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31

Kitchen Notes

most buttermilk is cultured milk. Both low-fat

and whole-milk buttermilk are available, though

the former is typically easier to find. Either can be

used for this book. Buttermilk is usually stocked

near the yogurt aisle in supermarkets.

Cream: Always use heavy cream (UK double

cream), sometimes labeled “heavy whipping

cream,” in the recipes. The most commonly

available heavy cream contains 36 to 38 percent

butterfat. A cream with at least 40 percent but-

terfat is ideal for the recipes in this book, though

it will require a search of smaller producers in the

United States. (Double cream contains about 48

percent butterfat.) Pass up cream labeled “whip-

ping cream,” which has a much lower butterfat

content.

Eggs: Use large (UK medium) eggs, preferably

organic. Good-quality eggs will give your cakes

and other baked goods volume, structure, flavor,

and richness, and their yolks will impart color.

Milk: All milk is whole, or full-fat, milk. I find

that skimmed milk does not yield the same satis-

fying result in terms of mouthfeel, flavor, and tex-

ture. In some cases, the lower butterfat will also

adversely affect the baking or cooking process.

FATS

Lard: The rendered fat of a pig, lard has the

advantage of both a high smoke point and a dis-

tinctive flavor. It was regularly favored in the past

for frying and for the hot water pastry used in

the making of traditional savory pies. For the