Chief
03-22-2007, 07:26 PM
I use a lot of heavy cream, both in coffee and for cooking and usually keep a half gallon handy in the fridge. I buy it commercially at Cash & Carry, because they carry the Darigold Cream that is guaranteed to be at least 40% Butterfat. (that's really important for some pastry and pastry sauces...)
Anyway, over the winter, a lot of the herd is pregnant, and the cream that they produce thins out a bit. All of their energy is going into making a calf, so while they may still produce milk, the butterfat content drops. It's still 40%, but that's closer in consistency to what retail whipped cream runs which is usually in the high 30's.
But come Spring, when calving starts, and those bovine hormones kick in, those cows start pumping out the butterfat, and the Heavy Cream can get like cottage cheese...the British refer to it as "Clotted Cream" if it's thick enough...I usually have to get a big spoonful and melt it off in my coffeecup in the morning... ;D
It goes great with those springtime strawberries too! Oregon strawberry season will be upon us in no time...
;D
Anyway, over the winter, a lot of the herd is pregnant, and the cream that they produce thins out a bit. All of their energy is going into making a calf, so while they may still produce milk, the butterfat content drops. It's still 40%, but that's closer in consistency to what retail whipped cream runs which is usually in the high 30's.
But come Spring, when calving starts, and those bovine hormones kick in, those cows start pumping out the butterfat, and the Heavy Cream can get like cottage cheese...the British refer to it as "Clotted Cream" if it's thick enough...I usually have to get a big spoonful and melt it off in my coffeecup in the morning... ;D
It goes great with those springtime strawberries too! Oregon strawberry season will be upon us in no time...
;D