My husband grew up on a dairy farm. I loved raw milk which is straight from the cow - not pasteurized or homogenized. It's hard to find that and is illegal to sell for human consumption in some states. Pasteurization kills some bacteria in the milk and is required much of the time and big-time grocery chains don't sell non-pasteurized milk. In raw milk the cream rises to the top and you have to shake it before you drink it or you get a big dose of (delicious) cream. Homogenization distributes the fat in milk so it (sadly) does not rise to the top. Of course raw milk is whole and has a ton of fat. Still, it was a delicacy for me. I love raw milk. There is more than one way to pasteurize. Most milk is ultra-pasteurized which heats the milk to 280 degrees for 2 seconds. It's the cheapest way and extends the shelf life considerably. VAT pasteurization holds the milk at 145 degrees for 30 minutes. It's gentler and kills less bacteria, but is more expensive and the shelf life is shorter. Are you loving your milk lesson yet? Hy-Vee Health Market Organic 2% milk is NOT homogenized and is VAT Pasteurized. It has the added plus of being 2% milk which lessens the fat content by 44% over whole milk. When I saw this half gallon jug in the dairy case, these two words stuck out to me - CREAM TOP. I could not wait to get home and drink this milk. Previously the only milk I had found close to the taste of raw was Horizon Organic Milk with the happy flying cow on the label. This is organic (grass-fed cows with no antibiotics or hormones), non-homogenized and VAT pasteurized!Ooooh, the trifecta! It's dee-licious! It's not as good as raw, but it has less fat, and is a very, very close second. This milk might not be for everyone... it's pricier due to its VAT pasteurization and organic components, and it doesn't last as long in the fridge - that doesn't matter - it doesn't stay in the fridge very long! Even after vigorously shaking non-homogenized milk, you can end up with little clumps of cream in it. This may be reminiscent of spoiled milk for some, but I think it's a little treat. Hy-Vee Health Market Organic 2% milk is as close to raw milk as you can get in a supermarket. Sadly, Hy-Vee is a supermarket chain in the mid-west so your mouth may be watering after you read the review but you can't get it. Sorry! Be happy for those of us who can! :) Five stars for the super yummy Hy-Vee moo juice.

pitcherday

Ames, IA