"Please pass the creme fraiche."
"God bless you."
"No, I didn't sneeze. I'm asking you to pass the creme fraiche."
"I don't even know what that is."
"It's French Cultured Cream."
"Well, miss fancy pants..."
"You don't even know the half of it. I lacto-fermented it myself."
"OK, now you're just scaring me."
"But my tummy is full of good bacteria now."
"I just remembered I was supposed to scrub the grout in my shower. Immediately. Goodnight."
Don't let it scare you. Creme Fraiche (pronounced crem fresh) is basically healthy sour cream. But much fancier. And you can feel extra fancy knowing it is a key ingredient in fine French cooking. It is simpler than simple to make it. Our kitchen lights randomly went out, so I took these pictures where there was the best light, which happened to be in the living room. Though it was quite enjoyable to be fireside while making food, I promise it's not normal. You will need:
2 pints cream
2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk or creme fraiche from a previous batch if you're making it again.
First, pour a little bit of cream in your quart-sized jar.
Now, pour in all the buttermilk.
And the rest of the cream.
Stir it up.
And put a lid on it, already.
Now, just enjoy watching your cream lacto-ferment while you sit by the fire. Or set it someplace warm, like next to the oven for 20-24 hours. If it's winter, it'll take longer to thicken. When it's hot out, it's ready a lot faster. Then, store it in the fridge and voila! La creme! You made creme fraiche. The amount of thickness is up to you. You can determine the thickness by how long you let it sit out. If you like it somewhat runny, keep it out for about 20 hours. If you like sour cream consistency, keep it out the full 24 (or less if you're experiencing a sizzling summer in the valley). Then, you can serve a dollop of it on something super high-class like I did.
Never diss the beans and cheese. Never.
~ Take a gander at more Katie's Quick Home Keeping Tips Here. ~
This is a contributing post to Tuesday Twister.
