FAGE (Fa'-yeh!) Total Greek Yogurt

[sazji]

I had the 0% with honey and bananas this morning for breakfast.  Holy cow, it was DELISH!  It's really easy on the stomach first thing in the morning.  I am thinking of trying to use it in savory dishes - I found this recipe for curry yogurt cauliflower soup in Fine Cooking and we'll see how it goes!

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Okay I promise I won't dis FAGE here - I think you should be just fine using it in foods. In Greece and Turkey this strained yogurt is mostly used for things like tzatziki/haydari.

I still find myself wondering though why they can't produce a yogurt in the US that is simply yogurt, with no added gelatines/gums/carageenan etc. I was back for a month just recently and I found that the one thing I just couldn't "tolerate" was the tasteless American excuse for yogurt. I didn't see FAGE there, but it seems several companies are now trying to imitate it and calling theirs "Greek Style" yogurt. Funny that the single most un-yogurt-like brand of yogurt in Greece became the one to cross the borders and become known as "Greek Yogurt."

Life is strange.

[cyen]

Ooooh, I had Fage yogurt and their feta cheese when I was working in Greece years ago. I actually ate more of the locally made goat yogurt, which was divine (made tons of tsaziki with that). I haven't had any Greek yogurt after I left Greece, and I do miss it and the dishes that could be created with it.

[achevres]

I loooove Fage 2% (only 4 grams of fat that taste like a million). I usually eat it for afternoon snack with muesli (Familia, quite hard to find now) and apple (grated or sauce) mixed in.

I take issue with posts saying that Fage is not good, has additives, etc. I have the container right in front of me and the ingredients are: Grade A pasteurized skim milk and cream, live active yogurt cultures (L. Bulgaricus, S. thermophilus).

I have had yogurt in Turkey and can attest that it is absolutely delicious. Here in the USA, however, the yogurt companies latched on to the the low-fat doctrine of the 70s and what passes for "yogurt" here is a disgrace. If you taste Fage and fresh Turkish yogurt side-by-side I'm sure there is a difference, but Fage is the closest we have here to "real" yogurt.

I like the fact that it is strained, as this appears to strain out some of the sugars and this yogurt has much more protein than regular yogurt.

Edited to add: I think the US yogurt companies have wanted to appeal to people who don't like yogurt to begin with, with mousse-like and pudding-like concoctions, and in the process forgotten about true yogurt lovers, like everyone posting here so far.

Edited January 4, 2007 by achevres (log)

[scubadoo97]

I haven't been able to find it near by but contacted Fage directly and got an email recently that as of today they will be in Publix grocery stores. Can't wait to try it. I agree yogurt at the stores is like flavored kiddy pudding. I have made my own but just don't do it often enough.

[Gastro888]

You can also find it at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's in Florida, if that's near your 'hood. There's a honey-walnut flavor I need to try. Mmm, nuts & honey!

[Pyewacket]

I'm so thankful to you guys for educating me on how to pronounce the name of this product. I love it too, but when asking for it at my local store asked for fage (rhymes with sage) or faggie (rhymes with baggie). the manager looked t me like I was insane!

thanks all!

[Maison Rustique]

My current breakfast fav is Fage 0% mixed with honey, sprinkled with some pistachios and drizzled with pomegranite glaze.

Edited January 5, 2007 by Maison Rustique (log)

[Dasha]

I'd just like to add my voice to the chorus of Fage addicts. So creamy and delicious, even the nonfat! I only wish every supermarket carried it. This week we ordered groceries from Simon Delivers and they don't have Fage, so I bought some Stonyfield Farm plain nonfat yogurt for our breakfasts. While it tastes just fine, it doesn't have the lovely consistency and the tang of Fage.

[Gastro888]

Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are near St. Paul in Minnesota. They should have it for sale.

I tried the FAGE Tzatziki the other day and it was really good. OK, I confess to something weird - I had it as a dip for my homemade Chinese dumplings with some soy sauce as well. Weird but good.

[Ling]

I remember Abra telling me about this yogurt when I first moved down to Seattle, but I kept forgetting to add it to the grocery list until this week! I tried the non-fat (with a tiny drizzle of honey) and it has a nice, thick consistency, but I really much prefer the Fage Total yogurt, with all 300 calories and 23 grams of fat! I eat that plain. So good...

[Gastro888]

Ling, you have a very healthy metabolism so you've nothing to worry about! I commend you on your eating!

Some people put granola on it. I am thinking of buying some roasted pumpkin seeds (like the flavored ones) to put on it for a savory snack. I'm getting a bit bored with my honey/honey & banana combo.

[viva]

Thanks to this thread I've gotten hooked on Total 0% for breakfast with some chopped pecans and dried apricots, and maybe a little honey. It's a tasty and filling breakfast that fits well into my low-cal eating plan for the new year...

Also been using it as a marinade for skinless chicken pieces - mixed with paprika and lemon and garlic. Tasty there as well!

Last but not least, I've also used it as a substitute for full-fat sour cream - fat free sour cream just doesn't have the same thick, creamy consistency.

[scubadoo97]

Well I got my first taste of FAGE today. Publix grocery store still doesn't stock it but I found it at Fresh Market. This stuff is great. Party due to the fact that it is strained it has a wonderful fluffy texture and not very sour. I ended up snagging a couple of large containers of 0% and 2 small containers of 2%, which was all they had left. Only a 10 calorie difference between the two, per serving. I will make the trek weekly to pick this up until it shows up at my local grocery. It's that good.

[EmilyG]

I love my Fage, but for me there is a problem with portability. I like to mix honey or apricot preserves into it, so its just kind of hard to take it with me to school. Instead, I bring Wallaby yogurt. Has anyone else tried this? They have really great flavors, like orange/passion fruit, and they seem very natural in taste and texture.

I mean, they are nothing like Fage. They are pretty thin, and lack tanginess. When I'm packing my lunch, though, nothing else will do.

[BeeZee]

Just tried the 2% today, they just started carrying it in a small local market (Whole Foods also has it)...love it! Wonderful creamy texture, not overly sour, very rich tasting. Had it mixed with some diced apple and pear, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Can see using it in more savory applications, too...anyone use it in soup?

[scubadoo97]

I love my Fage, but for me there is a problem with portability.  I like to mix honey or apricot preserves into it, so its just kind of hard to take it with me to school.  Instead, I bring Wallaby yogurt.  Has anyone else tried this?  They have really great flavors, like orange/passion fruit, and they seem very natural in taste and texture.

I mean, they are nothing like Fage.  They are pretty thin, and lack tanginess.  When I'm packing my lunch, though, nothing else will do.

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They sell it in a two compartment cntainer that has honey on one side and the yogurt on the other. They also have other fruit flavors that you mix together

[dividend]

I love my Fage, but for me there is a problem with portability.  I like to mix honey or apricot preserves into it, so its just kind of hard to take it with me to school.  Instead, I bring Wallaby yogurt.  Has anyone else tried this?  They have really great flavors, like orange/passion fruit, and they seem very natural in taste and texture.

I mean, they are nothing like Fage.  They are pretty thin, and lack tanginess.  When I'm packing my lunch, though, nothing else will do.

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Why not mix it up in a small tupperare container? I get my yogurt ready the night before. I normally mix in homemade lemon marmalade, frozen fruit, and ground flax seed. The fruit is defrosted and juicy by morning, when I can just grab and go.

I saw some Fage finally at Wild Oats, so I bought a cup of 0%. I'm sorry to say you guys steered me wrong on this one. It wasn't any better than other yogurts, just thicker without being creamy. I've since decided that non-fat yogurt as breakfast doesn't tide me over at all, so maybe I'll go back and try the full fat stuff.

[Gastro888]

The Fage yogurt can be used in cooking & it won't curdle. Just slowly add it into your dish while you're stiring over a medium flame.

In regards to the 0% to full fat, I gotta say that a bit o' fat makes a world of difference. I like the Total Light (aka Total 5%). It's really rich but not too much.

Oh I just tried their new peach flavor that's out - in full fat AND the 2% yogurt! It's like the honey where the yogurt's on one side and the topping is on the other. Super yummy. I don't know which I like better, peach or honey. They're both good. The problem is with the honey I like to add walnuts which I sometimes don't have on hand.

[tafkap4d]

Isn't it grand? We have a lovely eatery in Atlanta that serves seasonal fresh fruit with greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. Everytime she offered this delight, I was there. I started my quest for it last year and found it at Whole Foods now it is a staple in my fridge. For the most part, I bought yogurt, took a few spoonfuls and added fruit, cottage cheese or granola and the remainder died in the back of the fridge but not this. I take fresh berries, mandarin oranges, nuts, yogurt and a drizzle of honey (normally tupelo) and ta da - it's lunch time. The texture is magnificent and the taste is out of this world.

[cookman]

The ingredients on Fage yogurt say basically milk and active cultures. Given this, wouldn't it be possible to make one's own version of this yogurt by innoculating it into milk? Is the yogurt processed in some way after it is made to give it its unique firmer texture, or could one recreate it by draining the homemade Fage-based version? Anyone tried to make their own?

[Gastro888]

I tried and it does work. I think it's not only the milk and cultures, it's the process they use.

[DCP]

The ingredients on Fage yogurt say basically milk and active cultures. Given this, wouldn't it be possible to make one's own version of this yogurt by innoculating it into milk? Is the yogurt processed in some way after it is made to give it its unique firmer texture, or could one recreate it by draining the homemade Fage-based version? Anyone tried to make their own?

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Absolutely. It's just strained yogurt. Make your own yogurt, then strain repeatedly (through a cheesecloth, I'm told) until the desired thickness is reached. It will be time-consuming, but hopefully worth it!

[Gastro888]

You can try it but I'll guarantee that it will not work. I did it before and it just isn't the same. It was better than the conventional yogurts but nothing like Fage's yogurt. It's not just the straining process that makes it the way it is, I believe it's the actually production along with the straining that creates this great yogurt.

[KatieM]

Thanks guys. I really needed another addiction like this. Now "regular" yogurt just won't do. I have to make a special trip to the World Harvest store.

I like the 2% drizzled with honey and topped with almonds.

Has anyone else noticed the nutritional information? Why does this brand of yogurt have so much more protein than any other brand I've come across?

It works great in sauces and soups where I'd often use heavy cream. Try stirring it into your oatmeal - you won't be disappointed.

[infernooo]

Well I'll be the first to say it... but Fage yogurt isn't all that.

I'm an Aussie, and we don't get Fage yogurt here. We do however get fage feta cheese - but it is blown away by the Dodoni brand (another greek originating feta cheese).

I recently visited the US, and as part of my food nerdiness I bought pretty much every yogurt I could find to test. One of the brands was Fage. I bought every type available (0% fat, 2%, classic, lite, full fat etc). and I must say, it is NOT that good, you guys must be used to seriously crappy yogurt :-).

Before you start yelling at me, yes I admit it is very nice, but here in Australia we make some yogurt that absolutely blows the fage stuff away... now I know taste is subjective and this is just one opinion, but I guess it must speak volumes of the quality of some of our yogurts.

P.s. if you are an aussie and wondering which one I am talking about - it is Dairy Farmers European Yogurt - it has been awarded the winner of the Grand Dairy Awards Grand Champion Dairy Product a few years in a row.

http://www.dairyfarmers.com.au/internet/im...opeanyogurt.jpg

Edited March 20, 2007 by infernooo (log)