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I've been on a kick recently of eating sour cream, which is similar in consistency to creme fraiche. Mmmmmm.

I eat it with fresh fruit, on beans or potatoes, as well as the usual potato chips/crisps. It goes nicely on top of soups and veggies, too.

Sometimes I just put a little jam or maple syrup or evaporated cane juice in it and have it as instant custard.

I'd like to expand my sour cream horizons.

What do you use it for?

Can't get it in France.

I don't really eat sour cream but when I was in Russia they had something called 'smetana' which was similar and we were fed it mixed with grated cheese and (raw) garlic, actually quite nice, except for when we were out of favour with our lady host & she went a tad too heavy on the garlic

Creme fraiche has a very similar consistency.

Creme fraiche isn't the same though - you can't put it on a baked potato or in fajitas as it melts like butter. It doesn't have the same taste either.

Can you get the German quark? I used to use that for sour cream when I lived there.

Oh yes... fajittas

stir fried veg, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce and salsa....... hmmmmmmm

LBR wrote:Can you get the German quark? I used to use that for sour cream when I lived there.

I've never seen it unless it is called something else in French. I've never actually tried quark so don't know what it is like!

i make a very nice american 'coffee cake' that features sour cream.....yummmm....makes it so moist and yummy!.
don't have time to do the recipe now, but did put it on downsizer......if i'm allowed to link i will tonight!.

Millymollymandy wrote:

LBR wrote:Can you get the German quark? I used to use that for sour cream when I lived there.

I've never seen it unless it is called something else in French. I've never actually tried quark so don't know what it is like!

Not at all like sour cream! It's a bit like the fromage frais you get here, but much firmer. (And then, of course, there's miles of difference between "proper" Quark from a small dairy and the industrial stuff that they export to the UK...)

You can't get it in Italy neither, but if you mix lemon with cream you've got sour cream. I lived in San Francisco many moons ago and got addicted to burritos. Whenever I get a craving for them, I make flour tortillas and then stuff them with the usual, using lemon cream for sour cream and it tastes the same.

Sour Cream Dressing

(from Cookery Illustrated and Household Management 1939ish)

1 Cupful Sour Cream
1/2 cup Tomato Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons White Vinegar (or 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar & 1 dessertspoon tarragon)
Sugar to taste

Mix salt, oil, sugar & vinegar together in bowl. Beat in ketchup, then gradually beat in cream, and serve with fish & vegetable salads.

Ina, there was a soft quark I used to get in Munich. It wasn't exactly like sour cream but cost much less than creme fraiche. The firmer version of the quark was too firm for substitution.

Contadina, thanks for the idea. I'll try that. It sounds very nice.

Ellie, that recipe sounds good. Thanks!

LBR wrote:Ina, there was a soft quark I used to get in Munich.

That's the cheap stuff - not really "proper" Quark at all! But I agree, it is useful for some things.