Milk Labels in a Mexican Grocery Store

When I visited a local Mexican grocery store, I was looking to buy a quart of whole milk, but given that I did not know Spanish, I left the store with none. I could not figure what the labels referred to. Here is a discussion of mi;lk products in Mexico.

Many people who are new to Mexico comment on the difference in flavor of dairy products that look similar to those they are used to back home. There are a few reasons for this, one being the different diet of cows and other dairy product producing animals in Mexico, another is that almost all milk and milk products are ultra heat treated (known as UHT in the UK and US), which does have an impact on the taste. There are also substantial labeling differences, meaning products with the same name as a familiar product are completely different products altogether.

Milk: Cold milk comes in either liter (nearly a quart) or 1/2 liter plastic jugs of whole milk (leche entero) or leche semi-descremada (low-fat, presumably 2% milk) from the grocery store cooler. While convenient, the milk seems to always sour prior to its expiration date, even though I checked those dates carefully, put milk into my grocery cart very last before racing to check out & put the milk into a cooler on ice for the ride home. I NEVER finished the milk before it soured and was forced to make pancakes with the sour milk rather than throw it out. I learned to never buy more than a quart at a time unless I was expecting guests with children.

After hearing my complaints about milk in plastic jugs, my Mexican friend introduced me to boxed milk. I did not like the idea of buying milk that comes in a quart-size box found on the grocery shelf rather in the cooler, but when in Mexico… It turns out to be the perfect solution – good flavor – tastes just like milk – is easy to store, less expensive than cold milk, the cartons can be flattened and occupy much less space in the garbage, and no plastic pollution unless you buy the brand with the little plastic screw-off lid. Boxed milk can be found whole, low-fat, fat-free, even lactose-free in several brands. I buy LaLa Light in cases of 6-liter boxes, and always have 2 boxes in the ‘fridge. Well chilled before drinking, it is delicious. Or warm it and put in your coffee – delicious!

As in much of the world, dairy milk is still popular in Mexico, however nondairy varieties are growing in availability and usage levels. Alongside these newer milk varieties, the sheer number of different dairy milks on offer in Mexico can be daunting, with various combinations of lactose free, added protein, vitamin fortified and flavored varieties available. The milk is usually not stored in refrigerators until it has been opened, as the ultra heat treatment allows for it to be stored in cartons unrefrigerated in the region’s hot weather.

Cream: Speaking of coffee, ask in the grocery store for cream for coffee, and you will be directed to the Coffee Mate. No! Please give me a milk product! After much trial and error, I learned that the “usual” coffee creamer for those of us who do not want powdered stuff and who do want something richer than milk will usually get condensed milk – what the Mexicans call “Carnation,” regardless of the brand. Carnation, even if a different brand, is whole milk that has been evaporated; the water content is reduced by roughly half, so it is thicker and richer in flavor than whole milk. Americans often call this “canned” milk. If well-chilled it can be whipped and used in recipes calling for whipped cream, but the whip will liquify and flatten fairly rapidly, so it works great in things such as fruit salad, not so great as cake frosting unless refrigerated until serving. Leftovers, either salad or cake, do not store so well. It has a rich flavor that compliments coffee and can be substituted in many recipes that call for cream. Evaporated milk is often available as “light” with fewer calories and less fat than the original.

The types of cream available in Mexico are very different to those available in the US, and searching for heavy cream or sour cream in a Mexican supermarket will likely not yield any results. The most common variety is media crema which translates as medium cream, which is in fact a slightly soured light cream that is used in both desserts and savory dishes. It is common for a carton to be placed on the table for people to pour over their sopes, panuchos or empanadas.

Crema para batir , or whipping cream, is the closest product to heavy cream, however it has a different taste and consistency. Crema para batir can be sweetened or not, and many times they’re not dairy-based, but vegetable-based. Cafés either beat their crema para batir or buy it already in whipped cream consistency to top coffee drinks and desserts. Crema de batir may be harder to find in smaller cities and is not a common feature of kitchens in the region.

Crema acidificada is the closest Mexican cream to US sour cream, but is more liquid in consistency and more tart in flavor. It works well as a cooking ingredient, but not as well as a topping in the way sour cream is often used in US takes on Mexican cuisine.

Sweetened condensed milk, what is often called “Eagle brand” milk, is known as Lechera in Mexico. Lechera has about 1/2 the water removed from the whole milk, then lots of sugar added, is heated to dissolve the sugar and create a suspension in which the sugar is evenly mixed into the milk; it is very thick. Lechera can be served right from the can over ice cream, cake, or fruit, or is sometimes cooked & stirred over low heat until it darkens to a rich amber color, then served over ice cream, cake or fruit – tastes just like caramel – and is also used as an ingredient in a number of desserts. If you like your coffee light and sweet, you might want to give Lechera a try – it is my sister’s favorite.

Media crema is very thick cream and is used as a condiment with savory dishes such as enchiladas and lots of other things that typically contain chili with flavors that range from enojado (spicy hot) to no muy enchiloso (not too spicy); the media crema cuts the heat without dulling the flavor of the food. You will nearly always see media crema on the table in a restaurant if Mexican food is being served, but it is up to the diner to taste the food, then decide how much media crema s/he wants, if any. Chilled media crema with a bit of sugar added can easily be whipped to use with salads or desserts and stands up better and for a longer time than does whipped condensed milk. It is also used in many recipes, both sweet and savory – I find that media crema makes delicious homemade ice cream. But it does not work for your morning coffee – media crema curdles the minute it hits your hot coffee – looks disgusting and adds no flavor.

Butter is a challenge. The label on the “Gloria” brand, which is the only butter I can find here in Paradise, says “Pura leche de vaca” (pure cow milk). But read the fine, really fine, print, and learn that it contains more than cow milk, including a soy product I am told is used as an emulsifier. While I am not opposed to soy, it does change the flavor of the butter, and I don’t care for it. I cannot find “pure” cow milk butter in Puerto Peñasco stores, so I purchase my butter in Mexicali, or ask a friend to bring from USA. (Editor’s Note: Top Meat carries real butter from the states.)

Butter (mantequilla) is not as widely used in Mexican cuisine, with oils and manteca (lard) normally being used for frying or as a source of fat in many dishes. For this reason it is often best for vegetarians to clarify how food has been cooked in case a seemingly meat free dish has in fact been prepared with pork lard. It is available con sal (with salt) or sin sal (without salt). Butter is still popular however, being primarily used for baking, with many Mexican brands available from stores and markets. It is always a good idea to check the label, however, as many butter flavored margarine products are sold in very similar packaging, particularly those with con sal (with salt) on the label.

Regardless of the brand, I always check the label for ingredients if I am considering the purchase of a new (to me) dairy product, because as with butter, many milk products, especially cremas, sold in Mexico, contain additional ingredients, such as vegetable oils, and some “cream” products are pure imitation cream! That is fine, if that is what you want, but if I am buying dairy products, I want “pura leche de vaca” (pure cow's milk) unless it is cheese.