Author Topic: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!  (Read 4318 times)

Cheese Head

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Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« on: February 28, 2010, 01:44:29 PM »
A common cow's milk product in US & Canada is called Half & Half at 10.5-18% fat which is made from half cream and half milk and very popular for using in coffee (& thus as used slowly often Ultra-Pasteurized for long shelf life).

It's also useful for making an alcohol drink called Kahlua & Cream 8) which our neighbor down the street drinks but she said she uses Non-Fat Half and Half as healthier. Non-Fat Half & Half sounds like an oxymoron, but we brought a bottle of Mexican Kahlua back from our Christmas Holiday there so I thought I'd try some.

Zowy, is it ever sweet, as in really really really sweet, yuck! OK Kahlua is sweet to start with but wow! The reason it turns out is they've replaced the fat with corn syrup (& and a whole bunch of other stuff including Titanium Dioxide :o).

It's very rare that I ever garbage food as I consider it wrong (product of my upbringing) but after a second drink try the rest of the bottle went down the drain.

Alex

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2010, 02:08:00 PM »
We have 10, 15, 38 and 42% cream here, but none of them are sweetened. The first two we mostly use for coocking, just to spare some calories in the favour of the cheeses :).
As for the Kahlua, I have a very good recipe for home-made Kahlua or Tia Maria. Just ask if you are interrested, I'll post it.

MarkShelton

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2010, 02:50:47 PM »
I'll go for that recipe! I like white russians (the drink ;))

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2010, 03:51:49 AM »
Gee John what was that stuff? Half and Half of what - looked like a warning contains milk as the last ingrediant.

I understand your detaste for waste - but once when I was a young broke sailor of about 18 I bought a can of spaghettios for 5 cents in a dented can sale and though I could eat it. NOT! I put everything I had in the house in the pot and it still gagged me! Needless to say I threw out more than a 5 cent can of gross slimy cramp before I gave up!  ;D

padams

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2010, 04:12:01 AM »
THAT is a desicration of dairy and kaluha!!!!  Really, why even bother?  I wonder about our food industry sometimes!  We have been so brainwashed to avoid all fat, what an abomination they have created!! >:D

Alex

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2010, 02:18:22 PM »
I'll go for that recipe! I like white russians (the drink ;))

Sorry Mark, didn't see your request, so, here is the recipe:

Coffee Liqueur
Tia Maria or Kahlua

Yield: 1 1/2 liters (may be halved)


2 c Sugar
1 c Water
⅔ cup Espresso, freshly brewed or a quality instant coffee
15 Coffee beans (whole and roasted)
1½ cups Alcohol 95%
1½ cups Water
1½ cups Rum for Tia-Maria or Brandy for Kahlua
2 ts Vanilla extract or 1 Vanilla bean (5-8 cm)

Combine water and sugar, and bring to a full boil. Allow to cool thoroughly. Pour into the container. Add alcohol, rum, espresso, coffee beans (optional but will add a fuller flavor), and vanilla extract. Store in a dark place for 3 weeks. Strain and filter. Ready to serve.

Since this thread, every evening I make myself a drink with my home-made Tia-Maria.

Cheers 8) O0

padams

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2010, 02:32:43 PM »
That sounds divine, Alex!  Mark, if you go looking for high quality, inexpensive vanilla beans, Amadeaus vanilla company is the best and the cheapest!  Their beans are so fresh, plump, and packed with caviar!  I just bought 2 lbs to make vanilla extract with.  Amazing beans!

MarkShelton

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2010, 03:12:39 PM »
Thanks Alex!
Two pounds padams?!?! That sounds like a LOT! Plus I'm thinking about the McCormick vanilla beans they sell at the grocery store- $8 for 2 beans. Yikes!

Alex

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2010, 03:47:49 PM »
Vanilla beans are quite expensive. My niece brought us some 20 pieces from Madagascar, it cost her pennies she said.

My method for makeing vanilla extract:

200 ml 95 grain alcohol
2 vanilla beans
300 ml mineral water

Cut the beans lengthvise and steep them in the alcohol for 2 weeks in a closed jar and dark place.
Strain liquid to another jar, add the water and stir well. Pour into smaller bottles (or not  :)) and "age" for another months. Now it is ready for use.

padams

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2010, 05:06:01 PM »
It was really very inexpensive, since I'll never make it to Madagascar (lucky girl!).  Plus, I make a lot a vanilla, and I like it strong!  Alex, the closest thing we have here to 95 proof is something called Everclear, and it will peel the paint off ;D.  i found walmart carries a very inexpensive clear rum with almost no odor to interfere with the bouqet of the beans....my own personal batch has been fermenting for 18 months....it is exquisite!  I gave my first bottle away to a friend to makes professional chocolates, and she liked it so much that she is recommending it to everyone she knows! ( I am very excited)  I use 30 beans per 750 ml and ferment it 6 months minimum.  I also like to mix bourbon and tahitian beans in different quantities...I even have some dark rum and brandy tinctures sitting right now.

Mark, check online at Amadeus or even Arizona Vanilla....for the same price or just a bit more, you should be able to get much more than 2 beans.  Az vanilla has the best prices for small quantities, you can get 6 for 9.00+shipping.  The Ugandan beans are wonderful...they are a bourbon bean.  The store price for 1 or 2 beans just makes me livid...plus the beans are dry and woody..very poor quality for the outrageous price they charge!!

Alex

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Re: Half & Half, Cow's - Non Fat?!
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2010, 06:04:26 PM »
Everclear, I know it from the web, that's what I meant.
About your "tricks" I took notes and saved on my computer - thanks.