Crème Fraîche, Sea Salt, and European-Style Butter Crème fraîche is a thick, cultured cream that has a tangy, nutty flavor and a luxurious consistency. It goes way beyond heavy cream, lending an inimitable silky richness to dishes such as soups, sauces, and purees. A tablespoon or two is often all that is needed. Crème fraîche is the ultimate accompaniment to almost any dessert, and because it lasts weeks in the refrigerator, it’s easy to keep on hand.

Sea salt, harvested from evaporated seawater, can be used as a “finishing salt.” A few snowflakelike grains added just before serving amplify a food’s flavor. Different salts have subtly different flavors, textures, and colors, depending on their origin. Maldon Sea Salt, from England, has a lovely flaky texture and a clean sea flavor. Fleur de Sel, from Brittany, France, is considered the caviar of sea salts, and some say that it has a faint aroma of violets.

European-style butter contains more butterfat, and hence less water, than the typical American butter, so it’s wonderfully rich. It is often made with cultured cream as opposed to plain, unfermented cream, which has a less complex flavor. It transforms bread into a marvelous hors d’oeuvre, and its richness comes through in baked goods and sauces.

RS Picks

Crème Fraîche

Vermont Butter & Cheese Company Crème Fraîche, $4 for 8 ounces, Whole Foods Market, www.wholefoodsmarket.com for store locations, or at www.igourmet.com

. D'Isigny Crème Fraîche from France is no longer available from igourmet.com due to inspection and importing regulations.

Sea Salt

Maldon Sea Salt, $7 for 8.5 ounces, at most major supermarkets or www.ChefShop.com.

Fleur de Sel de Guérande, $9 for 4.4 ounces, SaltWorks, www.saltworks.us.

Butter

Vermont Butter & Cheese Company Cultured Butter, $6 for 8 ounces, Zingerman’s, www.zingermans.com.