Easy enough to get both here in England (as Fromage Frais not Fromage Blanc)... guess we're close-by enough?
ROZEMIEKE 5/5/07 2:52 P
Fromage blanc is really good and a lot of no fat varieties here in Belgium. I have had a hard time trying to explain to some of my american friends what it is. I eat it for breakfast with fresh fruit or as a dessert, put it on bread with fresh herbs or use it in cheesecake.... it is a really good. I wonder why it is so hard to find in other countries.
I speak dutch and when I would translate how we call it in english it would be flat cheese LOL
Rozemieke
CHEFCHIP 5/3/07 7:48 P
I can't say it any better than this... there is a differnce from sour cream...americans juyst don't understand the complexity of cheese and dairy!
Crème fraîche (French for "fresh cream") is a heavy cream slightly soured with bacterial culture, but not as sour or as thick as sour cream. Originally a French product, today it is available throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Crème fraîche can be made at home by adding a small amount of cultured buttermilk or sour cream to normal heavy cream, and allowing to stand for several hours at room temperature until the bacterial cultures act on the cream.
In general, crème fraîche, like sour cream, is used in food preparation, but crème fraîche has at least one advantage over sour cream: it can be mixed with air into whipped cream. Also, unlike sour cream, crème fraîche has a high enough fat content (and low enough protein content) that it can be directly cooked without curdling.
Crème fraîche also exists in a more liquid form (liquide or fleurette), which is unfermented and has a shorter shelf life than the thick version (épaisse).
Fromage frais (also known as fromage blanc or maquée) is a dairy product, originating from Belgium and north of France. The name literally means 'fresh cheese' (with fromage blanc meaning 'white cheese').
It is made in a similar fashion to cheese, with rennet and a starter culture being added to milk. However, unlike cheese, the curds are not allowed to solidify, but are stirred, giving fromage frais a texture similar to that of yogurt.
Pure fromage frais is virtually fat free, but cream is frequently added to improve the flavor, which also increases the fat content, frequently up to as high as 8 percent.
Fromage frais can be served either as a dessert similar to yogurt, frequently with added fruit, or used in savory dishes
source: wikipedia
DAISYALIEN 5/3/07 4:37 P
Creme fraiche and fromage blanc are both types of soured cream. Sour cream can be substitued. Both can also be found in the gourmet sections of many supermarkets.
PRITHY3 5/3/07 1:02 P
Can anyone tell me what creme fraiche and fromage blanc are? Can they be made at home or do you buy them in a store? What are they??
