Posted by Erin Zimmer, April 11, 2008 at 3:30 PM
The Serious Eats community has always loved the tart Greek yogurt Fage (pronounced FA-yay). What other creamy fluffiness can triple as a Kashi sidekick, an alternative to mayo or crème fraîche and catalyst for a 12-step yogurt addiction plan. Searching "fage" yields a whole seven pages of fodder on our site, and apparently the rest of the world digs it too. This weekend, the New York Times Magazine explores the Greek yogurt with some history and recipes, as well as a snapshot of the stuff in a bizarre iceberg-esque blob shape that seems to be made of wet molding clay, not yogurt. That would definitely give us the pucker face, just like the acidic yogurt usually does, but not make our tummies as happy.
Erin Zimmer is a new media analyst who frequently writes for Washingtonian, DCist, and other D.C. publications.
Posted by Jamie Forrest, July 6, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Photograph from Only Alice on Flickr
No, not that kind of grilled cheese. We’re talking about cheese that can be cooked directly on a grill. Of course, you wouldn’t want to try this with just any cheese. Tossing a wheel of Brie on the barbecue might be a fun party trick, but grilling up slices of halloumi, a fresh, white cheese from Cyprus, is real summer magic.
Traditionally made from the mixed milks of goat and sheep, halloumi is somewhat of a cross between the flavor of feta and the texture of mozzarella, although it differs from the latter, and of course from most other cheeses, in that it doesn’t melt when cooked. You may have come across halloumi in the Greek dish saganaki, a flashy appetizer in which the cheese is fried or broiled, doused in ouzo and set aflame. Molyvos, near Carnegie Hall in New York City, serves a classic version of the dish, bright in flavor and refreshingly simple. And Michael Psilakis, chef-owner of the rustic Greek spot Kefi on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, takes the idea a little further, using the cheese as a textural accompaniment in his grilled hangar steak entrée.
Halloumi’s ability to stand up to heat without melting also makes it great for the barbecue. Cut the cheese into slices 1/4 inch thick, and brush it with olive oil. Place on a medium-hot grill, and cook two minutes per side, or until it is golden brown. Drizzle with lemon juice, and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Clearly there are many variations on this theme. Are there any spots near you that do something interesting with this versatile cheese?
About the author: Jamie Forrest publishes Curdnerds.com from his apartment in Brooklyn, New York, where he lives with his wife, his daughter, and his cheese.
