Until a few years ago, with only a little effort, I could find whipping cream and heavy cream without carrageenan and other undesirable ingredients in grocery stores. Now my source has dried up. How can I obtain cream that consists of nothing but cream? I typically only need small amounts and not all that frequently. I don't imagine I can just drive up to a dairy, knock the secret knock and whisper "psssst...where do you keep the good stuff?"
asked Oct 16, 2010 at 6:52
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2Are you in the US, UK or elsewhere?– BluebelleCommented Oct 16, 2010 at 20:25
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@Bluebelle: Sorry, I meant to say that I'm in the US. Thanks for reminding me.– Dennis WilliamsonCommented Oct 17, 2010 at 7:55
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2You should mention to the grocery stores that it's something you'd like to buy because if enough customers indicate an interest, that demand can cause responsive stores to carry a product. In much of Europe, whipping cream only contains one ingredient: cream. I've noticed that it has shifted in Canada as well, with many brands, adulterating their creams. In the Netherlands, none of the whipping cream brands in the grocery store appear to have any additives.– AllisonCommented Feb 3, 2011 at 21:51
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Move to another country that hasn't lost the plot!– TFDCommented Feb 5, 2011 at 1:21
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4 Answers
Looking for a farmers market is a good way to find fresh possibly additive-free dairy, or to find recommendations on where to get fresh additive-free dairy. Just talk to the vendors. Most know more about the bad side of additives and hormones than us and look very diligently to avoid them.
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Yes, many local dairy farms will have "raw" milk and other products (and most local dairy farmers will not use hormones, etc). They may not sell them at the Farmer's Markets, but usually you can order a la carte.– JennCommented Oct 16, 2010 at 20:15
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We have one dairy vendor at ours (in Downtown Columbus, OH) that sells fresh cheese products that are additive-free and from hormone-free cows. That said, I have not seen cream at his booth.– mfgCommented Oct 19, 2010 at 17:05
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@Zan true, "the federal government has not established any mandatory national safety standards for Grade A milk; no national law even regulates the sale of raw unpasteurized milk. That has been left up to states and localities, which are best equipped to regulate, monitor and inspect the local dairy industry and respond to local reports of adulterated milk" (uspirg.org 2006).– mfgCommented Feb 4, 2011 at 13:26
You might check with localharvest.org and find a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in your area. That is if you live in the U.S. Not sure if this type of thing is available in other countries, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is in some form.
The local harvest website has a search form where you can type in your zip code to look for CSA farms in your area.
Also, in my area I can get cream at natural foods groceries and at food co-ops. So you might check on those options in your area.
Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream (NOT the Ultra). I had to get my local health food store to special order me some, but they were very nice about it. I used one right away, then froze the rest. I've read frozen cream doesn't whip good, but I'm using it mostly for sauce anyway.
BTW, I found Organic Valley by doing a label search for heavy creams. Organic Valley was the ONLY one I could find without carrageenan.
Skim the cream off the top from the fresh raw milk you buy from a local farmer. I know it isn't as convenient as going to the store, but getting to know some real farmers can lead to other sources of good fresh products, like eggs, and grass fed chickens/ beef. If you buy in bulk, it can be cheaper, too.
You kinda have to network a bit. I am sorry it isn't easier, but the food chain in our 'modern' western world is seriously compromised.
