homemade crème fraîche

if you look up "creme fraiche expensive" on google, you will discover quickly that while it is expensive to purchase, it is simple and cheap to make. that is the best kind of expensive thing, in my opinion. in a time of straitened circumstances i really don't want to hear about awesome expensive things that are impossible to reproduce oneself.

so instead of buying a tub of it at the Fancy Store (or, as i have done, telling yourself that really yogurt is just as good), make it! it takes all of 30 seconds of your time and it is really quite delightful - creamy and thick with a little bit of a tart edge, it goes well with all kinds of things both savory and dessert-type.

all you have to do is take one thing of whipping cream (but try to find one that isn't ultra-pasteurized, as apparently that doesn't work as well) and add a big glop of yogurt (or buttermilk) to it, shake it up or stir it well to get clumps mixed in, leave it on the counter for several hours, et voila! you are in paris!

we ate it dolloped gracefully onto a piquant little strawberry and raw rhubarb salad that i am going to have a thing about at the beginning of next week, but you could eat it on gingerbread pancakes or strawberry shortcakes or in something savory, like soup or pasta. basically it is good on everything.

*ingredients*

whipping cream

yogurt (or buttermilk)

the amount of yogurt you use depends on how much cream you have. i used one of those small containers of cream (i think it was a half pint) and a large spoonful of greek yogurt. i don't think it has to be super-precise. i guess it was maybe a couple of tablespoons-worth?

then i let it sit for like 5 hours on the counter, then put it in the fridge overnight, and it was thick and creamy by morning. dairy magic!