The Other Yogurt

By Katie Barreira

When Greek yogurt arrived in supermarkets, it was a revelation. With a texture closer to crème fraîche, the thick, creamy yogurt was immediately embraced as a substitute for mayonnaise in dips, ice cream atop pie, and sour cream on chili.

Now, it seems, Greek yogurt has flooded the market. And while I wouldn’t want to live in a world without this super-rich, highly strained yogurt, I worry for the forsaken plain yogurt. With its pourable consistency, refreshing tang and light mouth feel, regular old yogurt is still my favorite. I use it in my morning cereal instead of milk, for a filling breakfast that’s packed with probiotics.

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Elizabeth Falkner: Reflections of a Culinary Athlete

By Sandy Hu

Dazzling smile, signature spiky hair, a bit of mischief in the eyes…Elizabeth Falkner always looks like a daredevil ready for a challenge and up for some fun!

Having battled to the grueling end in the Next Iron Chef competition and coming in as runner up, and having closed her three restaurants in San Francisco last December, Falkner is looking at what’s next. I met her at her transitional apartment in San Francisco to learn more.

Falkner is preparing to move to Brooklyn in June to open a new Southern Italian restaurant, Krescendo. She has also written a new book, Cooking off the Clock, to be published this fall by Ten Speed Press. Last month Falkner made a birthday cake for Muhammad Ali’s star-studded 70th birthday gala fundraiser in Las Vegas. The cake, an abstract cityscape of Frank Gehry-like buildings, was a foil for a pink miniature Rolls Royce, the car Ali had asked for, for his birthday.

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Simple 30-minute Fish Sticks

By David Hu

While it’s easy to buy frozen fish sticks, it really doesn’t take much to make them yourself – just 6 ingredients and about 25 minutes from start to finish. This recipe uses U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish which is a lean fish and an excellent source of protein. And The National Audubon Society, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Environmental Defense all recommend U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish as a safe environmental choice.

I like to eat these fish sticks either on their own or in a sandwich. To make a sandwich, use a nice crusty baguette, add lettuce and tomato, and use the Asian-inspired tartar sauce recipe for a punch of flavor.

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Irish Potato Leek Soup

By Andrew Hunter

All this week, Special Fork bloggers will be sharing recipes for St. Patrick’s Day. And to celebrate, Special Fork is giving away a prize package of a year’s supply of delicious Kerrygold Butter and cheeses, imported from Ireland, courtesy of Kerrygold! It’s easy to enter the sweepstakes.

There’s no better time than St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate the flavors of Ireland, even though they’re delicious year-round. For me, the highlight of Irish food has always been the butter and cheese. The reason is the cows eat the incredibly green grass and are only milked during their natural lactation cycles.

The other great thing about Ireland’s dairy is generations of family farms, many with only a few dozen cows. This means profits go directly to the farmers, the animals are treated humanely, and hopefully future generations of Irish kids will continue in the cooperative, national tradition.

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A Sumptuous St. Patrick’s Day Celebration for One

By Lori Powell

All this week, Special Fork bloggers will be sharing recipes for St. Patrick’s Day. And to celebrate, Special Fork is giving away a prize package of a year’s supply of delicious Kerrygold Butter and cheeses, imported from Ireland, courtesy of Kerrygold! It’s easy to enter the sweepstakes.

March 17, St Patrick’s Day, is in a couple of days and this year it falls on a Saturday. So the streets of New York City will look like a river of green with people off from work free to attend the parade and celebrate the day.

One of my favorite trips abroad was to County Cork, Ireland, where I took my mom for her first visit about 10 years ago. My mom is a Murphy and had never been so it was up to me to plan the trip.

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