Cream cheese - Definition and Overview

Cream cheese is a soft, rich, mild-tasting white cheese usually sold in brick form. Cream cheese differs from other cheese in that it is not allowed time to mature and is meant to be consumed fresh. It is a primary ingredient in the dessert cheesecake, and is often spread on bagels and eaten with lox.

According to the food manufacturer Kraft, "Cream cheese originated in the United States in 1872 when a dairyman in Chester, NY, developed a "richer cheese than ever before," made from cream as well as whole milk. Then in 1880, a New York cheese distributor, A. L. Reynolds, first began distributing cream cheese wrapped in tin-foil wrappers, calling it Philadelphia Brand." The cheese was inspired by the French cheese Neufchatel.

See also: Dairy product