Serious Eats: New York
Maple Vanilla Yogurt from Hawthorne Valley Farm
"There's an incredible richness in this yogurt."
In my quest for 100 percent grass-fed dairy, I was having one hell of a time coming up with a good yogurt. Until I found the Hawthorne Valley Farm stand at the Union Square Greenmarket.
The cows at this Ghent, New York, farm are never fed corn; they graze in the pastures during warmer months, and switch to hay in the frozen winter, giving their milk a fresh, faintly grassy flavor. Their plain yogurt, thin but full-flavored, includes only whole milk and cultures. Even better is the maple vanilla yogurt, with the deep, woodsy taste of real maple syrup. And in each of the yogurt tubs, there's a scant layer of cream that clings to the top, almost buttery in its thickness.
After a few spoonfuls, I could feel a glossy sheen left behind on my lips, as if I'd just drank a milkshake or nibbled a buttery pastry. There's an incredible richness in this yogurt. That said, the waistline-conscious need not fear: the plain tub has only 110 calories, and the maple vanilla, 145.
And though I'm willing to pay a bit more for high-quality dairy, I didn't have to. Each six ounce tub cost $1.50; each quart, $4. If you buy five smaller tubs, two more are free, bringing the price of each container down to $1.07—cheaper than plenty of supermarket brands.
Union Square Greenmarket (map)
Wednesday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Inwood Greenmarket (map)
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.