variations may be more important than we realize – remember all dogs are from the same species, but there are a few obvious variations from Fido to Fido.

Bacterial cultures are also fragile. When Greeks make their own yogurts at home, they rely on cultures obtained from larger yogurt-makers. These cultures start to become less effective after a month or two and have to be restarted by adding fresh bacteria.

The Secrets of Sheep’s Milk
Sheep’s milk is very different from cow’s milk and differs from cow’s milk in many crucial ways. Even the fat in sheep’s milk is in a smaller droplet, which may affect how the human digestive system breaks it down. On the molecular level, the fatty acids are arranged as what’s called short-chain fatty acids, which makes them less potent in affecting cholesterol levels. Sheep’s milk is also naturally richer in Vitamins A, B, and E. It also shines in minerals, providing more calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

So why is sheep’s milk so seldom used in the U.S.? In the entire U.S., there are only about a hundred active sheep-milk dairies, and so there is almost no supply of sheep’s milk available. The renaissance in sheep-milk cheeses consumes most of the available supply. What is left for yogurt-making is expensive and not of the best quality, as much of it comes from low-yielding sheep meant to be raised for meat and wool.

Getting the Real Thing
One of the latest marketing catchwords is "probiotic" – edible substances that are thought to promote health. Yogurt bacterias are considered "probiotics" and are included in promotional materials as such.

Can this magic be exported or recreated outside of Greece? I hope so. Fage and its "Total" brand of Greek yogurt has made inroads in the US, but only by sacrificing many of the factors that make Greek yogurt so special, including the exclusive use of ewe’s milk. Even so, when Fage was pulled off the market for a while in a few US states due to problems complying with FDA regulations, there was vigorous protest from its fans. Eventually, the issue was resolved and a more compliant version of the yogurt was permitted to return to the shelves. It may not be perfect, but it’s the best option that’s widely available.

Finally, the passion for "low-fat" everything has stripped some yogurts of their natural body and has even sometimes stuffed them with gelatin and other thickeners to imitate the real, full-fat thing. If the increasingly health-conscious general public can be educated on the "good" fats of sheep’s milk and real yogurt, true Greek yogurt may gradually win acceptance. (Maybe Nia Vardalos could be coaxed to do a series of commercials - "I had a Big Fat Greek Wedding, and now I’m having a Big Fat Greek Yogurt!")

My special thanks to Sotiris Kitrilakis for his insights into the making of Greek yogurts. e