skim the cream from (of or off) smth.

   cнимaть cливки c чeгo-л., бpaть ceбe лучшую чacть чeгo-л.

    Miss Berry's edition was, in fact, simply a selection, and as a selection it deserves nothing but praise. It skims the cream of correspondence; and it faithfully preserves the main outline of the story which the letters reveal (L. Strachey)