Trickling Springs Heavy Cream

[dvdmon]

I've been avoiding using cream or half and half this year. I drink coffee (decaf) almost every day, so whatever dairy I put in it is probably the source I would normally be eating the most of during the year. I generally try to eat more purist, but I've also read Nurturing Traditions and other sources that suggest pasteurization and particularly ultra-pasteurization can alter (damage?) fats and remove some of the helpful enzymes. For a while last year I was getting raw cream from a dairy in PA that delivered to our area (Northern VA), but then they decided it wasn't profitable. While I could find stuff at the store that was just pasteurized, it was always homogenized, which is another potentially harmful process, at least according to Nurturing Traditions. Lately I've seen a new cream at my local Wholefoods from Trickling Springs Creamery (http://www.tricklingspringscreamery.com/), which didn't list anything regarding pasteurization or homogenization. So I emailed them and they said their cream is pasteurized but not homogenized, so at least that's something. It's expensive, though! Almost $6 for a small (8 oz?) container.

[Bangs]

Gosh, that's expensive, but at least you have an option. Other than buying a cow "share," I'm out of luck in this area.

[dvdmon]

Yeah, it's pricey, but maybe tha will just motivate me to try to use small amounts, which is probably something I should be doing since large amounts of calories are not helpful for me, being a small person.

Anway, I was trying to do some more research on homogenization. Most of the information i found on the net was not referenced in any way. It just made these claims based on I don't know what. I finally came accross something on the Weston A. Price Foundation site that was well-referenced:

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/homogenization.html

(although there appears to be something wrong with their website right now)

There's also a good article on Wikipedia about Raw Milk, which includes a section on homogenization:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_milk

That led me to a very new study (nothing had been done in the area for a couple of decades I think) which indicates that the stuff in milk which homogenization is theorized to enable its passage into the blood stream, is at least not very good for the heart of a rat. Doesn't prove anything regarding us humans, but at least it's a step towards some useful knowledge. Here's a link to the abstract:

http://circres.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/98/2/271

Interesting stuff, but unfortunately like too much, there's just not a lot of really clear evidence implicating the process. Now, given that I have a family history of heart disease, I'm willing to take the chance that homogenization is something to avoid. In any case I don't think it's going to hurt me (except maybe my wallet) to opt for non-homogenized cream.

Speaking of which, anyone know whether in general the milk that is made into cheese is homogenized? Should I be tracking down what cheeses use homogenized milk if I'm to be dilligent about this or is this unnecessary?

[Bangs]

Speaking of which, anyone know whether in general the milk that is made into cheese is homogenized?

Really good question! I'm going to bet that commercial cheese are, since I wouldn't imagine most of them process their own milk. However, I don't know that for a fact. Raw cheeses aren't pasturized, but the homogenization question is is interesting even so. I couldn't find any info on a quick google.

I used to be a member of a coop which bought raw milk and cheese from a local Amish farmer, and in that case I know the products weren't homogenized or pasturized. Oh the taste of the cream scooped right off the top of the milk for coffee.....heaven!

I'd be interested in what you might find out... and thanks for the links. That Weston Price site always has some interesting information.

[Mitra]

Most of the cheeses I buy are made from raw milk, so I'd be surprised if it were homogenised. It's quite easy to buy non-homogenised milk over here, though pretty difficult to get unpasteurised (it can't be sold in shops, only from the farm, and generally they don't :(). My supermarket stocks three brands of organic milk: one is homogenised, two aren't. I found it very frustrating when I stayed in America that I only seemed to be able to find ultra-pasteurised organic milk. The milk had a different taste from the ones I'm used to - sweeter, slightly caramelised, like when I overcook the milk when I'm making yogurt. Maybe it's just that I was shopping in an unfamiliar place and didn't know where to look.

[Bangs]

No Mitra, unfortunately finding any unprocessed dairy product, or meat and poultry not feed growth hormones and antibiotics, and.....well, it's really difficult and expensive to find wholesome food here. We are so fortunate to have such an abundance, yet so much of it is compromised in some way.

[momuvfour]

I'd love to eat cheese if I could unfortunately I am allergic, so I'm stuck with the substitutes