One of the main differences between cheese and cream cheese is that cream cheese is not naturally matured.

Cream cheese was invented in 1872 by a dairyman in New York state named William A. Lawrence.

The cheese he had been working with was Neufchâtel cheese. Since he added cream to it, it was originally known as Neufchâtel and cream cheese.

Cream cheese saw a huge boost in popularity in the 1880s thanks to a New York cheese distributor named Alvah Reynolds. He strangely marketed it as Philadelphia Cream Cheese, even though neither the cheese nor he had any real connection to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Cream cheese is popular in the Jewish community of New York City, where it is sometimes called schmear, a word derived from the Yiddish term for “smear.”

In Spain and New Mexico, cream cheese is commonly known as queso Filadelfia, which literally translates to “Philadelphia cheese.”

Because it is not aged or fermented, the FDA does not classify cream cheese as real traditional cheese.

Without cream cheese, the American version of cheesecake would not exist.

Cream cheese is naturally white, but oxidation of fats can cause it to turn yellow.

Cream cheese is naturally low in carbohydrates, making it popular in diabetic and keto diets.

It is also used in Japanese-American sushi; the Philadelphia roll, for example, contains cream cheese and salmon.

Cream cheese is often a key ingredient in hot dips, such as spinach artichoke dip.