Fage Yogurt opening plant in NY

Story here

I really hope this means that the price of their product will decrease. (And that the quality won't). Both Cookie and I are crazy about Fage.

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote:Story here

I really hope this means that the price of their product will decrease. (And that the quality won't). Both Cookie and I are crazy about Fage.

Best,
Michael

I'm crazy about Fage, too. I keep two containers in my refrigerator at home at all times and always one container at work. As a single person, Fage ends up being a big chunk of my weekly food bill. A price decrease would be nice, though it helps that Marketplace on Oakton now carries the extra large containers. I've also come around to Trader Joe's brand of Greek yogurt after a second try. When I go through phases of consuming even more yogurt than usual, I'll resort to making my own to try and save money.

My Fage addiction started getting ridiculously expensive as well so I decided to make it at home. I've been able to successfully maintain a yogurt starter for about half a year now based off a tub of Fage. I usually do 2 gallon batches and leave the scalded milk in a warm oven overnight.

I cannot get my homemade yogurt as tart as Fage (which is actually a good thing if you ask me), but the texture is comparable after straining.

kanin wrote:My Fage addiction started getting ridiculously expensive as well so I decided to make it at home. I've been able to successfully maintain a yogurt starter for about half a year now based off a tub of Fage. I usually do 2 gallon batches and leave the scalded milk in a warm oven overnight.

What temperature do you have your oven set to? I would think that an oven that's on, even at the low point, would be too hot.

Best,
Michael

My oven goes down to 105° - perfect for yogurt and other culturing. YMMV.

eatchicago wrote:What temperature do you have your oven set to? I would think that an oven that's on, even at the low point, would be too hot.

Actually I turn the oven on for a few minutes until it reads 110, turn it off, and switch the lightbulb on. The lightbulb is warm enough to keep the oven at 110-115, which is perfect for yogurt cultures.

kanin wrote:Actually I turn the oven on for a few minutes until it reads 110, turn it off, and switch the lightbulb on. The lightbulb is warm enough to keep the oven at 110-115, which is perfect for yogurt cultures.

Interesting. I'll have to give that a try. I'm also thinking of trying the Alton Brown Heating Pad Method.

nr706 wrote:My oven goes down to 105° - perfect for yogurt and other culturing. YMMV.

Wow. Mine goes down to 175.

Best,
Michael

are you making fat free? if so, could you point me to a "how to" page?
My wife goes thru two tubs of the 0% each week and I'd love to be able to make it. I have a hard time finding it in stock on a regular basis.
My oven has a "proofing setting" so that will be the easy part....
TIA

I've tried using skim, 1%, and 2% using the same method. the Good Eats episode referenced above should have everything you need to know, even a small bit about straining.

There's also a good writeup on 101cookbooks. Don't use Stoneyfield as suggested. I'm pretty sure it has pectin and you'll get thick milk the consistency of snot if you use it. Fage's the ideal starter since it's nothing but milk and cultures. You can also skip the powdered milk.

kanin wrote:You can also skip the powdered milk.

Brown says that he adds the powdered milk to boost the protein level. More de-natured proteins = a firmer "gel" is produced. Are you happy with the level of "firmness" in your yogurt without using the powdered milk?

(This was the only thing holding me up from trying to make a batch. I hadn't yet gone out and bought powdered milk).

Best,
Michael

The only thing I noticed when I used powdered milk is that there was less whey. The thickness seemed to be same so I didn't think it was necessary.

I got watery yogurt once when I scalded the milk too quickly. Heating the milk as slowly as possible affects the thickness much more than adding powdered milk, IMO.

Just wanted to mention that I recently tried a tub of Fage from the NY plant and it is absolute crap. It was watery, chunky, and reminded me of cottage cheese laced with vinegar.

Several posters from other message boards are reporting the same issues so it's not just a bad batch.

Has anyone tried NY Fage lately?

kanin wrote:Just wanted to mention that I recently tried a tub of Fage from the NY plant and it is absolute crap. It was watery, chunky, and reminded me of cottage cheese laced with vinegar.

Several posters from other message boards are reporting the same issues so it's not just a bad batch.

Has anyone tried NY Fage lately?

Is the NY plant Yogurt packaged any differently?
How would I know (except by putting on my reading glasses that is...)

The source should be right under the ingredients list. Mine says its from Johnstown, NY.

yep, just got some of the NY plant's product. We'll see if my wife likes it the same or not.... Same price though, wished it was a bit cheaper than the imported stuff....

I buy the 2% mostly, and I just got my first container of the New York stuff. No question, it is not the same. Not quite as smooth and maybe a little more sour. I'll still be buying it though.

kanin wrote:Just wanted to mention that I recently tried a tub of Fage from the NY plant and it is absolute crap. It was watery, chunky, and reminded me of cottage cheese laced with vinegar.

Several posters from other message boards are reporting the same issues so it's not just a bad batch.

Has anyone tried NY Fage lately?

Similar issues for me. Much grittier, more sour (almost face-puckeringly so). And I did a side-by-side taste against the last of my previous container of the imported stuff.

Disappointing.

At my local market the 7oz tubs of Fage are all manufactured in Greece, the larger tubs all seem to be from the newer plant in New York.

Luckily the tubs are clearly marked.



I've been chopping garlic and dill and mixing it with this yogurt to use as a spread for sandwiches. Fantastic stuff.