Forums > Specific Focus > Mexican Kitchen

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rayitodeluna

Nov 6, 2012, 7:27 AM

Post #1 of 40 (7013 views)

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Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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I just made pumpkin mousse...

And it was disgustingly sweet. Not in a good way.

Anyone know what they call Half and Half here in MEX ? And where I can buy some?

~~~~~~ Enjoying life in northern D.F. with our family of Americans and chilangos.
Family and expat blog here : http://threecurlygirlys.blogspot.mx/ ~~~~~~

tashby

Nov 6, 2012, 7:45 AM

Post #2 of 40 (7004 views)

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Re: [rayitodeluna] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Lyncott makes one. At least it's available at the Walmart at Lake Chapala. Not sure what it says on the package, but it's obvious from the labeling that it's half and half. It may even use those words!

esperanza

Nov 6, 2012, 7:54 AM

Post #3 of 40 (6999 views)

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Re: [rayitodeluna] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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If you can't find half and half, use Clavel (Carnation evaporated milk). It's a similar consistency and unsweetened.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

morgaine7

Nov 6, 2012, 8:07 AM

Post #4 of 40 (6997 views)

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Re: [rayitodeluna] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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When available here in BCS, it's labeled "media crema". There's Lyncott, and occasionally an imported brand like Knudsen labeled in English. But it gets confusing. Lala makes a product in a small box labeled "media crema", but it's much thicker than half and half and doesn't work very well in coffee. It's more the consistency of a whipping cream. I don't know how it would be in a mousse, but at least it's unsweetened.

Kate

tashby

Nov 6, 2012, 2:07 PM

Post #5 of 40 (6977 views)

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Re: [rayitodeluna] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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I saw the Lyncott product today, and indeed, it says "Half & Half" and underneath that, Crema Liguera. ¡Suerte!

robt65

Nov 6, 2012, 11:52 PM

Post #6 of 40 (6950 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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I had no idea the Knudsen Brand was available in Mexico. It really is a good trusted dairy product company and has been for many years. Thanks for the tip.
Robt65

rayitodeluna

Nov 7, 2012, 8:02 AM

Post #7 of 40 (6937 views)

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Re: [tashby] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Thanks Tashby! I checked at Chedraui, but will check at Walmart next.

~~~~~~ Enjoying life in northern D.F. with our family of Americans and chilangos.
Family and expat blog here : http://threecurlygirlys.blogspot.mx/ ~~~~~~

rayitodeluna

Nov 7, 2012, 8:03 AM

Post #8 of 40 (6936 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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We do have Carnation evaporate milk in the house! Now to start all over from scratch with baking the pumpkin ....

Thanks for the tip!

~~~~~~ Enjoying life in northern D.F. with our family of Americans and chilangos.
Family and expat blog here : http://threecurlygirlys.blogspot.mx/ ~~~~~~

rayitodeluna

Nov 7, 2012, 8:06 AM

Post #9 of 40 (6934 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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In Reply To

What I bought was Lyncott... And it was whipping cream ;) LOL. I cut it with regular milk as an attempt to make it more like Half and Half, but it didnt work out like I thought.

Thanks Kate!

~~~~~~ Enjoying life in northern D.F. with our family of Americans and chilangos.
Family and expat blog here : http://threecurlygirlys.blogspot.mx/ ~~~~~~

rayitodeluna

Nov 7, 2012, 8:08 AM

Post #10 of 40 (6934 views)

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Re: [robt65] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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In Reply To

I had no idea the Knudsen Brand was available in Mexico. It really is a good trusted dairy product company and has been for many years. Thanks for the tip.
Robt65

We love Knudsen, thats what my 3 yr old drinks (and I do as well in my coffee) . We also buy their chocolate milk which is very sweet so we cut it in half with their regular milk.

Have you tried the Santa Clara brand? I was told that was the freshest milk (compared to Lala, Alpura etc) . I also like it quite a bit.

~~~~~~ Enjoying life in northern D.F. with our family of Americans and chilangos.
Family and expat blog here : http://threecurlygirlys.blogspot.mx/ ~~~~~~

morgaine7

Nov 7, 2012, 8:57 AM

Post #11 of 40 (6929 views)

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Re: [robt65] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Is there a Chedraui in your location? In La Paz they carrry Knudsen half and half in quart and pint sizes, but inconsistently, and you have to watch expiration dates. They used to carry Swiss brand, but I haven't seen that for a long time. Stocking of Lyncott products is just as erratic as with the imported brands. But considering that we're practically on an island transportation-wise, we're lucky to have the selection we have. I've never seen Alpura or Santa Clara brands here. For milk most people buy Caracol or Del Valle, which I think may be regional.

Whipping cream is normally labeled "crema para batir". For most products, you have to read the label to make sure they're not sweetened. My biggest challenge was finding unsweetened yoghurt, but Lala finally came out with some.

Kate

esperanza

Nov 7, 2012, 12:29 PM

Post #12 of 40 (6917 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Lala sells yoghurt and other milk products by the carload in Mexico City, but it doesn't sell unsweetened yoghurt here--Alpura is the only company that does, and it's not always easy to find. I've seen Knudsen products at Superama here, but I've never seen that brand half and half. We have lots of brands of milk here, but not Caracol or Del Valle. We might as well be living in two different countries!

I think this same situation with regional brands is true in the USA, too.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

robt65

Nov 7, 2012, 4:52 PM

Post #13 of 40 (6901 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Hi Morgaine7,

Yes, there is a Chedraui in our city and I will definitely go tomorrow and try to find it. It sure would be nice to see if they will get some Egg Nog in for Christmas! Thanks for the heads up.

robt65

morgaine7

Nov 7, 2012, 5:49 PM

Post #14 of 40 (6893 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Quote

We might as well be living in two different countries!

Ain't it the truth! We don't have Superama, and Chedraui just arrived a couple of years ago when they bought out a small regional chain. For perishables, distribution and storage are problematic, especially in summer. La Paz is probably at least 3-4 days by truck from Mexico City, for example. Lala's unsweetened yoghurt turned up about two years ago, in a dark blue container labeled Yoghurt Natural with "sin azúcar" in a small silver circle on top. According to the labeling, it's produced in Gómez Palacio, Durango.

Kate

PS -- Robert, I've never seen eggnog, but you may have better luck.

(This post was edited by morgaine7 on Nov 7, 2012, 5:52 PM)

tashby

Nov 7, 2012, 9:00 PM

Post #15 of 40 (6879 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Lala's unsweetened yoghurt turned up about two years ago, in a dark blue container labeled Yoghurt Natural with "sin azúcar" in a small silver circle on top. According to the labeling, it's produced in Gómez Palacio, Durango. \

Well, Kate. If it makes you feel any better over there on the island of Baja, as far as I know that Lala Yoghurt product "sin azúcar" only showed up on the shores of Lake Chapala very recently. Maybe a year or so ago? Who knows....but before that, it was only the Alpura product that was regularly available. (Plus an occasional very local unbranded version, but hardly anything you could count on.)

Thanks for the reminder about Lala. The Alpura product is suddenly, inexplicably, harder to find.

rayitodeluna

Nov 8, 2012, 11:01 PM

Post #16 of 40 (6851 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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In Reply To

Kate,

Chedraui is actually the grocery store I prefer, although we also frequent walmart for hummus ;)

I looked again the other day and didnt see it! Will check walmart for all the products mentioned here.

What about "heavy cream" ? Wanting to make a creamy fettucine dish and would usually use heavy cream.

~~~~~~ Enjoying life in northern D.F. with our family of Americans and chilangos.
Family and expat blog here : http://threecurlygirlys.blogspot.mx/ ~~~~~~

bournemouth

Nov 9, 2012, 5:51 AM

Post #17 of 40 (6841 views)

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Re: [rayitodeluna] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Lyncott "crema para batir" is what you need.

rayitodeluna

Nov 9, 2012, 7:47 AM

Post #18 of 40 (6833 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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In Reply To

Lyncott "crema para batir" is what you need.

I was thinking crema para batir was whipping cream.

I wonderif the subsitution would be close enough for an alfredo sauce? If it isnt sweetned I guess!

~~~~~~ Enjoying life in northern D.F. with our family of Americans and chilangos.
Family and expat blog here : http://threecurlygirlys.blogspot.mx/ ~~~~~~

morgaine7

Nov 9, 2012, 8:14 AM

Post #19 of 40 (6830 views)

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Re: [rayitodeluna] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Our Chedraui has been out of half and half and whipping cream for the past couple of weeks. I'll check again tomorrow. I don't know what to tell you for heavy cream. The Lala boxed "media crema" might work, as it's thick and unsweetened. I don't think Lyncott crema para batir is sweetened, but it has been a good while since I bought it.

Kate

bournemouth

Nov 9, 2012, 10:07 AM

Post #20 of 40 (6820 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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It's not sweetened and seems to be the closest thing to heavy cream we can find - unless one of the cremas, which are really not very sour, would work.

mazbook1

Nov 9, 2012, 5:21 PM

Post #21 of 40 (6807 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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And nearly every neighborhood "abarrotes" that does more grocery business than just Cokes and chips has 250 gm. "bolsas" of "crema natural", which is heavy cream by anyone's standards.

esperanza

Nov 11, 2012, 10:24 AM

Post #22 of 40 (6765 views)

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Re: [mazbook1] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Crema natural (aka crema para la mesa) is not the same as what is known in the USA as heavy cream. Crema, as it is generally known, is more akin to the French creme fraiche. Here are the USA definitions of what constitutes the various kinds of cream:

Half and half (10.5–18% fat)
Light cream (18–30% fat)
Light Whipping cream (30–36% fat)
Heavy cream (36% or more)

And Mexican crema: Crème fraîche (28% milk fat) is slightly soured with bacterial culture, but not as sour or as thick as sour cream. Mexican crema (or cream espesa) is similar to crème fraîche.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

morgaine7

Nov 11, 2012, 10:35 AM

Post #23 of 40 (6763 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Thank you, Esperanza! The Lala "media crema" in a box has 20% fat, so I guess it qualifies as a light cream.

Still no half-and-half or whipping cream in Chedraui as of yesterday.

Kate

esperanza

Nov 11, 2012, 11:32 AM

Post #24 of 40 (6756 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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Now take a look at this! Fascinating!

http://revistadelconsumidor.gob.mx/...01/estudio-crema.pdf

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

sfmacaws

Nov 11, 2012, 3:10 PM

Post #25 of 40 (6741 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Cooking FAIL... 1/2&1/2 in Spanish?

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That is interesting Esperanza. I have formed preferences for different cremas over time and it appears that my instincts were pretty good. I like all of the Santa Clara products, we exclusively drink Santa Clara milk and I've found their crema tastes better as well. We do use Lala media crema in our coffee, it is pretty close to US half and half although it is thicker. I tend to add some hot water to the box to make it a bit lighter and easier to pour. I have had doubts about some of the cheaper brands of crema, the price seemed too good to be true and perhaps it is. I do like the Aguascalientes brand of crema for soups and cooking, but I buy Santa Clara crema para batir for desserts.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

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