"elaine" > wrote in message
...
> "Paul M. Cook" > wrote in message
> news:L9Cnh.105$rz3.4@trnddc03...
> >
> > "elaine" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> Could I substitute something else for this. It's very expensive!
> >>
> >> Oh, it is a topping for a soup.
> >
> > A drizzle of crème freche or Mexican crema would be great. But
mascarpone
> > is not expensive really, and you can use it for other things. It's
great
> > toast and it would go well with the soup. Mascarpone lasts for months
in
> > the fridge so you don't even have to use it all at once. Presentation
is
> > everything. You can get those plastic squeeze bottles real cheap almost
> > anywhere. Use it to apply the crème fresh or whatever in a nice
pinwheel
> > pattern on top of the soup. The eyes are a part of the whole eating
> > experience after all. And you can store the rest in the bottle in the
> > fridge.
> >
> > Paul
>
> Thanks all. Wouldn't you know it, my server was down and I couldn't get
> on-line. I ended up using sour cream and mixing a couple of tablespoons
of
> whipping cream with it. Wondered about cream cheese, but didn't have any,
> plus I didn't know if this was supposed to taste sweet.
>
> Didn't really matter since everyone seemed to enjoy it anyway. When I
> checked out the mascarpone in the supermarket it was $10.99 for an 8 oz
> tub - I just needed 1/2 cup - so what to do with the rest!
>
> One of these days I'll buy it - 'specially if it lasts for a while in the
> fridge.

My local market has it for 3.99 a tub. Trader Joe's has it for about that.
I keep about a pound on hand. The expiration date of what I have in the
fridge now is April and I bought it after thanksgiving. I love it on toast
with a little jam. It's incredibly rich and very slightly sweet with a nice
floral aroma. You can use it in place of butter in many dishes. Its
actually much closer to European butter which is far richer and sweeter than
the stuff we get in the US.

Paul