Scandinavia has a lovely history of cultured foods. From sourdough breads to pickled herring to the drinkable yogurt known as piimä.
Piimä is a very thin yogurt, useful as a drinkable yogurt that is easy to serve from a glass.
HOW IT IS CULTURED
Piimä is cultured at room temperature, no yogurt makers required.
Because of its Scandinavian roots (Finnish, to be exact), piimä cultures well in colder climates. In a warmer climate, piimä will simply culture faster, moving into the curds-and-whey stage much sooner than other yogurt varieties.
The Piimä culture can also be used with cream or half-and-half, for a thicker piimä cream, which can be used in place of sour cream or crème fraîche.
FLAVOR AND TEXTURE
Piimä has a lovely nutty, mild flavor. It is also the thinnest of the room-temperature cultured yogurts. Piimä is so thin, in fact, that it is more commonly drunk from a glass than eaten with a spoon.
Piimä has a smooth texture and can sometimes have a stretchy consistency similar to honey.
HOW TO EAT IT
In Finland piimä is commonly drunk straight from a glass in the summer heat, with or without salt. Pour it over fruit or granola in a bowl, layer it in a parfait, eat it with cereal, dip fruit in it, or strain it through cheesecloth for a thicker consistency, then season and use as a spread or cheese.
Mix it with juice and drink it from a glass, blend it with frozen fruit for a smoothie, or top a favorite savory dishes with this cultured milk product. Use it as the base of a salad dressing or vegetable dip.
Cultured piimä cream can be used in place of heavy whipping cream to make a nutty, probiotic-rich cultured butter.
HOW TO MAKE IT
Piimä yogurt is made similarly to other room-temperature cultured yogurts. Click here for a video tutorial on making piimä.
Instructions for using our Piimä Yogurt Starter are also included with each box.
