The Other Half Of Strawberries. (Yeo Valley Organic Double Cream)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	Yeo Valley Organic Double Cream
Date:	08/04/09 (104 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Produced Ethically

Disadvantages: Slightly more expensive.

I try to purchase organic foods as much as I can, and although I don't eat a lot of cream I do try to buy this from organic sources.

Yeo Valley is part of a company which is family owned and based in Somerset. In 1974 Mary and Roger Mead were just beginning to make yogurt using their own milk and they would sell it on a local scale.
In 1993 an interesting event happened which was to change their lives forever. Some local farmers were producing milk organically, but were having difficulty finding the demand for it on a continuing basis, only selling locally at the time the demands would fluctuate making profitability an issue. Yeo valley took the milk and turned it into yogurt, and the rest is history. They then went on to sell cream which of course is the subject of this review.

Organic milk means a lot to me. Yeo Valley really do too as I know that all the milk they use is obtained locally, so it is good for the environment. The reason for this is that they know even down to the precise field where the cows producing their products come from. These fields are never sprayed with chemicals, and the animals are cared for to the highest standards. Birds butterflies and wildlife benefit from this too.

Yeo Valley Organic Double Cream is a delicious cream which actually came into being when they started to produce their fat free yogurts so the cream was a by product of this.

I buy mine in Waitrose where it is 89p for 227mls which is the same price in Tesco. You can easily recognise the pot as it is turquoise and white and is usually with the organic ranges in the chiller. They also do a very thick version which is more expensive, but lovely if you like the clotted cream dollop on scones. This one has a dark navy and white carton. They also have a single version.

The cream can be whipped or poured and you can also cook with it. The white cream is rich and smooth, and very reminiscent of goats' cream in its purity and taste, though not as pure white as that. I love it in desserts especially with fruit and in trifles.

Now there are a couple of things I have noticed about this cream which I must point out. First of all try to buy it from the back of the display, as it is really important to get it fresh. I say this because it is not very good at lasting beyond the date at all in my experience, and it may even develop a farm smell round the rim of the carton if you buy it too close to this date. Also try to use it all at once. It does say it can be kept for 3 days after opening, but I wouldn't do this for more than overnight. I don't think it would go off but you can discern a farm smell quite quickly after use.
Don't be alarmed by this because my husband can't tell this at all but I have a very sensitive nose!

This cream makes a wonderful filling for a Victoria Sponges especially if you use good quality jam. It is like the other half of strawberries in my opinion. For these purposes I usually lightly whip, adding vanilla extract and a little caster sugar.

Pricewise this cream is pegged to be only a few pence more than the ordinary cream. Tesco double cream is 84p for 300mls so not a great difference really. Does the organic one taste better? To be honest I am not sure it does, and although slightly more creamy I actually don't think there is much to choose between them. However, I will continue to purchase the organic one in the hope that the animals have a better quality of life in the fresh air, and that the company with sound ethics continues to thrive.

I do however have a tremendous respect for all dairy farmers nationwide organic or otherwise who are facing a very tough life with a lot of them going out of business each week. The work is very hard and arduous, and I have seen it first hand with my daughter, a vet student. The issues are not always as clear cut as they seem either; for example if you can't treat an animal with antibiotics for recurring mastitis what do you do in the organic situation and does the animal suffer? In reality these animals will be given antibiotics, but are not allowed to produce milk for the food chain for at least 7 days. This will push up the price but at least you won't be exposed to the drugs yourself. The other important point is that organic animals are not fed and managed in ways that attempt to increase production levels above and beyond that which is natural to them. There are many more situations like this but in general I feel compelled to buy organic, and this cream whilst not exceptional and winning hands down over the competitors, comes from a lovely company in a place where wildlife and countryside are of paramount importance.

Summary: A Lovely cream.