Skyr (Iceland cheese/similar to yogurt??) - Available in North America/Toronto

[ylsf]

When I was in Iceland I had Skyr pretty much every day...

http://www.skyr.is/category.aspx?catI...

It comes in yogurt like packaging and originally I thought it was an Icelandic yogurt product. But, turns out it is a type of cheese.

I have been googling around looking to find out if I can get this anywhere in the Toronto area but I haven't had much luck (there was mention that it was available at certain Whole Foods stores in the USA but, it doesn't look like it is available at Whole Foods in Oakville or Toronto

[ylsf]

I went to Summerhill for the first time last night. The "Summerhill" location. They had three flavours of Siggi's. Blueberry, Grapefruit and Plain. Priced at $2.99 each for 150g serving. Just ate a grapefruit one. Very different flavour , having just had a grapefruit earlier today it tasted very "authentic" and natural :)

I will probably head back to Summerhill at some point to explore it more and grab some more Siggi's I am sure

[ylsf]

I totally forgot about this thread and someone above mentioned it was available at Wegmans in Amherst. I picked up the Siggi's at a Wegmans on Military Rd. in Niagara. Too bad they don't have the Icelandic version but I am eating an Orange/Ginger now and it is pretty good. Very nice "ginger" flavour with pieces of actual ginger. I picked up a bunch of different varieties. The price has dropped down to $1.99 for a 5.3 (150g) serving. I saw they had a larger container with just plain Skyr as well.

Still wish some dairy in Canada would make this stuff.

Also, found it interesting how popular Greek yogurt is in the USA. All kind of stuff branded "greek yogurt" including cereals, candies, etc,etc.

[disgusti]

ah i'm glad to see this thread, although i wish it contained some more promising news. i got hooked on the stuff in reykjavik (to the point where i tried to smuggle some into denmark when i left, but was found out) and have been missing it since. next time i'm in NYS i guess i'll have to take a look

[maxwellsmart]

We bought Siggi's at Summerhill Market a couple of months ago...

[estufarian]

And I saw it there just before Xmas. It's a regular item, although I find it very different from the 'authentic' Skyr from Iceland.

[ylsf]

Thanks.. I have never actually been to Summerhill.. I imagine the pricing is higher than in the USA? Do you happen to recall how much it was and the selection they had with regards to flavours?

I agree with estufarian.... not as good as the "authentic" one (this is from my initial trying it it back closer to my trip to Iceland) but at this point my memory of the authentic one has faded. I don't think they carry the Skyr.is one at Whole Foods in the USA anymore from what I read??

[estufarian]

From a different thread on (real) Skyr on another board - this is where I found it in New York City (in 2012):

"But did find it at Food Emporium on NE corner of 49th St & 8th Avenue. Shelf had space for 4 varieties, but only strawberry and Plain in stock. Blueberry and French Vanilla SKU's (my favourite) were empty. $2.99 per portion."

Haven't seen it for at least 2 years in Whole Foods. And to my tastes much better than Siggi's.
I think Siggi's was around $3.89 (or $4.19) at Summerhill Market and they seemed to have a good selection (maybe 4-6 varieties including orange/ginger).

[DDD]

I got some this summer at the whole foods at the Union Square whole foods. They had around 3 varieties. I wolfed a couple down upstairs....couldn't wait.

[estufarian]

I was at the Union Square Whole Foods in December 2012 specifically looking for Skyr.
They DIDN'T have any. They ONLY had Siggi's.
I also checked that location in March 2012 and found the identical situation.
Please confirm that it was the Icelandic Skyr you found - and if possible where it was located, as it wasn't visible (to me) at the Yoghurt section.

[ylsf]

I am going to contact both Whole Foods and Skyr.is right now because it is still listed on the Skyr.is website as being carried in certain Whole Foods:

http://www.skyriceland.com/where-to-b...

[estufarian]

Seems the best solution!
I tried both Union Square and Columbus Circle in 2012 without luck.

[ylsf]

No response from either of them... Not expecting to hear anything back at this point but if I do I will post here.

[bigos70]

Strange timing - I just bought some at Wegmans in Amherst last weekend, not really knowing much about it. The brand was Siggi's from NY state. I bought an Orange Ginger and a Grapefruit. It's very thick and not very sweet - I had actually mixed it with some other yogurt. It was expensive though - $2.59 for a small tub. It was in the health food section by the way.

[estufarian]

The Siggi's is available all over NY State - Whole Foods stocks it too (so you can compare with the 'genuine' stuff). It's not bad - but agree - it's overpriced.
Also found the Siggi's in Chicago - but Whole Foods still hadn't distributed it there at my last visit.

[pulguksa]

Today's Toronto Sun has a recipe for skyr on page 34.

[duckdown]

I saw this stuff on BIZARRE FOODS... didn't look to appealing!

they sprinkle sugar on it

[legourmettv]

Nothing Bizarre about it, in some places sugar was sprinkled on but the best I had was with some berries in it without sugar.

Wait a second... maybe using the secretions of another mammal, adding bacteria and a compound from the stomach lining of a different mammal is bizarre!

Oh sorry, that's just cheese and yoghourt.

G.

[Splendid Wine Snob]

Uh, have you tried it? Its actually quite delicious.

SWS

[legourmettv]

Uh yeah I have tried it, and I enjoy it, as I think I said in previous posts... I also defended it as being not bizarre / no more bizarre than anything else we eat namely cheese and yoghourt.
See Excerpt - "Nothing Bizarre about it, in some places sugar was sprinkled on - but the best I had was with some berries in it without sugar."

G.

[Splendid Wine Snob]

If you look in the upper right hand corner, my response was not directed to you!

SWS

[duckdown]

bizzarre foods is a TV show, i'm not making this stuff up...just saying it didnt look that good

[legourmettv]

I interviewed a maker of Skyr in Iceland last fall, to their knowledge there was only one operation outside of Iceland that made this product and that was in New York city. They also mentioned occasional shipments of skyr to the Icelandic population in Gimli.

I'll have to go back the the tapes and get names.

G.

[ylsf]

Thanks for the info. I wish they would open up shop in Canada!

[sarah galvin]

Well, I live in Manitoba and will check it out and report back.

[sarah galvin]

Apparently it is available from Arborg, Manitoba at Pederson's. Large Icelandic community near Gimli.

[sarah galvin]

Sorry, the grocer is Pallsen's.

[ylsf]

A bump up of my first post ever on here 3 years ago. I am still looking to find this in Toronto area. I have since had it while in New York a few times but I have never seen it at any store in Canada.

[estufarian]

Here's the scoop.
The only importer into North America (currently) is Whole Foods - although they don't list it anywhere on their web site.
However it is only distributed (currently) to their 'Eastern US' Region (for sure it includes New York and doesn't include Chicago). I haven't been able to check Buffalo yet. All the flavours (except Pear) are readily available in New York.
Whole Foods Canada seem never to have heard of it - it's not on their list of products. I got this info from an outlet in Chicago who has been trying to get it for his store
My suspicion is that Canada's 'dairy regulations' - won't permit it. Got to protect our dairy farmers from the potential ravages of skyr. I believe Ontario (maybe Canada) currently prevents ALL importations of unpasteurized 'cheese products' that are less than 60-days old - which pretty much eliminates skyr as its shelf life is less than that! The reported logic is to prevent outbreaks of listeria (despite the fact that listeria has NEVER been found in unpasteurized imported 'cheese' in Ontario). Technically skyr is a cheese, not a yoghurt - as you pointed out in your original post.

[Splendid Wine Snob]

Yes, I've never seen it here, but have procured it in NYC.

It is delicious, and sadly one of those cheeses that you will likely have to smuggle in.

SWS

[piccola]

Wonder if that's the same regulation that keeps Fage -- an actual yogurt, not cheese -- out of Canada... When I asked the company, they alluded to some kind of restriction.