Viili Yogurt Starter
Even though we have been trying to eat as healthfully as possible for quite a few years now, there is always more to learn. This summer I began a journey to help my husband with some health issues he had been having for many years. First, I read through Jordan Rubin’s book, Restoring Your Digestive Health. Many of the things he recommends are things we were already doing anyway, such as making and consuming bone broths, drinking raw milk, soaking grains, etc. (although making bone broth with chicken feet was new to me!).
One of the things Jordan recommends is consuming yogurt that does not contain the Streptococcus thermophilus culture. We decided to try the Viili yogurt from Cultures for Health because it did not contain this culture. Because Viili is is a mesophilic (room temperature) culture, it does not require a yogurt maker to make it. You culture it right on the counter. After making this for several months now, I’ve been very happy with it, and it’s very easy to make. I make it with cow milk and also goat milk, depending on what we have on hand or what my husband is wanting (I primarily make it for him).
I also have a Bulgarian Yogurt Culture I’m hoping to try again (the first time I tried it the yogurt maker overheated!). Do you make your own yogurt? If so, do you use a yogurt maker, a crock-pot, or another method? I’d love to hear about it!
I made the Viili yogurt and it smells like rotten potatoes. The taste is mild, but I can’t get past the smell. Is it supposed to smell like this?
Ours never smelled like rotten potatoes, so I’m not sure about that. That does sound unappetizing!
Hello Mary,
Can you please tell me where you got yours from and did it turn into the usual ropey consistency that I know from traditional viili? I would love to get hold of some myself.
Thanks
Ellie
Guess what I got some culture that has been going on for 100 years and now I get to carry on the preserving the culture. I will be sharing more of the story very soon on my blog. Thanks for teaching me all about it and I love it. It is for sure a busy moms yogurt. [o=
Blessings and ((HUGS))
-Mary
Great! I'm glad to hear that you got some, Mary. Can't wait to hear about it! 🙂
Hi Mary,
Well, there are a couple of reasons. One, most of the family prefers a traditional yogurt taste and texture (I make it for my husband primarily because it doesn't contain the s. thermophilus culture like pretty much all yogurt does).
Also, we only have access to a certain amount of raw milk, and the yogurt we buy from Azure (our food co-op) is also made from "good" milk (as opposed to "store-bought" milk). We eat a lot of yogurt, and I would have to make a lot of it to feed the whole family. Due to these factors, it just works out better to buy good natural and organic yogurt from Azure.
If I had access to more raw milk, I'd consider making a larger batch of it, though.
Hope that helps you, Mary! 🙂
Joy,
I have to ask why do you only make it for your husband? Do you make another kind for the rest of the family? If you do, why? Do you like the taste and the thickness? I am so curious. [o= Thank you for taking the time to answer all my questions. I am very thankful.
Blessings and ((HUGS))
-Mary
Lauren,
I can understand your frustration! I hope you get something that will work out well for you! 🙂
I decided to give it one last try with the 1/8 tsp I have left of powdered starter. Cultures for Health are actually sending me a Greek starter because if this doesn't work, I give up. They actually recommended that I stick the last bit in the fridge and try again in the spring. I'm just too impatient.
Personally, I prefer a nice thick yogurt, but I don't think my daughter will notice. I do tend to buy Greek yogurt for her and she eats it up, but in a pinch she's eaten other types. Even coconut milk yogurt.
I'm just so frustrated with yogurt right now! HAHA I'm just hoping for the best.
Hi Mary,
Yes, the starter is a powder that you have to activate. It comes in a small box with a package inside. It would probably be easy put in another package and send to Canada (I'm guessing–I don't know much about those kinds of things!).
I do find it simple to make. But I only make it for my husband at this point.
Hope you can get some! 🙂
Lauren,
I haven't even done anything about monitoring the temperature. I just put it in a cabinet and leave it for about 12-18 hours. If it's cooler in the house it seems to take a bit longer.
We keep our thermostat at around 65 in the winter, but it may be a bit warmer where I have the yogurt culturing because it's in a cabinet near the oven. In the summer it's around 80-85 degrees or more in the kitchen. I started making this yogurt in the summer (July or August), and it has seemed to work well on into the cooler months.
I do have to say that my husband is the one who consumes this yogurt…to me it looks a bit unappetizing! I really like the regular Bulgarian-type yogurt we get from Azure (Nancy's brand). I would still like to make my own someday, though.
Hope you find a culture that works for you–there are so many variables it can be complicated! 🙂
I have a question. When you get the starter in the mail. Is it in powder form? I am trying to think of a way that Maria can send some up to me up in Canada. The company will only send up to Canada if it is a BIG sale to a company. So I am trying to find a way to get some. This sounds like the best busy moms yogurt! Ohh how I would love it to be that easy.
Blessings and ((HUGS))
-Mary
Thanks for the tips! Ok, I feel better that I'm not the only one who has had yogurt issues. I'm considering trying out a Greek starter in the slow cooker since this Viili just doesn't want to work for me.
I did order it from Cultures for Health and I contacted them a few times. They have been more than helpful! I just can't get it to work. The sent me a replacement as well as a free sourdough starter which i'm looking forward to trying out, but even this new batch just looks like curdled milk. At first they thought it was the starter, but it still isn't working! It smells a lot like sour cream, but it's all chunky and separated. The first batch actually smelled so bad it made me gag.
I've been buying pasteurized milk since I cant find raw milk by me. For yogurt making purposes, I guess it's the same since I'd have to pasteurize it anyway.
At what temperature do you leave it? I've been putting the jar in my cabinet and monitoring the temperature. It generally stays around 75º. If I leave it on my counter it will be much cooler. I don't want to kill the cultures or hurt them.
Thank you again for all your advice!
Hi Lauren,
Sorry you're having trouble with it! That's how it is with me and the Bulgarian yogurt–it won't work. 🙂
Regarding the Viili, I use raw milk, but I pasteurize it first (so then it isn't raw anymore!). Just the way we decided to do it. I've used both goat and cow milk. It works fine with either. But when I make it with the Jersey cow milk it is a lot thicker, because there is a lot of cream in that milk. Sometimes it is thicker than others. As a rule, Viili is not as thick as regular yogurt.
I wonder if you got a bad culture maybe. I think sometimes that can happen. I've wondered if that could be the case with my Bulgarian starter, because it was shipped in the heat of summer when it was about 110 degrees here, and it wasn't air conditioned in the mail. If you got your culture from Cultures for Health, I'd contact them. They are very helpful, and if you suspect the culture may not have been good, they'll replace it. They said sometimes that happens.
If you contact the company you purchased your starter from, they might have an idea of what to try to get it to work.
Sorry I couldn't be more help–I hope you eventually get it to work out!
I just found your page because I was looking for help with my viili. This is my 3rd try and it just isn't working for me. It has yet to become yogurt. I'm following all the directions and it's just not working. Any advice? Please!!!! lol Thanks!
I make yogurt at least once a week here. 🙂 I've never heard of viili yogurt before. I make our yogurt by heating up the milk on the stove and removing from heat just before boiling point. Cool for 10 minutes in sink of cold water. Add culture and pour from pot into a an extra crock pot dish. Wrap in two towels and then let sit out on counter until set. 🙂 Delicious. In the summer we made lots of smoothies. 🙂
Ohhh yes I have been making yogurt for a long time and this is how I do it. [o=
http://raising4godlymen.blogspot.com/2011/01/friday-farm-girls-mastering-art-of.html
But…after reading your post I WANT to make it your way!. I love love love how easy it sounds. And so do-able for a busy homeschool moms schedule. Thank you sooo much for sharing this with us. It is worth its weight in gold. [o= Now I just need to find a culture up here in Canada.
Blessings and ((HUGS))
-Mary
Lori,
Thanks so much for sharing the link to your post! I'd like to read your other Nourishing Traditions posts.
I know what you mean about how it's hard to change after so many years. I just sometimes get tired of "weird" food. You know what I mean? Sometimes I just long to get a Taste of Home cookbook and make the kind of food that "tastes like home!" But then I never feel very good when we're eating that way. 🙂
Hi Tabitha!
I don't know how consistent the temperature has to be for this yogurt, but I haven't had it fail yet. We keep our house at about 65 degrees in the winter, and about 75-80 in the summer. I have noticed that in really cool temperatures it takes a little bit longer to culture than when it is warmer.
The Bulgarian yogurt has been a lot trickier for me to figure out. It is very dependent on consistent temperature, and my yogurt maker was either too hot or too cool. Very frustrating!
The viili yogurt is a bit different than bulgarian, which is a more traditional yogurt. Mostly David eats it, though. We have still been buying some natural yogurt through Azure that most of us eat. I would have to make a lot of jars of the viili to have enough for the whole family! 🙂
♥Joy
Hi Collette!
That is amazing that you're beginning a similar food journey! I have to admit that it hasn't been easy, and I'm still in process with it. My husband is still not symptom-free, and I'm needing to make some changes again.
It has been a huge challenge to do this kind of diet with a family. Our *goal* (we don't always do this successfully) is to eat a Nourishing Traditions type of diet all the time (raw milk, soaked grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, Kombucha, etc.). But it takes so much time, money, and effort, that it is a real effort for us to keep with it.
We've recently been considering whether we should lower our consumption of grains and if that might be helpful. So now we're considering that as well, and it adds another list of new skills to be learned.
What we did is have my husband on the Jordan Rubin diet (the Brasco broth part) for a week or so this summer. Then we tried to come up with a diet that we could all eat but a few of the things my husband would skip (things on the list of foods to avoid).
I'm now needing to re-do the whole menu I made this summer! So, after the holidays I'll be doing the same thing…going back through the book and trying to figure out what might work better! 🙂
I hope your day is blessed!
♥Joy
Very interesting…I've never heard of this type of yogurt. I'm new to yogurt-making, made the one from Nourishing Traditions, I blogged it here: http://illinoislori.blogspot.com/2011/10/journey-into-nourishing.html
It just sits in my oven (door closed) overnight. It worked out great! I'm trying to incorporate new ways of food preparation, too; it's hard to change after so many years! But I'm fascinated by it.
Blessings,
Lori
This is so neat Joy! I'd love to make yogurt – I love the fact that you are making it at room temperature. I just don't know if my house stays at a consistent temperature enough for that. 🙂
Blessings!♥♥
Tabitha
Joy, your yogurt looks delicious! I couldn't believe it when I read your post…I have *just* begun researching the same issues for a few of us in my family & am getting ready to delve into that book after the holidays. It is so encouraging to read that your family has been able to use this diet/method of healing, because it sure seems intimidating to put it into practice, esp. with children!
Love that your yogurt cultures at room temp! I will be giving this a try!
Love your sweet new blog design, too 🙂 Very lovely!
Blessings to you, Joy!
♥Collette