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Featured Cheese of the Week: Crème Fraîche

4/9/2012

Crème Fraîche

 

 

 

 

 

French for ‘fresh cream’, this cheese is a staple of French Cuisine. This exquisitely rich cheese is made with fresh, high quality, local Vermont cream from a co-op of 500 family farms located in Northeast Vermont.  After the cows have been milked, they separate and set the fresh cream aside.  They then let the natural lactic bacteria take over, creating a thick, smooth, tart result known as Crème Fraîche.  This cheese is similar to sour cream; slightly tangy, with a cultured, nutty flavor.  Crème Fraîche does not separate when cooked at high temperatures or when used with wine, so it is great for finishing sauces and pan searing, or one can add a few tablespoons to enrich soups and stews.  It is often used as an ingredient for custards, or as a topping on pie and fresh fruits.