TIP: All About Sour Cream Including Substitute

• Regular commercial sour cream contains from 18-20% fat. There are also light (30-50% less fat than regular) and nonfat versions.
• Store sour cream in its carton in the refrigerator for up to 1 week after the pull date on the carton.
• Substitutions for 1 cup sour cream for use in cooking or baking: 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt; 3/4 cup sour milk, buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt plus 1/4 cup butter; 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus evaporated whole milk to equal 1 cup.
• Bring sour cream to room temperature before adding to a hot mixture.
• Always stir sour cream into a hot soup or sauce just before serving. Heat it gently and only until the mixture is warmed through. Allowing the mixture to boil will cause curdling. Milk products won't separate as easily in flour-based mixtures.
• For a low-calorie sour cream substitute, try Quark, a soft, unripened cheese with a texture and flavor close to sour cream. It comes in two versions; low-fat and nonfat - and its texture is richer than low-fat sour cream or yogurt.