Crème Fraîche

Crème fraîche, which is basically fermented cream, is a preserve in its own right. As beneficial bacteria take over the cream environment and gently sour the mixture, they crowd out the evil bacteria that will cause spoilage. In France, crème fraîche is made with unpasteurized (raw) cream alone, since it contains enough bacteria to get the ferment going. Here in the United States most cream is pasteurized—that is, heated to temperatures just high enough and for just long enough to kill off