in making it at home or in an artisanal setting, the industrial methods used to obtain yogurt, and the health benefits and nutritional worth of Bulgarian yogurt.

I grew up with only one kind of yogurt available in the stores. The lid was nothing fancier than a thick aluminum foil. When hungry and impatient to get home, we would buy a jar of yogurt, shake it well until consistently liquid, poke two holes in the cap, and drink it straight out of the jar. The cooler the better!

I chuckled at the Google Doodle today because it reminded me of me living abroad.

I have lived in four countries and every time I have crossed borders the same yogurt-tasting ritual takes place. I'd buy as many different brands of yogurt as I can find (remember, their label should indicate live Lactobacillus Bulgaricus and no additives), I'd open them all up, take a spoonful of each, looking for the one that tastes closest to a true Bulgarian yogurt - light, tangy, silky smooth. Once the winner is identified, that's the brand I'd buy going forward.  I love yogurt!

 

In the United States, where I currently live, my favorite yogurt brands are Trimona,  Maple Hill, and White Mountain. Trimona's founder, very much like Stamen Grigorov, used homemade yogurt (imported from Bulgaria), to start his yogurt business. It doesn't hurt that it is named after the old Roman name of my hometown - Trimontium, now Plovdiv.

If you are more adventurous, try making homemade yogurt with this Yogormet starter. I have been using it for a few years, and it works well!

One of my favorite ways of eating yogurt is with honey and walnuts.  Scoop some chilled yogurt into a small bowl, drizzle honey, and sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. It is crunchy, delicious and so healthy!

Long live [with] Lactobacilus Bulgaricus!