The Schmear

[budrichard]

My grandparents lived on Long Island and I vividly remember the deli's in the 1950's as a child. I cannot forget the taste of the cream cheeses and now Russ & Daughters is just a FedEx shipment away! Great cream cheese, lox, bagels, pickles and whatever.-Dick

[theabroma]

A slab cut off the block at the deli, or Kraft Philly. No whipped ... not ever. Too goyische.

Now, having said that, buckle up: you haven't lived 'til you apply a bissel mascarpone. So the relatives in Bologna used Philly? I don't think so!1

Theabroma

[jhlurie]

So now there is no Sam Breakstone?   and No Easter Bunny? No Santa? No ToothFairy?  Horrified to have to deal with so much reality!!

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No Sam. He's no more real than Mr. Whipple, apparently.

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Should we have a seperate topic on food pitchmen who don't really exist? There's tons of them. And that's not even including the ones who are "real", but semi-fictionalized in how they were portrayed (Col . Sanders would be the most obvious one, since I believe they had some actor playing him for years, but even Dave Thomas or the Perdues would probably qualify, since these sharp businessmen were always made out to be buffoonish in those spots).

Regarding "the schmear"? My family almost always went with the whipped variety, since commercial cream cheese is commerical cream cheese and it might as well be convenient if it isn't going to be as good as the stuff in a real deli or bagelry anyway. Or at least that was the thought process before most of the good delis and bagel places started to fade with the progression towards the 21st century.

And yes, we bought Temp-Tee. We certainly didn't see it as goyish--it seemed to be the height of non-goyishness, at least in my grandmother's house. I DO recall it being at least somewhat better than the others--I think Nancy may be spot on with the texture description. Frankly, it's been a few years. I have to go seek some out maybe.

[Jason Perlow]

What gave you the impression that Temp-Tee is Goyish? Because of those commercials with the butler and his "Bagel for your Temp-Tee sir?" line? I think that sort of contributed to its anti-Goyishness because they were so in-your-face ridiculing WASP upper-class culture.

[Peter B Wolf]

I admit that the artisinal store brands like Ben's, Barney Greengrass, Fairway and Russ and Daughters are excellent. But they aren't the type of type of thing that I indulge in very often.

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I had asked this question once before, three years ago?, :

Who makes Ben's (Best?) Brand Cream Cheese, plus name a store that carries it.

Thanks

[Jason Perlow]

I admit that the artisinal store brands like Ben's, Barney Greengrass, Fairway and Russ and Daughters are excellent. But they aren't the type of type of thing that I indulge in very often.

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I had asked this question once before, three years ago?, :

Who makes Ben's (Best?) Brand Cream Cheese, plus name a store that carries it.

Thanks

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I'm fairly certain its avaliable at Fairway Market in NYC.

[rocketman]

What gave you the impression that Temp-Tee is Goyish? Because of those commercials with the butler and his "Bagel for your Temp-Tee sir?" line? I think that sort of contributed to its anti-Goyishness because they were so in-your-face ridiculing WASP upper-class culture.

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I actually grew up eating temp tee (it was the only thing my LI Jewish mother would buy i believe if i remember due to the "spreadability"). I now find myself only eating Philly (or bagel store bought) and only when im at my folks house do i get the airiness of the temptee. I find in my journey's it is my Jewish friends that have had expirience in whipped. My other friends dont seem to even know it exists....then dont like it when i make them try it.

RM