How Yogurt Traveled Through Time
Yogurt is one of the world’s oldest foods, more than 5,000 years old!
It was first discovered in the Middle East and Central Asia when warm weather and natural bacteria accidentally turned milk into something thick and tasty. Travelers loved it because it stayed fresh longer and gave them energy.
Eventually, yogurt reached Ancient Greece, where it became a favorite snack called “oxygala”, often served with sweet honey — just like today’s Greek yogurt bowls!
Active: 10 Mins | Total: 6 - 8 hours (incubation time)
4 Servings | Medium
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 liter) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with live cultures (this is your “starter”)
"Fun Fact"
Archaeologists discovered 5,000-year-old yogurt traces inside ancient clay pots, proving people were making yogurt long before the pyramids of Egypt were built.
⚜
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the milk
- Pour the milk into a pot.
- Heat on medium until it reaches 180°F / 82°C.
- (This kills unwanted bacteria and helps yogurt set thicker.)
- Turn off heat.
2. Cool the milk
- Let the milk cool down to 110°F / 43°C (warm but not hot).
- You can test with a spoon: if it feels warm but not burning, it’s ready.
3. Add the starter yogurt
- Put the 2 tbsp of yogurt in a small bowl.
- Add 2–3 tbsp of the warm milk and mix until smooth.
- Pour this mixture back into the pot and gently stir.
4. Incubate (Let the yogurt grow!)
You want the pot to stay warm for 6–8 hours.
You can do this by:
- Wrapping the pot in towels
- Placing it inside the oven with the light on (no heat)
- Using a yogurt maker if you have one
Do not stir during this time — the yogurt needs stillness to thicken.
5. Chill
- After 6–8 hours, check: it should look thick and slightly jiggly.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before eating.
- The yogurt becomes even thicker as it cools.
Note About the True “From-Scratch” Raw Milk Version
Long before refrigerators or grocery stores, people made yogurt using fresh raw milk straight from the animal. Raw milk naturally contains its own friendly bacteria. When the milk is kept warm — like in clay pots or animal-skin bags — those natural bacteria slowly thicken it into yogurt all by themselves. This is the original, 5,000-year-old way yogurt was discovered. But because raw milk can spoil easily and needs very careful handling, most people today heat milk and add a safe starter culture instead. The process is the same, only the source of the bacteria has changed.