Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a soft, usually mild-tasting fresh cheese made from milk and cream, meant to be eaten unmatured rather than aged like cheeses such as Brie. United States regulation requires it to contain at least 33 percent milk fat with no more than 55 percent moisture and a pH of 4.4 to 4.9, while Canadian rules require at least 30 percent milk fat and at most 55 percent moisture; commercial production commonly adds stabilizers such as carob bean gum and carrageenan to hold its texture. The cheese originated in the United States in the 1870s, making it an American rather than an imported European variety, and it is especially associated with Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine in New York City, where it forms the base of the classic bagel and cream cheese, often topped with lox and capers.