Apostels: Greek yogurt strained, not thickened

Who's behind it

Apostels goes back to the Greek way of making yogurt, where yogurt has been a staple of the daily table for generations. The company works with small dairy farmers; the milk comes from animals grazing in a landscape full of herbs and grass, from farmers who know their animals. The supply chain is short and production small-scale. This is not mood-setting but a practical choice: the fewer links between pasture and bucket, the less you need to correct with additives.

At Jimmy Loves Food, there's one version in the cooler: the full Proto at 10% fat, in a 5-litre bucket. Proto means first in Greek, and it's the measure you can actually work with in a kitchen. The yogurt falls under the milk and yogurt group and goes per bucket, not per pot.

What really makes the difference

The difference lies in the preparation. The yogurt ferments first slowly, then is strained. In that straining, the whey runs off and a thicker, fuller mass remains, without starch, milk powder or plant-based oil. That's precisely what many yogurts in the shops rely on: a large part of what stands as Greek style on the shelf owes its thickness to modified starch, lean milk powder and sometimes even rapeseed oil. Such yogurt is made quickly and cheaply, but it's thickened, not strained.

You notice this in your mise en place. A yogurt thickened with binder often releases moisture as soon as you whip it or let it sit. A strained yogurt holds firm. Your tzatziki won't turn watery on the plate, your dressing won't break down, and the 10% fat gives enough body to work with when heated, if you temper it first. The flavour is fresh and full at once, with a light acidity that doesn't dominate. This makes the yogurt work two ways: savoury in sauces and marinades, and sweet in desserts, without needing adjustment.

How to set yourself apart

Use the yogurt as a building block, not as a side dish. Use it as a fresh counterpoint under a hot dish, so temperature and acidity work against each other. Swap crème fraîche in a cold sauce and you get more freshness at the same thickness. Let lamb or chicken marinate overnight in the yogurt; the milk acids tenderise the meat and hold moisture on the grill.

For your guest, it's recognisable and yet better than what they know from the supermarket at home. On the card, you don't need many words: mention that it's real Greek yogurt strained rather than thickened, and your guest tastes the rest themselves.