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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Sept 23, 2007 10:42:45 GMT -5
A question in a different forum about cheesecake got me thinking about more general questions. So, to those of you who cook and/or who know the answers:
1. Is there a French equivalent to the cream cheese one buys in North America (e.g., "Philadelphia" brand)? I have had carrot cake with white frosting in France, but it clearly was not made from anything like cream cheese since it did not have that tang that's characteristic of cream cheese (and as a result, it was quite disappointing!).
2. What does one look for if what is desired is whipping cream rather than crème fraîche?
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toutou
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Posts: 81
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Post by toutou on Sept 23, 2007 11:31:27 GMT -5
Most people use mascarpone cheese. It isn't exactly the same thing, but that is what most of us use in place of cream cheese. However, I must say that a Dutch equivalent of Philly is available at Lidl stores. To me, it is exactly like Philadelphia Cream Cheese.
Philly may be available in some Paris stores. There are a couple of small grocers that specialize in American items.
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Post by Anne on Sept 23, 2007 12:28:22 GMT -5
I am not sure whether I understand your question number 2 right, but if by whipping cream you mean cream to make chantilly with, then you must buy crème fraiche liquide (sometimes they even add "pour chantilly" on the bottle)
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Sept 23, 2007 12:34:37 GMT -5
Toutou: thanks, that sounds like just the thing! Do you happen to recall what the name of the Dutch product is? Also, is Lidl a chain (if so, is it fairly easy to find?)?
Anne: yes, that's just what I mean, thanks so much (I thought crème fraîche was more like a light sour cream, to use US terminology, and did not know there was another version). Duh, I knew that chantilly is what we think of as whipped cream, but did not think to ask for whatever product is used to make it!
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Post by Anne on Sept 23, 2007 12:43:56 GMT -5
Crème fraîche is either sold as "liquide" or "épaisse" (thick), but it always has a soft taste, not a sour one .
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toutou
Junior Member
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Post by toutou on Sept 23, 2007 14:08:02 GMT -5
Lidl's are all over Europe. The product is called Creme Goldessa. It is available in full fat, light, tomato flavor and garlic flavor.
It is not the same thing as whipping cream. It is like Philly cream cheese.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Sept 23, 2007 15:16:23 GMT -5
Thanks again, Toutou - have you tried to cook with it, and do you know if its properties (in cooking) are roughly the same as cream cheese?
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toutou
Junior Member
Posts: 81
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Post by toutou on Sept 24, 2007 0:13:59 GMT -5
Yes, I've used it in all kinds of recipes. The icing for carrot cake, a cheesecake, lots of cream cheese type dips, etc. Works exactly the same.
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Post by Shoesy on Sept 24, 2007 0:52:51 GMT -5
I find this subject very interesting because even though I am absolutely not into cooking or baking, I do make a "to die for" cheesecake, which requires a certain kind of soft white spreading cheese that is very common here. The cake comes out very light and absolutely delicious. Whenever I go to parties where everyone brings a dish, this is my cintribution, and it receives more praise than any of the unbelievable complicated gourmet dishes that my friends prepare. For years I've been trying to see if there's a cheese equivalent in the States so that I can share my recipe with my relatives, but I have yet to find it. All I can say is that it's 5%, and it in no way resembles Philadelphia cream cheese. Here in Israel, when someone says "g'vina levanah 5%", which means "5% white cheese", (BTW, it also comes in 9% and even 1/2 %) everyone knows what he's talking about.
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toutou
Junior Member
Posts: 81
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Post by toutou on Sept 24, 2007 2:28:55 GMT -5
Is it the same as Lebaneh?
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Post by Shoesy on Sept 24, 2007 3:01:04 GMT -5
No, toutou. Labaneh tastes very sour and terrible IMO. However, I just did a Google search, which I should have done ages ago, and someone compared Israeli white cheese to "thick Greek-style yogurt". Of course I'm not familiar with that, but maybe it's a pretty good comparison.
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toutou
Junior Member
Posts: 81
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Post by toutou on Sept 24, 2007 3:03:52 GMT -5
Oh I love lebaneh, I reallly do.
The French have a basic yaourt cake too. I like it very much.
Love Greek yogurt too. Gee, am I hungry??
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Post by Happygoin on Sept 24, 2007 6:48:58 GMT -5
Shoesy, it doesn't have curds in it like ricotta or cottage cheese, does it? I love trying to figure out these international food puzzles...I always learn something.
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Post by Shoesy on Sept 24, 2007 6:50:08 GMT -5
Nope. No curds.
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Post by Anne on Sept 24, 2007 10:52:59 GMT -5
I do make a kind of cheescake, that is an Alsacian "tarte au fromage blanc" . For this I use cottage cheese + thicked egg whites ("blancs en neige") + egg yolks + sugar + a little bit of flour + lemon + alcoolized raisins, all this being put as a high layer over some tarte (pâte brisée) dough .
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toutou
Junior Member
Posts: 81
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Post by toutou on Sept 24, 2007 11:09:12 GMT -5
You can get cottage cheese !!! You mean the real thing??
Oh I'm so jealous..
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Post by Anne on Sept 24, 2007 11:14:28 GMT -5
Wait toutou, what I call "cottage cheese" is my best translation in English of "fromage blanc" . I am sure that you can find fromage blanc in the South too ?...
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Sept 24, 2007 11:24:37 GMT -5
Anne, by "cottage cheese" do you mean ricotta, or something else? I ask because in the US, the two are used pretty much interchangably for cooking, although I don't think many people would have a "fruit and ricotta salad"!
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Post by Anne on Sept 24, 2007 11:39:03 GMT -5
As I wrote, cottage cheese is just a translation for fromage blanc, but fromage blanc isn't really cottage cheese, and even less ricotta . I am at a loss here to explain . Here is a copy of wikipedia on fromage blanc if you can understand it (you can even see a picture of a tarte of fromage blanc just like mine) : fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fromage_blanc
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Sept 24, 2007 11:48:07 GMT -5
Thanks Anne - I suspect some things just don't quite equate, but that's okay!
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