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Cream Cheese

Last holiday season I finally hit the Big Time. Big, as in two giant, 3-pound Costco boxes of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. I not only bought them, I wasted not an ounce. The very ends of the foil wrappers held creamy-white, not moldy-blue, cheese.

My Smoked Salmon Wellingtons used tons of cream cheese in both crusts and fillings. The cream cheese dough (layered like puff pastry) enclosed salmon topped with herbed cream cheese (replacing the traditional Beef Wellington recipe's duxelles).

I'm not certain where all the rest went, but some of it padded my waistline. Like "hard" cheeses, cream cheese concentrates milk's beneficial nutrients -- vitamins, proteins and minerals -- too bad it also condenses 100 calories and 10 grams of fat into a single ounce!

Basics: My milestone will never be listed in the history books, but New York dairyman William Lawrence's will. He is credited with "inventing" cream cheese in 1872. In 1880, the product was wrapped in foil and named Philadelphia Brand. Why? Because Philadelphia was considered a really cool place then, making only first-class products. Kraft Foods, which took over in 1928, now sells a billion dollars of "Philly" each year in 94 countries.

In cheesemakers' language, cream cheese is a "fresh, white cow's milk cheese with a soft, smooth texture and a mild, delicate flavor." Not mentioned is its versatility. Google it on the Internet and you'll get 5,210 hits, most of them recipes.

Selecting: Cream cheese comes in several forms, including America's answer to Normandy's Neufch‰tel cheese, which contains a third less fat than the original. Spreadable whipped cheeses come in tubs, often blended with herbs, garlic and such. Kraft's Philly is by far the best known, but major supermarkets carry comparable store brands. Do pay attention to the expiration date when selecting.

Storing: Cream cheese must be kept refrigerated and well-wrapped. Seal open packages in plastic wrap or foil. Kraft recommends using it within 10 days of opening, as it may not be safe to eat if mold develops. You definitely want creamy-white here, not moldy-blue.

Uses: (1) cheescakes (2) on bagels and canapes (3) in pastries (4) on pastries (such as Danish) (5) sauces (6) icings ... not to mention dips, casseroles, salads, omelets. You get the picture -- cream cheese is adaptable to thousands of combinations. It is often paired with pasta, smoked salmon or fruit (fresh or in pies and cakes). Europeans actually serve it on trays as a cheese.

Where to buy: This one's easy. Find it in any market's refrigerated dairy section. And yes, Costco still carries those jumbo boxes if you're ready for the Big Time.

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