Having been on the culinary scene in one form or another for over 4,500 years, yogurt is a staple in many diets, and for good reason. All you have to do is watch tv for five minutes before being bombarded by the recent ads touting yogurt’s healthful bacteria and restorative properties. Beyond just the health benefits though, the uses and different varieties are endless, providing the backbone of many baked goods, cold soups, and even simple parfaits. The non-dairy version has been around for barely a fraction of the time as the original, but like a newborn modeling their older sibling, it has progressed rapidly to a more mature and delicious form.
The latest mutation of this vegan delight is made by Turtle Mountain, previously known solely for their decadent frozen desserts. Coming from such a sumptuous background, I naturally assumed that these newest offerings would share that level of luxury, a step above the standard cultured soy- And even with such high expectations, I wasn’t disappointed.
With five different flavors to choose from, this line is short but sweet.
Starting with Vanilla as a basic jumping-off point, I was impressed with this yogurt before the spoon ever reached my lips. A quick stir proved how thick and creamy the consistency was, far more substantial than any other brands I’ve encountered yet. This translated into a very rich mouth-feel, delivering a sophisticated bouquet of floral vanilla notes along with the faint, characteristic tang of yogurt. While some people may equate “vanilla” with “plain,” this concoction would prove them wrong! Good enough that I wasn’t tempted to add extra flavorings or toppings to it, this would undoubtedly be excellent to dip fresh fruit in as the warmer months progress.
Next up I chose Blueberry, my go-to variety when it comes to flavored yogurts. Lifting the lid, I discovered it was an alluring shade of purple/blue, concealing bits of berries scattered throughout. These chunks added some good texture, livening things up so that it didn’t become monotonous to shovel down. With an authentic blueberry flavor, albeit very sweet, it was breath of fresh air for my breakfast routine, and actually gave me a reason to be happy about waking up so early.
This was all just beating around the bush though, because the one flavor I was most interested in was the infamous Cinnamon Roll. After all, how could something be pastry-flavored? It sort of implies a certain texture and format, so I could only puzzle over how a baked good might be incarnated into a creamy soy product. Let me tell you, the answer (and taste) is surprisingly delicious. No kidding, this one blew my socks off! So sweet, creamy, and indulgent, with a strong overtone of cinnamon and almost buttery notes in the background, it’s hard to describe exactly how it all worked to create such a harmony of flavors, but it definitely does. Although it’s a bit over the top for a daily breakfast option, it’s a wonderful treat that I certainly would have trouble refusing.
Moving back into familiar territory, Raspberry was the next target on my hit list. A deep shade of pink that bordered on purple, it was an impressive reminder of how unnecessary synthetic coloring is when you use quality ingredients. Tart and tangy, the sweetness in this one was very nicely offset by the natural essence of raspberries. Turning up a few errant raspberry seeds every other spoonful or so, it was a nice reminder that it was the real deal in here, not some artificial chemical cocktail. Served with frozen berries on top, this is one unbeatable snack.
Finally, all that remained was Peach… Which, I must admit, I had been avoiding for as long as possible. You see, I have a rather tenuous relationship with peach-flavored things. For some reason, they just don’t usually strike my taste buds as a good thing, even though I don’t usually have a problem with the fresh fruit. Swallowing my fears along with a mound of yogurt, I noticed that this one was a bit grainer in texture than the previous choices. The pieces of fruit in there exacerbated that fact a bit, and some of them were even downright crunchy. Not my idea of a pleasing consistency! Over all, it was pleasant enough, but I would have to say it was my least favorite of the bunch. Of course, if you’re a diehard peach lover, this may be just your thing, so I wouldn’t write it off altogether.
So if you’re still lusting over those thicker styles or decadent flavors of dairy-based yogurts, a cup of So Delicious soy yogurt could be just the thing to sooth your cravings!
[Written for Go Dairy Free]