Yogurt may be a store-bought staple in your house, but what could be much more exotic are your own homemade fruit-at-the-bottom varieties. Even those who already have yogurt makers may have never attempted that lively treat.

The addition of that lively, colorful layer (usually made with fruit preserves in home recipes) is really just an easy touch that comes only with the caveat to let refrigerated preserves come to room temperature before use. That's because if cold preserves are in contact with the warm milk that's an ingredient, the bacteria yogurt is famous for will need more time to accomplish its task. This process has been one of my favorites to repeat year after year.

Although much-loved flavors of preserves like strawberry, peach, apricot or blueberry, are excellent choices, more unusual choices — often found in gourmet markets or online — can increase the pizzazz. Fig, apple-plum, black raspberry-brandy and cherry-jalapeno are just a few of many variations available.

If it's a non-yogurt machine cheat sheet treat you're looking for, results also can be tasty. Vanilla-flavored or plain low-fat and non-fat yogurts (including many higher protein tangy Greek yogurts) fill the dairy cases of virtually every supermarket.

Simply coat the bottom of individual ramekins with your favorite preserves — or preserves mixed with unusual fresh fruits, nuts or spices — and top with the stirred yogurt into which you've stirred vanilla or almond extract, ground cinnamon or other spices.

Here's an option if you'd like to make full use of your yogurt maker and following that is an exotic fresh pear layer that can be as easy as placing into a bowl and dolloping store-bought plain or vanilla yogurt atop it.

FRUIT-AT-THE-BOTTOM YOGURT

4 cups 1 percent or 2 percent milk

1/3 cup instant skim milk powder

2 to 4 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup fruit preserves, at room temperature

3 tablespoons organic live-culture yogurt or 5 grams freeze-dried yogurt culture

Yields 4 cups.

In a stainless-steel saucepan, heat milk to the scalding point over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add skim milk powder and stir well. Remove from heat and let cool to 110 to 120 F, stirring often. Stir in honey and vanilla. Cooling could take up to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, divide fruit preserves evenly and spoon into bottom of each yogurt cup. Set aside until milk is ready.

In a bowl, combine starter yogurt or freeze-dried yogurt culture with about 1/2 cup of the cooled milk. Add to remaining cooled milk and stir well to distribute yogurt culture.

Pour into prepared cups, secure lids if suggested by manufacturer, and place in yogurt maker. Set the time for 8 to 12 hours minimum time recommended in manufacturer's instructions. The longer yogurt ferments, the firmer and more tart it will be.

Do not disturb the liquid as it is fermenting. Check one container after 8 hours and, if yogurt has reached the desired consistency, remove cups from yogurt maker, secure lids, if necessary, and refrigerate immediately. If it is not set to your liking, replace test cup and continue to ferment for another 1 to 2 hours, or until desired consistency is reached. Refrigeration stops the fermentation process. Let yogurt chill completely before serving or using in recipes.

SPICED PEAR SALSA LAYER FOR YOGURT

2 pears, diced

1 apple, diced

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons liquid honey or agave nectar

2 tablespoons golden raisins

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon curry powder or garam masala spice blend, optional

Yields 1 1/2 cups.

In a large bowl, toss pears and apple with lemon juice to coat fruit. Add honey, raisins, cinnamon and curry, if using. Toss to mix. Use immediately as the bottom layer or a topping for yogurt or as an accompaniment to other dishes and/or cover remaining salsa tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (Bring to room temperature first if using as a layer in homemade yogurt.)

— Recipes from "The Yogurt Bible"

AFTER-WORK GOURMET COOKBOOK SHELF

While recently weeding out unwanted CDs, I came across a wanted one: "Romance without Reservations: The Original Soundtrack for the Romance without Reservations Cookbook," elegant recipes from master chefs compiled by Michael Fagien and Lori Fagien. This was from 1998, when there was a trend of cookbooks with music CD companions, and is still available from outlets like amazon.com. The music wasn't about divine devil's food cake or sizzling steak, though, but moods inspired by the gourmet food. What I also found in the stack from around the same time was Alex Fox's "Guitar on Fire," including its fiery Latin disco version of that song, that I played whenever I served a matching ethnic menu. More recently, still following the Fagiens' lead, romantic dishes in my home have been accompanied by Bryan Adams' "She Knows Me," a searing love song from his 2014 "Tracks of My Years" album.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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