Thanks to all on and off list for the info on fermented cream. I can't get
anything as exotic as William can, but Supermarkets sell the French crème
fraîche Dedy mentioned. I'll check out the fat content this weekend. The
next time temptation strikes I'll see if the rest of my my body likes this
form of dairy (my tongue came to a decision about it long ago; it tastes
soooooo good!).

William wrote:

>I've used piima (from Finland) kefir (from Balkans) but now must use
yogurt
>(from Montréal) or false kefir which smells like sewage.

*Not* tempting ;-) But there again, I like asafoetida in Indian foods and
used to adore some foul-smelling French cheeses at their ripest, so who
knows.

Sadly our island populace is either very conservative food-wise, or rich
enough to take a plane out to do their grocery run! This means that it's
hard to get hold of anything unusual. I really would like to try kefir and
piima.

>Wassail,

I thought you might appreciate this toast:

Observe, when Mother Earth is dry
She drinks the dropping of the sky,
And then the dewy cordial gives
To every thirsty plant that lives.
The vapors which at evening weep
Are beverage to the swelling deep;
And when the rosy sun appears
He drinks the ocean's misty tears.
The moon too quaffs her paly stream
Of luster from the solar beam.
Then hence with your sober thinking!
Since nature's holy law is drinking,
I'll make the law of Nature mine,
And pledge the Universe in wine.

Tom Moore

Persephone