MyTastr

Best crème fraîche, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Roland Passot, Marc Halperin and Bill Daley. Recommendations come from sfgate.com.

Dairy & Cold · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Vermont Creamery Crème Fraîche

    Chosen by
    Third of six in the Chronicle’s blind crème fraîche tasting, with the single highest score from any taster (Halperin, 19 of 20) and 16 from Passot: “very fatty buttery taste, with a lighter texture… good depth of flavor.” Just cultured cream at about 40% butterfat; American Cheese Society award winner, sold nationally.
    Where to buy · vermontcreamery.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: sfgate.com ↗
  2. 2

    Isigny Sainte-Mère Crème Fraîche (Normandy)

    Chosen by
    Runner-up in the Chronicle’s blind tasting (70 points, two behind the winner), and the top score from both Passot and Daley. Thick, almost buttery French AOP crème fraîche from Normandy, stocked at Whole Foods and cheese shops.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: sfgate.com ↗
  3. 3

    Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche

    Chosen by
    • SF Chronicle Taster’s Choice panel (Marc Halperin, Bill Daley)
    Winner of the Chronicle’s blind tasting, from a small Atascadero, California dairy: “nutty, buttery flavor, very smooth texture, good fat richness.” Tasters liked its balance and thought it suited more foods than the richer jars; three of five would buy it. Hand-made in small batches and sold at Whole Foods and specialty shops, mostly in California.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: sfgate.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best crème fraîche, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Vermont Creamery Crème Fraîche, chosen by Marc Halperin (Center for Culinary Development); Roland Passot (La Folie). Third of six in the Chronicle’s blind crème fraîche tasting, with the single highest score from any taster (Halperin, 19 of 20) and 16 from Passot: “very fatty buttery taste, with a lighter texture… good depth of flavor.” Just cultured cream at about 40% butterfat; American Cheese Society award winner, sold nationally. Source: sfgate.com ↗
What are the other top picks for crème fraîche?
No. 2 is Isigny Sainte-Mère Crème Fraîche (Normandy), chosen by Roland Passot (La Folie); Bill Daley (food writer). No. 3 is Kendall Farms Crème Fraîche, chosen by SF Chronicle Taster’s Choice panel (Marc Halperin, Bill Daley). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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