Best cream cheese in NYC

[Peter B Wolf]

This is a question.

Years ago someone pointed out "Ben's" (?) was carrying the best Schmear (Cream Cheese) in Greater NY.

Straighten me out, who does, in your opinion, has 'The Best' ??

And, while at it, the same for Olives by variety and cost in relation.

Burough does not matter

[jogoode]

I've never had better than Russ & Daughters.

[WPep]

This is a question that I need to know the answer to.

Also, what defines a great cream cheese?

Edited May 22, 2004 by WPep (log)

[cakewalk]

With Shavuot all but breathing down our necks, this is a crucially important question right now!

[Pan]

This is a question that I need to know the answer to.

Also, what defines a great cream cheese?

Not to ignore the obvious: First, it can't have gum in it.

[ninadora]

I really don't feel that I can account for the best vream cheese, but i'm partial to near everything at essa bagel...

baked salmon salad in particular.

[jogoode]

This is a question that I need to know the answer to.

Also, what defines a great cream cheese?

Good question. It's difficult to describe, but it should taste like cream -- that full, fatty flavor.

[Suzanne F]

And not taste and feel pasty/starchy. Many versions have too much gunk added -- and you can taste it.

Tangy, but not too tart. As JJ says, the flavor of cream has to come through.

BTW: one of the few times I ever threw out food that had not gone bad was when I tasted a brand new container of "Fat-Free Cream Cheese." That certainly belongs on the list of foods that should not exist.

[markk]

Not to ignore the obvious: First, it can't have gum in it.

Fairway Market at Broadway and 74th carries a cream cheese that's packed in containers in the cheese department against the wall. It has somebody's name, that is to say the Fairway labels on the containers (the brand doesn't have its own packaging) says "so and so's cream cheese", and it is all natural and gum-free. I like it but I confess that I'm not a cream cheese maven. But, considering the incredibly high quality of the products that they carry in this manner, I would think it would certainly be worth checking out - after all, most of the stuff that they select or private label is spectacularly good. Incidentally, their smoked salmons are delicious, and took top honors in a recent NY Mag tasting. Even the pre-sliced ones (there's Gaspe, Scotch, and Norwegian) are great when you live outside of Manhattan and have to buy them to keep for when you have the craving a month later.

Edited May 23, 2004 by markk (log)