Best Fermented Dairy

Cultured butter is produced by fermenting cream with lactic acid bacteria before churning, a traditional European method that yields a richer, tangier flavor than sweet cream butter, common in France and Denmark.

Crème fraîche is a French cultured dairy product with a fat content of approximately 30%, made by allowing cream to ferment with lactic acid bacteria. Unlike American sour cream, it has a milder flavor and higher fat content, resulting in a less acidic taste profile. Crème fraîche is valued in cooki...

Kefir is a fermented milk drink originating from the North Caucasus region, produced by inoculating milk with kefir grains—symbiotic clusters of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The resulting beverage has a tart, slightly sour flavor with subtle carbonation from the fermentation process. Unlike yogu...

Labneh is a strained yogurt product from the Levant, produced by draining whey from yogurt through cloth until it reaches a thick, semi-solid consistency. It is a staple food across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and other parts of the Middle East, commonly served at breakfast with olive oil and...

Lassi is a traditional yogurt-based beverage originating from the Indian subcontinent, particularly associated with Punjab. It is made by blending yogurt with water and sometimes spices or fruit, resulting in a refreshing drink that can be either sweet or savory. Sweet lassi is typically flavored wi...

Skyr is an Icelandic cultured dairy product with roots in Norse foodways dating back over 1,000 years, classified technically as a fresh cheese but consumed like yogurt, notable for its very high protein content.

Ayran is a traditional cold beverage made from a simple mixture of yogurt, water, and salt. It is the most widely consumed yogurt-based drink in Turkey, where it is deeply embedded in the culture and frequently considered the national drink. The beverage is also popular across the Middle East, the B...

Sour cream is a North American and Eastern European fermented cream product with roughly 20% fat content, produced by culturing heavy cream with lactic acid bacteria to achieve its characteristic tangy flavor.

Doogh is a traditional savory Iranian beverage made by mixing yogurt with water and adding salt and dried herbs such as mint. It is often carbonated and served chilled, making it a popular cooling drink during hot weather in Iran and neighboring countries like Afghanistan. The drink is widely consum...

Matsoni is a traditional Georgian fermented milk product, one of the oldest cultured dairy foods in the Caucasus region, fermented at room temperature with a unique microbial culture distinct from Bulgarian yogurt.

Dadih is a traditional Indonesian fermented milk product originating from the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra. The dairy product is uniquely cultured by pouring fresh, unboiled buffalo milk into bamboo tubes, which are then sealed with banana leaves. Spontaneous fermentation occurs overnight, res...

Buttermilk is the liquid remaining after churning butter from cream, or a cultured dairy drink made by fermenting low-fat milk with lactic acid bacteria, widely used in baking across North America and South Asia.

Ryazhenka is a traditional fermented milk drink popular in Russia and Ukraine, distinguished by its production method utilizing baked milk. The milk is slowly heated until it acquires a caramel-brown color and a distinct, slightly sweet flavor, after which it is inoculated with lactic acid bacteria....

Amasi is a traditional South African fermented milk product with a thick texture and sour taste, historically consumed widely among various indigenous populations.

Filmjölk is a traditional Scandinavian fermented milk product originating in Sweden, created by introducing mesophilic lactic acid bacteria to cow's milk. The fermentation process yields a drinkable yogurt-like product characterized by a mild, slightly sour flavor and a smooth, often ropy texture. I...

Laban is a liquid fermented milk product common across the Arab world, ranging from a thin drinkable yogurt in the Levant to a more concentrated form in the Gulf states, used both as a beverage and cooking ingredient.

Jocoque is a traditional Mexican dairy product similar to sour cream, created by fermenting milk with bacteria and historically prepared in clay pots to yield a thick texture.

Ymer is a traditional Danish fermented milk product introduced in the 1930s, notable for its high protein content achieved through an ultrafiltration process.

Tan is a traditional Armenian fermented dairy beverage made from cultured milk, notable for its salty, refreshing taste and probiotic properties.

Jameed is a hard, dry, fermented dairy product originating from Jordan and the broader Levant region. It is made by straining, salting, and fermenting goat or sheep's milk yogurt until it loses most of its moisture and forms solid balls. This preservation method allows the dairy to be stored for ext...

Viili is a Finnish ropy fermented milk product made using a specific strain of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris that produces long, stretchy strands, and has been cultivated in Finnish households for generations.

Caspian Sea yogurt is a mesophilic yogurt fermented at room temperature using Lactococcus lactis strains. It was introduced to Japan in the 1990s, reportedly originating from strains from Georgia in the Caucasus region. The yogurt is characterized by a viscous, ropy texture and a milder flavor than...

Mursik is a traditional fermented milk beverage of the Kalenjin people in Kenya, notable for being ripened in gourds treated with charcoal to impart a smoky flavor.

Smen is a pungent aged clarified butter used in North African, particularly Moroccan, cooking, traditionally buried in the ground or sealed in jars for months to years to develop its strong, fermented flavor.

Acidophilus milk is a fermented dairy product made by culturing milk specifically with Lactobacillus acidophilus, promoted for digestive health benefits and widely sold as a probiotic food in the 20th century.