Mexican "table cream"

RE: Mexican "table cream" (1bbqboy)

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 19:10:36 GMT

We sometimes get a similar sauce here in Southern Oregon, nynm.
Ours is a puree of avocado, cilantro and (hot)green peppers, probably just as you suspected.
Ours is creamy also.

RE: Mexican "table cream" (NYNM)

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:56:30 GMT

Hey that's true - there is little use of tomatillos in Northern NM. So, I guess I will ask the waiter or someone who speaks English next timje I go to the restaurant. I just wondered if this delicious gren stuff was some sort of Mexican seafood speciality.

RE: Mexican "table cream" (1bbqboy)

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:08:28 GMT

I don't think Tomatillos exist much in NM cooking. They don't grow above 2000 ft or so.
Green Chile Stew in NM, Chile Verde in Arizona.

RE: Mexican "table cream" (Texianjoe)

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 08:12:09 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by NYNM

Thank you for the info re: table cream. 2 questions:

1. Why is it called "table" cream??

2. The restaurant had a delicious "dip" made, probably, of table cream. Along with chips and "regular" salsa (chopped tomatoes, etc) there was this small bowl of rather unattractive greenish sauce. But it was yummy - the waiter (who didn't speak much English) said it was like guacomole - but it was thinner, rather runny, with avocado, green chile, cilantro, other spices,and "crema" (?)
Does anyone know what is the name of it?

It is called table cream because it is a condiment placed on the table in a pitcher to pour over food like flautas or enchiladas. As opposed to say cream for coffee.

The sauce you got was a tomatillo salsa with avocados, it is like a runny guacamole for dipping. It goes further with tomatillos and just a small amount of expensive avocados.

joe

RE: Mexican "table cream" (NYNM)

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:13:08 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by BT

I don't know about the crema--you sure it wasn't just green salsa (made with tomatillos)? Lots of places around here have that--Trader Joe's sells it in jars.

Tomatillos

BT: Thanx for the photo. Maybe it had tomatillos, not sure, but I'm pretty sure it had crema: it was a "creamy" green, not chunky at all. Like a liquified guacomole. It didn't look like any salsa I'd ever seen, that's why I asked the waiter what it was. But like I said he didn't speakmuch English ao we never got very far...

RE: Mexican "table cream" (BT)

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 03:40:30 GMT

I don't know about the crema--you sure it wasn't just green salsa (made with tomatillos)? Lots of places around here have that--Trader Joe's sells it in jars.

Tomatillos

RE: Mexican "table cream" (NYNM)

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:54:24 GMT

Thank you for the info re: table cream. 2 questions:

1. Why is it called "table" cream??

2. The restaurant had a delicious "dip" made, probably, of table cream. Along with chips and "regular" salsa (chopped tomatoes, etc) there was this small bowl of rather unattractive greenish sauce. But it was yummy - the waiter (who didn't speak much English) said it was like guacomole - but it was thinner, rather runny, with avocado, green chile, cilantro, other spices,and "crema" (?)
Does anyone know what is the name of it?

RE: Mexican "table cream" (enginecapt)

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:35:56 GMT

You won't see any blobs of American style sour cream in Mexican restaurants around here. They all serve crema, a practice I heartily endorse.

RE: Mexican "table cream" (BT)

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:45:35 GMT

By the way, I buy the Cacique products, which are carried in most grocery stores in both San Francisco and Tucson, to slather on my Mexican food at home rather than American sour cream--yum!

RE: Mexican "table cream" (Ivyhouse)

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:44:02 GMT

According to The Cook's Thesaurus (http://www.foodsubs.com/):
Creams vary according to the amount of butterfat they have. Lightest of all is half & half, which is half milk, half cream and weighs in with a butterfat content between 10.5 - 18%. It can't be whipped, but it's nice with coffee, or on cereal. Light cream = coffee cream = table cream is richer at 18 - 30% fat, but it still can't be whipped.

RE: Mexican "table cream" (BT)

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:40:24 GMT

"Crema", literally "cream" in Spanish, usually means sour cream in Mexican cooking. The restaurant was probably saying they used this product or something like it:

quote:

This authentic rich table cream, full bodied with a spectacular mouth feel is like nothing you’ve tasted before! Neither salty nor sour, it’s freshness and natural buttery sweetness combined with its crème fraiche like consistency make this product a must in any kitchen!

Crema Mexicana, a grade A supreme quality dairy product, is made in the United States with the taste appeal of authentic cream found in Mexico.

As their spiel says, this product resembles creme fraiche.

Here's what The Cook's Thesaurus has to say:

quote:
crema Notes: Cremas are the Hispanic version of sour cream. This category includes crema Mexicana, which is similar to crème fraîche, crema Centroamericana, which is a bit thicker and sweeter than crema Mexicana, crema media, which is like whipping cream, crema Mexicana agria, which is thicker and more acidic than crema Mexicana and often used for savory dishes, and crema Salvadoreña, which is thick like sour cream. Where to find: Mexican grocery stores Substitutes: crème fraîche (not as sweet or creamy) OR sour cream (more likely to curdle when cooked in a sauce)

RE: Mexican "table cream" (Foodbme)

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:30:00 GMT

Google Mexican table cream and you'll get all kinds of info. here's one example:
http://www.caciqueusa.com/product_detail.asp?id=9

Mexican "table cream" (NYNM)

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:08:15 GMT

Last night I ate at a restaurant in Santa Fe that specializes in Mexican seafood dishes. I noticed on the menu that a number of dishes were described as being made with "table cream". I wasn't sure what that was (Cremora?) or why it was important to note, rather than just say "cream"

Does anyone have a clue here about what it means?