Creme Fraiche

Here's another one from Michael Chiarello's "Bottega" cookbook.  

You can buy creme fraiche in high-end grocery stores, but it's the easiest thing to make.  It's simply just a matter of combining cream and buttermilk and letting them sit on your countertop at room temperature for up to 24 hours.  That's all there is to it.  Live cultures in the buttermilk react with the cream, creating a light, thin version of sour cream that's delicious.



1 - 2/3 cups heavy cream
1 TBSP buttermilk


Whisk together the cream and buttermilk and pour into a glass jar.  Cover it with two layers of cheesecloth and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.  After that, seal the jar with plastic wrap and refrigerate if you don't plan to use the creme fraiche right away.  It will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.