Actually, here on the West Coast we CANNOT get light cream. I have never understood that. I always used light cream, and really miss it. Whenever we would go back East, we would go to the store and buy light cream. So, so good. I can drink it. Why can't you get it here?

Another twist on the question that I wonder whether someone can answer--it seems to me that East Coast grocery stores typically offer light, half-and-half, heavy, and whipping cream, and West Coast stores offer only light, half-and-half, and whipping or "heavy whipping." Has anyone else noticed that, and is there an explanation?

The stuff called "whipping cream" beats up to a thick, dense consistency more quickly, and can get too hard, actually, much more easily, than "heavy cream." At least that's my experience. ;o)

whipping cream has about 30 to 36% fat while heavy whipping cream has more than 36% fat, usually around 40%. You can, however, make delicious whipped cream with either.

What are you using it for? Do you need to make a substitution? ;o)

Same as above. If you only have whipping cream, add some powdered or sheet gelatin (that has been hydrated) to stabilize it if you are using it in an application where it needs to hold it's shape (like a cream pie).

Heavy Cream or Heavy "Whipping" Cream has 36 - 40% butterfat and when whipped it holds its form and doubles in volume. Heavy cream is used for filling and decorating pastries.
Whipping Cream has a butterfat content of 30%. It whips but not as well as heavy cream, and will not hold its form long. Good for fillings but does not hold up well for piping.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/Cream.html