De la crème
Despite my clever standard shopping list, I forget something every time I go to Trader Joe’s. Yesterday it was cream for the gratin dauphinois I’m making tomorrow. This was doubly silly because I was actually looking at the cream section and noticing something funny.
When I buy cream, it’s generally Organic Valley—a popular brand in my organic-oriented neighborhood. What I like most about it is that it’s not ultra-pasteurized, which means it whips easier and tastes better. They’ve carried it at Trader Joe’s for a while for $2.79 a pint, much less than the $4 and up they charge at local supermarkets.
Recently, Trader Joe’s introduced their own brand of organic cream. Like Organic Valley, it comes in pint containers and is non-ultra-pasteurized. The weird part is the price: $2.99. Is there anyone who wants to pay a premium for the Trader Joe’s brand? I’m not criticizing the quality of TJ’s house brand; most of their stuff is great. But most of it is cheap. I like the TJ’s Italian sausage a lot, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s priced a couple dollars less than the Isernio’s sitting next to it on the shelf.
There, Freakonomics moment over.
Comment by Neil
If you’re talking about the cream that comes in the little plastic bottle as opposed to a carton, then price difference might be because it has a higher butterfat content (check the label). This can be nice for some uses, but tends to throw off some of my recipes.
Posted on February 17, 2007 at 9:12 am
Comment by mamster
I’m pretty sure they’re the same fat content. And they both come in cartons.
Posted on February 17, 2007 at 9:34 am
Comment by Neil
Oh. Then it’s a rip-off.
I use the ultra-pasteurized stuff myself. It’s cheaper, lasts longer, and works fine in all my recipes.
Posted on February 17, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Comment by mamster
You don’t find that the non-ultra-pasteurized makes better whipped cream? It certainly whips faster, but I admit I haven’t done a side-by-side comparison. It’s on my to-do list.
Posted on February 18, 2007 at 7:03 am
Comment by Neil
At Bellagio we had both types and always used the ultra-pasteurized for whipped cream. Mostly because the fat content was slightly lower which actually made the whipped cream stiffer, more stable and last longer without separating. There are also additives like carrageenan and guar gum to enhance whippability. Some might object to the presence of additives, but I personally think that if you don’t have a problem with white sugar (which is about as close as you can get to a pure chemical) or gelatin, then you shouldn’t really have a problem with extracts from seaweed or moss.
Posted on February 18, 2007 at 9:27 am
Comment by mamster
I have no problem with those things, Neil. I’m just curious whether you’d detect a flavor difference if you tasted whipped ultra-pasteurized next to non-ultra cream, both 36% fat. The ultra-pasteurized cream is often said to have a “cooked” flavor. Then again, it’s not like I’ve ever tasted some whipped cream and said, “You know, this has a cooked flavor.”
This will definitely be the subject of a future column.
Posted on February 18, 2007 at 9:36 am
Comment by L
I’m just laughing to myself that we are in a world where we have to say things like “non-ultra-pasturized” instead of just regular ole pasturized! ;-)
Personally, I prefer it straight from the cow, but I tend to use the Organic Valley too.
-L
Posted on February 18, 2007 at 11:38 am
Comment by Neil
I haven’t noticed a “cooked” flavor, but then I haven’t done a side-by-side tasting either.
At another place I’ve worked, for some things we used a higher-fat ultra-pasteurized cream that came in juice-box style packages (what are those called again?). This brand: http://www.elleetvire-pro.com/
Posted on February 18, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Comment by mamster
They’re called aseptic packs. That’s appetizing, isn’t it?
Posted on February 18, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Comment by Maggi
Yep, at my local TJ’s we can get Organic Valley and Garelick Farms. Both are just simply pasteurized, and yes, I think it whips better. We did do a “side by side” one Holiday many moons ago, and only a small percentage (in our non-scientific, small sample) of our guests could detect the “cooked” taste. Unfortunately, I was one of them, so I have steered clear ever since when whipping cream for desserts. If I am cooking the cream (as in adding it to soups, sauces etc.) then the Ultra-P will work just fine.
Posted on February 19, 2007 at 6:40 am
Comment by Andrew Feldstein
I feel about ulra-pasteurized the way you feel about giant croissants. It really does taste cooked to me. And would you make your own butter out of that stuff?
The thing to look for is vat pasteurized….
Posted on February 20, 2007 at 7:32 am