SC - Re: Creme fresche

[Philip & Susan Troy]

"Michael F. Gunter" wrote:
> 
> > Good milord, what is this creme fresche that you speak of?  
<snip>
> I'm sure I misspelled it. Creme Freche? Master A?

Creme fraiche, I believe...
 
> Anyway it is basically a soured thickend cream frequently used at teatime.
> It is like a sour cream but richer and less sour.
> 
> There are many uses for it, it's main claim is to be spread with jam on
> scones. The combination of sweet, rich and slightly sour is wonderful.

Are you sure about that? Sorry to jump in in the middle of this, but I
seem to be alternating between being deathly ill (well, sort of) and
ridiculously busy. Creme fraiche certainly would be good on scones, but
I suspect that is not at least the original intended purpose since creme
fraiche and scones come from different cultures and parts of the world.
You sure you don't mean clotted and/or Devonshire cream? 
 
> Some other uses are as topping with baked potatoes, sauce for sauteed
> onions (similar to the chicken dish I mentioned), or anywhere a sour cream
> would be used.

Blini and caviar. Yum. It's also great with berries, and is widely used
in France as a sauce emulsifier. Sometimes chefs add a tiny bit to
things like beurre blanc or one of those eggy emulsified butter sauces
like bearnaise, and it helps keep the sauce from breaking or
de-emulsifying. 
> 
> This is the recipe I use and it is easy and wonderful. In fact I'm loathe
> to reveal it because people will not consider me a genius and a hard worker
> when they realize how lazy I am.
> 
> Creme Freshe (or however you want to spell it)
> 
> Take equal parts of sour cream and heavy cream and place in a sealed non-metal
> container. I use a flip-seal glass canister. Mix together. Seal and shake so
> everything is properly mixed and then leave at room temperature overnight on
> the counter. The next morning mix some more and place in the fridge. Simple
> and wonderful.

There's a recipe very similar to this in one of James Beard's cookbooks,
although I believe his recipe calls for more fresh, and less sour, cream
(like maybe 4 parts to one, IIRC). All things considered, one may ask
why this doesn't just turn into sour cream. The short answer is "I
dunno." What I _do_ know is that creme fraiche is lighter and
fresher-tasting than sour cream, with little bubbles, kinda like sour
whipped cream. 
> 
> Any thoughts on this being period? I would think something similar would be.
> Also, is this also known as Clotted or Devonshire cream? Just wondering.

Clotted cream is different stuff. Both are yummy.

Adamantius (going to check on the oxtail stew)
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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