Plain yogurt

[Slush]

Does anyone know where to find plain yogurt here? The kind without sugar or artificial sweetener added? Parmalat used to distribute one here, but they have disappeared from the market shelves over the last 2 months. I realize this may be due to Parmalat's severe financial problems worldwide, but the only thing I can find now has sugar or artificial sweetener and lots of it.Oh, before any of you despair over how pathetic my post is and jump in to give your opinion about whether I have the right to be looking for plain yogurt here in Argentina and the political dimensions of such a search, let me give you a small reality check:

I live here. I come to this site to get basic information about living in a
foreign country from people who may have been through the same
experience. When I want to know more about Argentina, Argentines or South American politics, I ask Argentines and other people living here, out in the
real world. I don't go to a website where anyone--including someone who spent 4 weeks in the country and admittedly cannot understand the national
language--can pretend to be an expert.

 

[gracielle]

I buy plain yogurt....."sin azucar".....brand name Parmalat at an Asian mini mercado in Primera Junta, a subway stop in the neighborhood of Caballito. They seem to only purchase about 10 jars per week. Since it is not a "hot item" I seem to be well supplied for now. It is a bit of a stretch for you to shop in my neighborhood, but if interested, I can obtain the exact address. It is a block from Mercado del Progreso which houses the best fresh produce, meat, poultry and fish stands in the neighborhood.

 

[chris]

I too have looked around for plain yogurt. As far as I know, Parmalat is the only brand. Few markets seem to carry it but I find it from time to time at Disco. Plain yogurt doesn't seem popular in Argentina. A waiter at Sarki's (Middle Eastern food) told me that they had to find a non-yogut substutute as plain yogurt is so hard to get in BA.

 

[California]

Yes, Parmalat, which bought out the local company "Gandara" is pretty much history...they closed the plant and left hundreds without a job...and people like you without youghurt!
I thought that Serrenisma made a plain youghurt....try and look for it...otherwise make it yourself!
You just get about a liter of milk and bring it to a slow simmer.....then turn it off....WAIT until it reaches body temp and then add a spoon of another youghurt. Stir and then cover it with a cloth and put it in a warm place...(anywhere these days).....for about 6 to 8 hours....you will then have youghurt. You will notice it is not as firm as store bought.....that is because you arent using gelatin....
I used to work at the factory of Gandara!
Good luck!

 

[bigbadwolf]

You just get about a liter of milk and bring it to a slow simmer.....then turn it off....WAIT until it reaches body temp and then add a spoon of another youghurt. Stir and then cover it with a cloth and put it in a warm place...(anywhere these days).....for about 6 to 8 hours....you will then have youghurt. You will notice it is not as firm as store bought.....that is because you arent using gelatin....

I wonder if "lactobacillus bulgaricus" is available in BsAs, since this is what's used to produce yoghurt.

 

[California]

O.K. Nashorama and Bigbadwolf....if your going to get technical.....most comercial yoghurts these days, in this market are made using the starters Lacotbacillus Bulgaricus and Streptococcus Thermophilus....one provides a "buttery yoghurt flavor", and the other provides the proper acidity....an imbalance of either one gives a strange flavored yoghurt. (I must of looked at them a million times under a microscope).....what's really interesting, is when there is an "attack" of a "bacteriophage" on the production tanks....they are basically tiny bacteria "viruses" that "seek out" and "destroy" the starter organsims and completely RUIN your entire production!....Cool, huh!
O.K.....back to reality....

 

[bjrutledge]

Good news! I found a place that sells plain yogurt, made without sugar. The shop is called "Damasco," and it's at Scalabrini Ortiz 1283, a couple of blocks from the intersection with Cordoba (bus 106 brings you very close). Make sure you specify the "liquid yogurt" as opposed to the "hard yogurt" (labneh). They also sell Argentine-made cous-cous, at about half the price of the imported cous-cous (haven't tried it yet, though).

Other good shops in that area (with excellent hummus, stuffed grape leaves, etc.) are "Medio Oriente" (at the corner of Scalabrini Ortiz and Cabrera) and "Armenia" at Scalabrini Ortiz 1317.

 

[JG]

Food quality in argentina is generally low and the package size is equivalent to vending machine size in USA. I recently bought a huge container of plain yogurt in a E. Coast USA city for about $2. hmmmm, it was good.

 

[jasonphos]

"
Food quality in argentina is generally low and the package size is equivalent to vending machine size in USA" Um, heh. Quite the sweeping statement, sir. While there are some exceptions that would prove your statement, in general I've found food quality to be high. Take the fruits and vegetables at my local Produce Market; I find them, in general, fresher and superior in quality to what I obtained in the states. I also have found the chicken and beef to be equal to, or superior to, quality in the states. As for packaged foods - The taste is definitely different from the tastes in the U.S., and I prefer the U.S., but I believe that is attributable to cultural and regional differences. It doesn't mean the quality is lower, it just tastes different.

 

[sapphos]

Nashorama, thanks for the recipe. I've been looking for plain yogurt too to make tandoori chicken - somehow vanilla flavored doesn't work, and when need a large quantity - really a problem! Thanks also to everyone who found different locations.JG -"

Food quality in argentina is generally low and the package size is equivalent to vending machine size in USA" I'm sorry but I agree with Jasonphos. I don't think the food quality of the food is low.I can much more easily buy vegetables and fruits that taste better than what was sitting on my local shelf for a week after being picked early and sitting on a truck for another week or so. Yes there are some things that don't taste the same though, for one I have a pet peeve with Hellmans Mayo here. I find it has a chemical taste and end up asking people to bring me my stash's since it's something I use a lot, but that is a personal thing. Overall the food quality here has been very good - meats, chicken, eggs, fruits, veggies, and many other things. It's always a trade off, we remember things from back home that we might miss (me included) but then when we visit back home we remember how good things were here when we eat a sucky steak for instance. laura