Crème Fraîche Brands
The Ranger
I've used Kendall Farms crème fraîche (found at Gene's Fine Foods) for past
recipes but this company seems to have changed *something;* it just didn't
taste [right/good/etc.]
The Ranger
evergene
>What is your favorite brand of crème fraîche? And where might I find some?
Strauss Dairy, available at Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco
Bellwether Farms, at Trader Joe's
Or make your own very reasonable approximation: a tablespoon or two of
buttermilk stirred into a cup of heavy cream, kept in a warm place (an
oven heated only by a pilot light, e.g.) for 8 to 12 hours. The
longer it sits in the warm place, the thicker it'll get. If you use
good cream (Strauss, or even Clover Stornetta), things improve.
Steve Wertz
I use El Mexcicana brand. My local grocery store has it's own brand (HEB)
which is also very good (and slightly cheaper at $3.69/pt). Pretty much
all the 'mexican' brands are just fine, IMO - I've never had one I disliked.
Why are mexican [sour] cremas so much more expensive (almost 5-6 times more
expensive) than their mass-market dairy company counterparts? They're certainly
superior, bit made from the same ingredients. Most dairy's use gums,
thickeners,
and stabalizers, but I don't see how that would make them any cheaper - just
inferior.
-sw
Meg Worley
>I use El Mexcicana brand. My local grocery store has it's own brand (HEB)
Please don't tell me that the Butt Store changed its name a la KFC!
In the interests of redeeming the ill reputation of my fair state,
I'll point out that H. E. Butt was a Tennesseean; he just moved to
Texas to set up shop.
I was never that impressed with the Butt as a grocery; always
preferred the Tom Thumb myself. But that was yonks ago.
Rage away,
meg
--
Meg Worley _._ m...@steam.stanford.edu _._ Comparatively Literate
Steve Wertz
>
> SteveW writes:
> >I use El Mexcicana brand. My local grocery store has it's own brand (HEB)
>
> Please don't tell me that the Butt Store changed its name a la KFC!
>
> In the interests of redeeming the ill reputation of my fair state,
> I'll point out that H. E. Butt was a Tennesseean; he just moved to
> Texas to set up shop.
>
> I was never that impressed with the Butt as a grocery; always
> preferred the Tom Thumb myself. But that was yonks ago.
Hairy Butt is *the* grocery chain here in TX as far as I'm concerned. They
do 10X the amount of business that Albertsons and Randalls (Safeway) does.
Tom Thumb is history - At least here in Austin; HEB bought them (or was
that Albertsons?). Albertsons has pulled out of many of the Texas markets,
but Randalls is still bulding stores even though they have *no* customers,
and charge outrageous prices as well as being the only store in town to
require the Preffered Sucker Cards for discounts.
HEB has the lowest prices, freshest meat (turnover), and also has a sister
company with 5 stores in TX called "Central Market" ("Central Markup"), which
are the only 'gourmet' food stores in Austin besides Austin-based Whole Foods.
Hardly anyone shops at Albertson's here. They usually have 2 checkstands open
at rush hour, compared to HEB's 12-16 open registers. I honestly don't
know how those other two stores stay in business - they can't possibly be
supporting themselves.
The name of the stores are indeed H.E.B., but I think the corporate name still
remains H.E. Butt, Inc.
As a frugal shopper and occasional chef, HEB (and their Central Market stores)
are the only places I shop.
-sw (originally answered in a.f.mexican...)
Robert Lauriston
taste right to me.
For Mexican dishes we use the crema you find in Mexican grocery stores
and some supermarkets.
Dave Kearns
stores became Appletree. Randall's later bought them also. Then
Safeway bought Randall's. Bet Safeway paid more for the stores than
they got when they left.....
-dave
Irma
I use Dr. Oetker and it is very tasty for my Mexican dishes in Germany.
Irma.
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