Cultured Culture

     As I've been mentioning this week, yogurt is a healthy fermented food, full of probiotics.  It's made from active cultures that react with milk to provide thick creamy curds that can be enjoyed on their own or combined with a variety of other ingredients.

     An additional step in the yogurt making process is to strain it to create a thicker version that removes some of the lactose, resulting in a higher concentration of lactic acid and a lower amount of sugar.  

     And depending on your ethnic background you have created either Greek Yogurt or Labneh.  Both are common foods in the Middle East, one being primarily of Greek origin while the other Arabic.  

     Blogger David Lebovitz says, "Lebneh (sic) is made by draining full-fat yogurt for a few hours, or overnight, where it thickens and gets extra-tangy."

     There are some minor distinctions, however.  Purists would claim that labneh is strained longer than traditional Greek yogurt and the final product is more the consistency of cream cheese.  And in some culinary circles it is called just that, a cheese, rather than yogurt.  And as such it can last a really long time without getting moldy or otherwise spoiling.  It can stay fresh for weeks.