Finding The Right Cream And Beef Cuts In France
The rich stuff that we all love, called crème, comes in many forms. In France, the terms crème fleurette or crème liquide are interchangeable and either is what comes to mind when we think of cream.
The Story of Crème
When fresh milk has settled, this is the delicious layer that rises to the top. It can be poured into sauces, beaten into whipped cream and stirred in your coffee. Cream comes in both fresh form and in little UHT cartons which are easy to stack and store but must, bien sûr, be chilled before being whipped into chantilly. Chantilly, by the way, is sold in familiar looking pressurized cans ready for immediate use.
Crème liquide
Crème liquide has a minimum content of 30% butterfat or matière grasse and is the French equivalent of US-style heavy whipping cream. It is, however, usually less fatty than UK double cream, which starts at 45% butterfat. For cream on that level of richness, look for artisanal creams from Normandy – the cream making capital of France – which will note the percentage of matiere grasse on the label.
Crème liquide légère
This variety has roughly 15% butterfat or matière grasse, which is a little bit richer than American Half and Half. It can be used in recipes that call for half-and-half and poured into sauces, but isn’t fatty enough to be whipped into whipped cream.
While the French do love chantilly, they often top their desserts with a dollop of crème fraiche. This unctuous treat is made from fresh cream that is gently fermented but not as fermented as the beloved American sour cream. Despite being similar in texture, crème fraiche is considered sour cream’s mellower yet richer cousin. Crème fraîche, also referred to as crème épaisse, is sold in tubs or pouches in the refrigerated section of grocery stores.
You can also find it at your local fromagerie where it is farm fresh and more pungent than what you will find at grocery stores. There the crème is ladled from thick ceramic bowls into individual containers, which is where it earns its name crème fraîche à la louche. Louche means ladle.
If what you truly miss is sour cream, then you can make a pretty convincing replica by squeezing fresh lime into crème fraîche and letting it sit for 15 minutes. The real stuff is also sometimes imported from England and labeled as crème aigre.
If you are looking for a sour cream substitute in baking, fromage blanc is your best bet as it has a firmer texture and more twang than crème fraîche. If you need a substitute to make dips, then crème fraîche works well – although the more you stir it the runnier it gets, so be gentle or fold in some fromage blanc for additional structure.
Rarely Well Done
Now on to the cow itself. One will notice that there are more cuts of beef in France than in the U.S. This is due to French butchers’ rationale of using nearly every cow’s part (around 95%) while U.S. butchers favor efficiency using only 65% and having other parts end up in ground beef.
French beef, boeuf, is also leaner than English or American beef, due in part to their diet but also because of the types of cow and cuts of beef that are popular here. Lean beef when cooked through becomes tough and dry, which is why the French typically order their steaks rare. And when the French mean rare, they mean very rare! If you were to order a steak rare in New York, a Frenchman would scoff and say it’s burnt, so adjust your vocabulary and expectations accordingly.
Très bien cuit – very well done, definitely cooked through and in need of sauce to be able to chew and swallow it
Bien cuit – well done, mostly cooked through
A point – medium, pink in the center
Saignant – rare, which literally translates to bleeding
Bleu – super rare, essentially raw in the center
Tartare – a preparation using high quality raw beef
If you are ready to make your steak at home then here is a helpful list of popular cuts of beef that you will find at the boucher:
Bavette d’aloyau – flank steak
Entrecôte – rib steak (no bone)
Côte de boeuf – rib steak (with the bone)
Filet – tenderloin
Faux-filet or Contre – filet – ribeye or sirloin
Onglet – hanger steak
Le-plat-de-cotes – Short ribs
Poitrine – brisket
Jarret – shank
Joues – cheeks
Langue – ox tongue
Queue – ox tail
Épaule – shoulder
Collier – chuck
Paleron – Flat iron or blade steak
Filet Mignon – Short Loin
Rumsteak – Top or Bottom Sirloin
Rond de Gite – Eye Round
Hampe – Skirt Steak
Steak haché – ground beef (sold loosely in vrac or formed into oval patties called steaks)
When in doubt, ask the expert. Butchers in France are notorious gourmets and love to talk about recipes and cooking techniques. If you aren’t sure which kind of cut you need simply tell your butcher how you want to prepare it and for how many. For example, let them know you’d like a nice big steak for the barbeque that will feed six, they’ll know just what to do.
And since you’re in France, do not hesitate to explore other cuts that will surprise you with their texture and flavor. An interesting article by Anthony Bourdain explains this further and even makes you appreciate exceptional pieces that are generally discarded in other countries. In the end, rest assured that given the wide range of cuts available in your local boucherie, you’re bound to find what your recipe calls for and even more.
Bon appétit!
