Creme Fraiche

Dairies in France actually make this cultured cream, but anywhere else you'll have to make it yourself. It not only adds great flavor, but keeps much longer than plain old cream. Add a spoonfull to soups, sauces, or anything that needs a just a bit of creamy flavor, or drizzle a little over grilled vegetables, salads, crab cakes, latkes, or damn near anything (unless you're in the cream-averse category, in which case stop reading right now). You'll need it for Leek and Celeriac Soup.

In a nonreactive container (glass or stainless), stir together 3 parts heavy cream (I've also used half-and-half, it's just not as creamy, natch) and 1 part plain yogurt or buttermilk. For a half-pint container of cream, that means a couple of good spoonfulls of yogurt. I use Nancy's Nonfat, a locally produced (Springfield, Oregon) yogurt with live acidophilus cultures. Buttermilk works, too -- I just don't have it in the 'fridge as often. Quite a few recipes mix cream and sour cream, but that seems pointless (sour cream is already cultured...that's what we're trying to make here).

Mix well, cover, and put someplace warm. If you have an old gas stove with standing pilot lights, set the container on it over the pilots. Otherwise, the top of the refrigerator or anyplace where it will stay warm is okay.

Let it sit overnight or at least 12 hours. When it looks thick, put it in the refrigerator; it will keep for at least a week or two.