Pronounced 'krem fresh'. It is a thick and smooth heavy cream with a wonderfully rich and velvety texture. This matured cream has a nutty, slightly sour taste produced by culturing pasteurised cream with a special bacteria. In France, where it originated, the cream is unpasteurized so it naturally contains the bacteria necessary to make crème frache. The butterfat content varies (usually 30%), as there is no set standard so you will find every brand tastes a little differently. Known as creme fraiche in France, racreme in Scandanavia, and in England and America as clabber cream.