Are You Getting Fraiche With Me?

When it comes to food, it’s often the little things that make me happiest. A steaming mug of coffee in the morning (with a generous splash of cream of course, none of that skim milk silliness), a slice of fresh crusty bread with a pat of French butter, and yogurt. Seriously, I’m slightly obsessed with yogurt; and I’m not talking about those anemic containers of runny, sugar-laden substances that are about as far from true yogurt as Wonderbread is from, well, bread (no offense to any of you Wonderbread lovers). Nope, I’m talking the good stuff – the real stuff, rich, creamy, Greek-style yogurt that you can stand a spoon in, always full-fat and only plain – because while a drizzle of honey or sprinkle of granola never hurts, to me the test of a truly excellent yogurt is whether it’s just as delicious eaten on its own.

With that in mind, my quest for the holy grail of yogurt never ends – it has to be thick yet not gelatinous, tangy but not overly sour. Grocery stores now turn up some decent choices, but yogurt is not generally something I’m used to indulging in outside my own kitchen. While frozen yogurt shops are plentiful, I tend to find the flavours overly sweet and not authentic enough for my liking. So imagine my excitement at stumbling upon Fraiche – a chic little cafe in downtown Palo Alto (there are locations in San Francisco and Stanford, too) that’s all about the yogurt.

At first glance, it may appear as simply another frou-frou fro-yo joint, but take a closer look – and taste – and it’s clear that at Fraiche they really know their dairy. To start with, the organic artisanal yogurt is made in-house from scratch, using local Clover milk cultured with a special probiotic base. Inspired by owner Patama Gur’s travels in Europe and its incredible dairy products, Fraiche handcrafts its yogurt in keeping with European tradition: no additives, gelatins, or sweeteners, and minimally processed to preserve the health benefits of those friendly probiotic cultures. But really, all I wanted to know is whether it’ll pass my taste test. Predictably, I settled on the natural frozen yogurt (also available are Valrohna chocolate and soy flavours, and seasonal choices like mango, pumpkin, and pomegranate), and it delivered – creamy and smooth, with just the right touch of tartness and a delicate milky flavour. Even better, though, was Fraiche’s unique offering and my personal favorite – fresh (as in not frozen) Greek yogurt, offered plain in non-fat, 2% and whole milk options, and served with your choice of toppings just like your favorite fro-yo. Decadently thick and just a little tangy, it’s pretty much as close to perfection as yogurt gets. You can pick up a pint to leisurely savour at home, too.

And as for these toppings? Be warned, you won’t find rainbow-hued M&Ms or gummy bears here – not that there’s anything wrong with that. But at Fraiche, it’s gourmet all the way, and that means fancy things to pack your yogurt with: freshly made fruit compotes, local artisan honeys, hand-shaved Callebaut chocolate, even homemade mochi, plus the usual suspects like fresh fruit and berries, nuts, and toasted granola. Mix up your own creation, or pick one of the suggested combo favorites. I fell in love with the Ollalieberry Pie: ollalieberry compote (in case you didn’t know, they’re a cross between raspberry, blackberry, and dewberry) and graham crackers, the perfect combination of sweet and tart. Also lovely is the Valrohna chocolate with bananas and toasted almonds, or natural yogurt topped with dried figs, wildflower honey, and salted walnuts. Drool.

Those in search of heartier fare can tuck into slow-cooked steel cut oatmeal, handmade baked goods (I hear the warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies are dangerous), quiches and soups – all scratch-made with organic ingredients whenever possible. And your caffeine fix comes courtesy of local Blue Bottle coffee – which, as any self-respecting Bay Area coffee connoisseur knows, is up there with the cream of the coffee crop. Wrapping up my ramblings about the beauty that is cultured milk, I can only say this yogurt geek has found her own little corner of heaven. Yogurt topped with sweet, fruity, crunchy goodness, great coffee, and a cute cheery interior? I’m ready to move in; but I think my three year old, the one ferociously digging a spoon into his raspberry and mango-covered cup, would make sure to beat me to it.

Kate Missine is a domestic diva, shopping addict, and worshiper of all things delicious. When she’s not chasing  after her toddler son, Kate can be found stirring things up in the kitchen, scouring grocery aisles for strange ingredients, or indulging in much-needed retail therapy. She holds a B.A. in Communications and Publishing and accepts pastries and shoes as currency. 

 Kate Missine