Friday, October 30, 2009

The question of cream


The recipe I chose for this month’s HHDD called for ‘pouring cream’ and it called up an interesting question about cream globally.  The differences between regions and the white stuff their cows produce is often the subject of heated debates.  On travels with my fork I have heard displaced Brits in France and other parts of Europe lament the local cream (even in creamy Normandy) where crème fraîche is de rigueur and dream of the cream from back home amongst the black and white dappled dairy cows (Friesians). 
To me cream is normally double cream, one this is thick, doesn’t split when added to hot sauces and can be whipped into airy peaks.  It used to always seem to be in the blue pot but I noticed Waitrose for one have gone all arty and just the words ‘double cream’ and the patterns on the cream jug are blue.
Alternatively we have the one in the red pot- single cream, one that I use less as I don’t drink coffee and the like nor do I like cream poured over my strawberries (balsamic vinegar every time for me).  For this recipe I have bought single cream however, as I believe this is equivalent to an Australian pouring cream and in the US – light cream.  Though I’ve also read that it is almost like the US half and half – except the butterfat content is a little higher. So if you’re still planning to shop for your cream to make your Donna pasta with the roasted garlic, I recommend pouring, light, or single if in Australia, the US or the UK.  If in Europe the struggle might be tougher, if all you can find is crème fraîche as that is a little sourer.  I seem to recall cartons of crème liquide and that seems to fit the bill better.
I am sure there are other complications in other parts of the world but I hope you can find a local equivalence to make a lovely cream sauce.  Hopefully see you tomorrow!

1 comment:

Mrs. L said...

Thanks for clearing up the cream question. I think I'll have to give the pasta recipe a try.