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Frequently Asked Questions about Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche

Can I make my own crème fraîche?
While cookbooks and magazines offer a recipe for crème fraîche using buttermilk as a starter, the product that results is nothing like Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche. The buttermilk culture consists of only acid-producing microorganisms and none that produce complex flavors. Lacking a controlled production environment and the patented, heirloom starter culture used in Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche, home-made crème fraîche can be an inconsistent, sharply acidic product that turns to liquid when stirred or heated.

Why are other brands of commercially-produced so different from Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche?
The difference is due to the combination of high-quality bacterial cultures, a longer, cooler fermentation period and the use of exclusively Holstein cream. There are no artificial thickeners, stabilizers or preservatives in Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche.

How long will Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche keep?
Kendall Farms Crème's shelf life is at least 12 weeks from the manufacture date provided the product has been maintained in the proper temperature range, (34 - 40 degrees Fahrenheit) and has not been subject to cross contamination after opening.


How does Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche differ from commercial sour cream? Most commercial sour cream is made by direct acidification rather than the slow, old-fashioned fermentation proces. Direct acidification is fast and cheap; it results in a product that has a one-dimensional flavor and that breaks when heated. The butterfat content of commercial sour creamis just under 20% whereas Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche has a minimum butterfat content of 40%.


How does Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche keep so long without preservatives?
Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche's long shelf life is attributable to the presence of a live, active bacterial culture and low pH in the form of lactic acid. The 40% butterfat content makes the product naturally resistant to oxidation.

What is the liquid that appears on the surface of the Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche after it has been opened and then refrigerated?
Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche undergoes a process called "wheying off" when the surface of the product has been disturbed. Whey, the liquid that rises to the surface, can be easily stirred into the remaining product. The presence of the whey is proof that Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche contains no added stabilizers.

Can I freeze Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche?
No. Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche is an emulsion that will break at freezing temperature.

Where can the home cook purchase Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche?
Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche can be found in the 7.5oz. Retail size at upscale grocers, natural foods markets, cheese shops and other retail stores that stock gourmet items.

What if my retailer doesn't have a distributor in the area?
Direct the person responsible for ordering the cheese or dairy products to Distributor page of this web site; or your retailer can have his preferred specialty food distributor contact us at sadiekendall@charter.net.

How can chefs purchase Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche in the 32oz. Food Service size?
Kendall Farms uses a network of specialty food and broadline distributors throughout the U.S. Click on the Distributor link to find a distributor in your area. If Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche is not distributed in your area, the closest distributor to you may be willing to ship to you directly; or, ask your preferred specialty food distributor to contact us at sadiekendall@charter.net.

Eric Ripert compares sauces thickened with flour (flour hides flavor) to the jus. The jus is lighter in consistency, has more flavor, and is very, very fresh. -Eric Ripert, Executive Chef of le Bernadin

 

 

 

All Natural

No Preservatives

Kendall barn label and artwork
Fresh Sauce for Fresh Food
 
Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche is versatile and ready to resolve culinary emergencies!
Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche • P.O. Box 686 • Atascadero, California 93423 • (805) 466-7252
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