light cream

[Vervain]

Does anyone know who carries light cream in the L.A. area? The British call it "single cream," and it's about 20% milk fat. It's between half & half and heavy cream.

I've already tried Gelsons, Ralphs, Whole Foods, and Surfas.

thanks!

[Carolyn Tillie]

I guess this may sound stupid, but why not buy half-&-half and heavy cream and just mix it yourself?

But, you might also want to call Bristol Farms -- I seem to recall they carried two grades of cream...

[Vervain]

I guess this may sound stupid, but why not buy half-&-half and heavy cream and just mix it yourself?

But, you might also want to call Bristol Farms -- I seem to recall they carried two grades of cream...

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Not stupid at all. I'm doing recipe-testing for someone back East and try to stick to the ingredients exactly as described. I wrote to her about the problem and suggested exactly what you did. She wants me to try just the half & half and see how that goes.

And I just called Bristol Frams; no dice.

[JFLinLA]

Vervain -- Any luck yet? It seems as if you've searched all the usual suspects. One other thought -- which is a shot in the dark -- have you called the Monsieur Marcel at the Farmers Market? The store part, not the restaurant.

[Vervain]

Vervain -- Any luck yet?  It seems as if you've searched all the usual suspects.  One other thought -- which is a shot in the dark -- have you called the Monsieur Marcel at the Farmers Market?  The store part, not the restaurant.

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No, no luck. But I haven't called M. Marcel. Great idea!

However, in the end, the person I'm recipe-testing for is back East and wants to know about general availability. If So.Cal. folks can't easily obtain an ingredient, she needs to offer substitutions.

[russ parsons]

uhm, i think light cream IS half-and-half.

[rjwong]

uhm, i think light cream IS half-and-half.

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uhh, russ, with all due respect, I found a chart on p. 29 of McGee's "On Food and Cooking" that lists the different kinds of cream by increasing fat content (%):

Half-and-half: 12 (10.5-18)

Light cream: 20 (18-30)

Light whipping cream: 30-36

Whipping cream: 35+

Heavy whipping cream: 38 (36+)

Plastic cream: 65-85

Also, McGee states:

Heavy cream can be diluted with milk to approximate light cream, or whipped to make a spreadable semisolid.

I fear that I made this as clear as mud now. Sorry ...

[GlorifiedRice]

I dont live in Cali, but most stores carry "Light Cream"...

Right next to the Heavy Cream and Half and Half...

[Vervain]

I dont live in Cali, but most stores carry "Light Cream"...

Right next to the Heavy Cream and Half and Half...

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As I posted above, not in Los Angeles.