Crema is the Spanish word for cream. In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, or in the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...

, it is sometimes referred to as crema espesa (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: "thick cream"), also referred to as crema fresca (English: "fresh cream") in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. Crema fresca or crema espesa is a Mexican

dairy product Dairy products or milk products, also known as lacticinia, are food products made from (or containing) milk. The most common dairy animals are cow, water buffalo, nanny goat, and ewe. Dairy products include common grocery store food items in th ...

prepared with two ingredients,

heavy cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...

and

buttermilk Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. As most modern butter in western countries is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most mod ...

. Salt and lime juice may also be used in its preparation. Crema's fat content can range between 18 and 36 percent. In

, it is sold directly to consumers through ranches outside large cities, as well as being available in

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

and

Latin American Latin Americans ( es, Latinoamericanos; pt, Latino-americanos; ) are the citizens of Latin American countries (or people with cultural, ancestral or national origins in Latin America). Latin American countries and their diasporas are multi-eth ...

grocery stores in the

. Crema is used as a food topping, a

condiment A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific Flavoring, flavor, to enhance the flavor, or to complement the dish. A table condiment or table sauce is more specifically a condiment that is serv ...

and as an ingredient in sauces. It is similar in texture and flavor to France's

crème fraîche Crème fraîche (English pronunciation: , , lit. "fresh cream") is a dairy product, a soured cream containing 10–45% butterfat, with a pH of approximately 4.5., p. 181''f'' It is soured with a bacterial culture. European labeling regulations ...

and

sour cream Sour cream (in North American English, Australian English and New Zealand English) or soured cream (British English) is a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, wh ...

Production

Outside of the larger cities in Mexico, crema is sold directly to consumers by ranches that prepare the product. In the United States, commercial preparations of crema are typically

pasteurized Pasteurization American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), or pasteurisation is a process of food preservation in which packaged and non-packaged foods (such as milk and fruit juices) are treated with mi ...

, packaged in glass jars, and sold in the refrigerated section of Mexican and Hispanic grocery stores.

Uses

Crema is used as a topping for foods and as an ingredient in sauces. It can be spooned or drizzled atop various foods and dishes. For example, crema is added as a condiment atop soups, tacos, roasted corn, beans and various

Mexican street food Mexican street food, called ''antojitos'' (literally "little cravings"), is prepared by street vendors and at small traditional markets in Mexico. Street foods include tacos, tamales, gorditas, quesadillas, empalmes, tostadas, chalupa, elote, t ...

s, referred to as ''antojitos''. Its use can impart added richness to the flavor of foods and dishes. It may have a mildly salty flavor. In

Mexican cuisine Mexican cuisine consists of the cooking cuisines and traditions of the modern country of Mexico. Its earliest roots lie in Mesoamerican cuisine. Its ingredients and methods begin with the first agricultural communities such as the Olmec and M ...

, ''rajas'' are roasted chili peppers that are traditionally served with crema. The creaminess of crema can serve to counterbalance the spiciness of dishes prepared with roasted chili peppers, such as

chipotle A chipotle (, ; ), or ''chilpotle'', is a smoking (food), smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is a chili used primarily in Mexican cuisine, Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Tex-Mex cuisine, Tex-Mex and So ...

Similar foods

Crema is similar to the French

in flavor and consistency. Compared with

, crema has a softer and tangier flavor, and has a thinner texture. Some recipes that call for the use of crema state that sour cream or crème fraîche can be used as a viable substitute.

Notes

References

{{Condiments Condiments Dairy products Guatemalan cuisine Honduran cuisine Mexican cuisine Salvadoran cuisine

Production

Uses

Similar foods

See also

Notes

References