What is it with organic sour cream?

[leila1213]

Every brand I've found so far has the following first three ingredients: organic cultured pasteurized skim milk, organic pasteurized cream, organic nonfat milk. (Is there a difference between nonfat and skim milk?) It disgusted me to discover that when I had been paying so much for Organic Valley at the hfs.

So then I'm at the regular grocery store, where they don't sell organic sour cream. Checking out the non-organic versions, I find Daisy's ingredients: Grade A cultured cream. And it tastes a ton better to me!!

So am I crazy to buy the conventional sour cream? Why do the organic brands do this? I'm guessing organic cream is just too expensive or something? Or am I missing something--like, they are allowed to label it 'grade A cultured cream' even if it is mixed with nonfat/skim and other junk???

BTW, I am pregnant, and craving sour cream, so please don't tell me I can't have it! The raw grassfed cream is super expensive, so I just don't see that as an option on our budget right now.

[Junegoddess]

Originally Posted by leila1213

Every brand I've found so far has the following first three ingredients: organic cultured pasteurized skim milk, organic pasteurized cream, organic nonfat milk. (Is there a difference between nonfat and skim milk?) It disgusted me to discover that when I had been paying so much for Organic Valley at the hfs.

So then I'm at the regular grocery store, where they don't sell organic sour cream. Checking out the non-organic versions, I find Daisy's ingredients: Grade A cultured cream. And it tastes a ton better to me!!

So am I crazy to buy the conventional sour cream? Why do the organic brands do this? I'm guessing organic cream is just too expensive or something? Or am I missing something--like, they are allowed to label it 'grade A cultured cream' even if it is mixed with nonfat/skim and other junk???

BTW, I am pregnant, and craving sour cream, so please don't tell me I can't have it! The raw grassfed cream is super expensive, so I just don't see that as an option on our budget right now.

I think they do it because of the crowd they are catering to. Generally, people who want organic are "health nuts." And generally, health nuts want low fat. So... they make organic low-fat sour cream. Which really is an oxymoron.
I think the consensus has been that Daisy is pretty darn good. Sure, it's not organic, but... how much sour cream does a person eat (normally... pregnant women would skew the statistics!)

Another option is creme fraiche. I just recently discovered this myself. Our grocery store chain has a "super" version that I recently finally went to... with a much bigger selection of snob foods. Even though I'm dairy intolerant, I snatched up a container of creme fraiche, simply because I could. And as long as I just have a little teeny bit, it doesn't seem to bother me. It tastes super creamy decadent, with a hint of sour. Dreamy.

[2xy]

Maybe not a TF issue, but I was disgusted to learn yesterday that our local store's organic line of tomato sauce has sugar in it. Really? Is that necessary?

[elleystar]

OP, I've noticed the same thing, and have only bought Daisy for a looong time. I think it's the best sour cream you can buy in stores! Of course I'd rather be making my own but that will probably have to wait until we can get a cow.

[Ruthla]

I also buy the Daisy sour cream, for the same reasons. If I could find an organic sour cream that was JUST cultured cream, I'd be willing to pay more for it- but as far as I can see, it doesn't exist.

It's super-easy to make your own tomato sauce with tomato paste, water, and spices.

[leila1213]

Great, so I'm not crazy! Thanks.

I've been meaning to try creme fraiche, but every time I look at it, I freeze up trying to figure out which one to get. Organic? Local? Cheapest?

[leila1213]

Originally Posted by Junegoddess

I think they do it because of the crowd they are catering to. Generally, people who want organic are "health nuts." And generally, health nuts want low fat. So... they make organic low-fat sour cream. Which really is an oxymoron.

I don't know about that. Wouldn't they label it 'low fat' if it were for that reason? I mean, if it's supposed to be what their target market wants, then why wouldn't they put it on the front to draw their attention? There are lowfat sour creams, but these aren't them.

Another thought I had was that it has something to do with the culturing process. Because it is only the 'skim milk' that is cultured. I know when I made sour cream from raw heavy cream in the past, it was super super thick. So maybe the skim milk cultures better, or they have more of it due to skimming the fat for other, more expensive products (which you would THINK would include sour CREAM )?? IDK.

[cristeen]

FYI - creme fraiche is super easy to make. Pick up some cultured buttermilk and some cream. Add 2 Tbs buttermilk to the cream, leave it at room temp over night and then refrigerate. Easy creme fraiche. CF is super expensive around here, so I refuse to buy it premade.

[Brookesmom]

The ingredients of my Farmer's All Natural Creamergy Organic Sour Cream are just "certified organic vat-pasteurized grade A milk and cream, and cultures".

It's available at Whole Foods in the midwest and the BEST sour cream I've ever had. Trader Joe's also has a decent version. If I had to go to a regular grocery store I would get Daisy too.

[stilllearning85]

I buy daisy too because of the craziness of the organic brands! Works for us!!! Will definitely have to try some creme fraiche if I can afford it... I forgot that I used to make it... maybe should start that again! (of course all we can get here is ultra-pastuerized cream... so is it really worth it?)

[eastkygal]

I love Daisy! I buy it. It does have the best flavor to me. I'm a fan of sour cream. You could also try straining some yogurt through a cheese cloth. This will give you a thicker cream cheese type stuff and whey. It could be a good substitute.

Does anyone know if Daisy is hormone free?

[stilllearning85]

Originally Posted by eastkygal

I love Daisy! I buy it. It does have the best flavor to me. I'm a fan of sour cream. You could also try straining some yogurt through a cheese cloth. This will give you a thicker cream cheese type stuff and whey. It could be a good substitute.

Does anyone know if Daisy is hormone free?

I know Daisy makes a hormone free one for Chipotle (we read that on one of the chipotle cups) but when we look at the Daisy package, it doesn't say anything about that... so the store bouht ones probably aren't. Maybe we should call them and ask them to put out the "chipotle" version in stores...

[leila1213]

Originally Posted by Brookesmom

The ingredients of my Farmer's All Natural Creamergy Organic Sour Cream are just "certified organic vat-pasteurized grade A milk and cream, and cultures".

It's available at Whole Foods in the midwest and the BEST sour cream I've ever had. Trader Joe's also has a decent version. If I had to go to a regular grocery store I would get Daisy too.

Really? I was just at Trader Joe's and their brand was the same as OV. I'll check out WF though. Thanks!

[punkrockmomma]

A GREAT alternative I've found to sour cream, that I actually like better then sour cream, in Kefir cheese, or Greek sour cream. Greek Gods brand makes it, they also make Greek Yogurt. I found it at my local co-op. Another thing I like about it is that it's rBGH/rBST free, and full of probiotics.

[pampered_mom]

I doubt with the Organic brands it has anything to do with the culturing process...mostly because a few years ago OV's sour cream was just cultured cream. Then a couple of years ago they changed the packaging and that's when the recipe changed. I know it was removed from the WAPF shopping guide for this very reason. I suspect cost may play a factor, but I can't be sure.

The *only* brand of sour cream we have in my area that is just plain ole cultured cream is Daisy so that's what we get. Ooooo so tasty!

[swood]

Another Daisy family here. I think that if a conventional product has fewer ingredients or just normal ingredients, I will choose it over an OG one that has a long list of stuff or is just more $$$.

[CageFreeFamily]

We've just been using plain whole milk organic yogurt in place of sr. cream for years. Works great for everything from tacos to Chicken Paprikosh.

[Brookesmom]

Originally Posted by leila1213

Really? I was just at Trader Joe's and their brand was the same as OV. I'll check out WF though. Thanks!

Oh, maybe it's different regionally. (I know it is, because there were several things I could get in Cali that I can't get in Michigan). I'm not sure who the supplier is for the midwest....

[Brookesmom]

Originally Posted by stilllearning85

I know Daisy makes a hormone free one for Chipotle (we read that on one of the chipotle cups) but when we look at the Daisy package, it doesn't say anything about that... so the store bouht ones probably aren't. Maybe we should call them and ask them to put out the "chipotle" version in stores...

I read that at Chipotle too, which leads me to believe that Daisy might use rBGH, depending on the batch. I had forgotten about that. We should all write them! Same with their cottage cheese- It's the only conventional one without preservatives and other weird things.

[henny penny]

This is disappointing. I've been getting Organic Valley and didn't read the label . Don't quote me, but in one of my tf books I think when there is 'nonfat milk' listed it is DRIED nonfat milk . One of the biggest no-no's in my book. You can't screw up milk much more than nonfat dried milk. It is cheaper to thicken skim milk with dried milk than to use real cream. Sooo disappointing.
Guess I'm off to look for another brand......