It’s Fage (promounces fah-yeh), a strained yogurt imported from Greece. Once you’ve eaten this stuff, you’ll never go back to Dannon or Stonyfield Farms, or even YoPlait. This is yogurt the way yogurt should be – creamy, thick, fresh and flavorful. No preservatives, no Nutri-Sweet, no artificial flavors. It’s so good you don’t need anything in it but maybe a touch of honey (it comes packaged that way if you want it), or just fresh fruit with a sprinkle of granola.
Fage yougurt is packaged with a little film of wax paper on the top of the yogurt, which makes opening every container feel very special to me.
Here in New York, Fage is everywhere. If you’re not in New York, Trader Joes carries it, as does Whole Foods and Wegmann’s. If you can’t find Fage where you live, contact the distributor in Queens (where the Greeks live here in NYC) to find out where you can get it.
Tzatziki
Fage Total Yogurt is great for making Tzatziki because it’s already strained. If you use any other brand of yogurt, you will need to strain it. Put it into a cheescloth-lined strainer over a bowl, cover and placed in the fridge overnight.
2 large cucumbers
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp finely minced garlic
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 pint Fage Total 0% Yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley or dill (Optional)
If the cucumbers are waxed, you’ll need to peel them. Otherwise, leave the skins on. Cut in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds using a teaspoon. Shred using the shredding disc of your food processor, or grate by hand. Toss with 1 tsp kosher salt and place in a cheese cloth-lined strainer over a bowl. After about an hour, lift the cheescloth bag out, and holding it over the bowl, wring it to remove as much water as possible without crushing the cucumbers.
Place cucumbers in a medium size bowl. Add garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. (plus parsley or dill if using) Add yogurt and blend. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a sprig of parsley or dill if using.
Serve with pita toasts for an appetizer or as a side dish with dinner.
This is wonderful stuff. Even out here in the hinterlands (in Utah) we can get it at Wild Oats. Since I’m into low-glycemic eating I like this with Agave Nectar, sprinkled with nuts. And of course, it’s fantastic for tzatziki!
In the gilded age of the nineteenth century wealthy New Yorkers(and other Easterners)sent their shirts to Paris to be laundered.
Today’s version is eating foods shipped from as far away as possible.
The underlying mindset, I suggest, is the same.
Kalyn – great idea, the agave
Anonymous –
I can send my shirts to PARIS to get laundered? Do they pick up AND deliver? Sign me up! 🙂
Seriously, I would argue that in modern times it is the wealthy Americans who have the time and the money to shope for and pay for locally grown wonderful foods. The rest of us schlubs have to make do with what we can find at the supermarket on the way home from work or on a Sunday night. If that means yogurt from Greece, I’ll take it (BTW, its’ not very expensive…)
Sounds yummy!
But how scary is it that I live in a more hinterlands area than Kalyn in Utah? It’s a good thing you can’t see me moping on the other side of the computer screen.
I sort of think I could be tried for some obscure crime for importing dairy products into this state… Curd crime or something. 🙁
I absolutely love the full-fat variety, I’ve not tried the non-fat. I buy it occasionally as a treat for myself. Stop & Shop supermarkets carry it in Massachusetts, but it’s not with the rest of the yogurts, it’s in the organic dairy case.
Another technique I’ve used for straining yogurt is to use one of the plastic cone-type coffee filter holders that are meant to sit directly over a mug. They take the #2 or #4 cone shaped paper filters. Just put a filter in the holder and spoon the yogurt into it, place over a mug and set in the fridge for 6 – 12 hours.
Bardiac – If you ahve a big trunk, you could start a little importing business over the state border…
ccinnkeeper –
DO try the non-fat. We’ve tried both, and everyone in our family is unanimous that the nonfat tastes better, even my rail-thin daughter…
Great suggestion on the coffee filter, thanks!
Dear TBTAM,
Tzatziki is similar to the yogurt cucumber salad favored by my Lebanese father who made his own version of a thick, rich yogurt. My father’s people called it Kheyore Laban and would add a tbsp. of dried mint (per pint of “laban”), and then mix with melted butter (Smart Balance?) in which two kernels of garlic had been sauted (take out garlic before adding to yogurt mix). The milky concoction would be poured over a bed of “1” cucumber pieces, and eaten with very fresh pita, and alfonso or greek olives on the side. It was this Lebanese grocer’s lunch most every day, and sustained him until he arrived home in the early evening. Refreshing, delicous, and even healthier when prepared with non-fat yogurt!
PJG
I tried to substitute the full fat for the non-fat and it just wasn’t as yummy to me. My favorite breakfast in the world is Phage total with Canadian maple syrup and toasted flax seeds. Try it and you’ll be an addict like good ol’ Dr. Val!
Paula-
What a wonderful image, this man eating this wonderful lunch every day. Thanks for that (and the recipe).
Dr Val
Hmm…..Maple syrup.I’ll ahve to try that one.
I was in the more upscale store in town this morning, and guess what I saw! I got some to try 🙂
Thanks for the suggestion!
Bardiac – Do tell us how you liked it!
I was excited to see this post and I totally agree! My favorite breakfast is a combo of several of the suggestions: Fage mixed with local (!) honey, ground flax seeds, some nuts, and occasionally fresh fruit. Yummy…
I love Fage.
The only gripe I have is that it’s never on sale. But when it does go on sale the shelves are mobbed. I’ve never been able to stock up during one cause by the time I realize there is a sale and go, only the full-fat or fruit/honey pack ones are left.
I recently started seeing 2% ones w/ fruit and honey… I might get one of those…
[…] salad uses a 1:1 mix of mayo and non-fat Fage Greek Yogurt. If you like you salad wetter, just increase the amounts of each in equal proportions. You can […]