Description
Philadelphia is a brand of cream cheese that is popularly used for household baking or cooking because of its high quality. Cream cheese is a soft creamy spreadable cheese that is white in colour and has a mild yet subtly tangy taste to it. It is marketed as having 33% milk fat, with a moisture content of not more than 55%, and a pH range of 4.4 to 4.9. Since cream cheese is not naturally matured and is meant to be consumed fresh, it differs from other soft cheeses such as Brie and Neufchâtel. Mascarpone and Boursin are two types of cheese which rank similar to cream cheese in terms of their texture, taste and production methods.

How to select
• Philadelphia's cream cheese is available in the refrigerated sections at speciality stores.
• Marketed by Kraft foods, it is found in tubs of varying sizes.
• If you prefer homemade cream cheese, you can either make it at home or specially order for the same at gourmet stores.
• Please check both the manufacturing and expiry details before purchasing.

Culinary Uses
• Cream cheese is an extremely versatile cheese.
• Delicious on its own, when paired with ingredients in savoury or sweet recipes, it brings out flavours in a unique way.
• Savoury snacks like bread, bagels, crackers, various types of raw vegetables go well when paired with cream cheese.
• Cheesecakes are called so because of the cream cheese used to make it.
• This Cream cheese is an excellent addition to make either rich white or cheese sauce.
• Sometimes used as a substitute for butter, cream cheese also works well along side it in the ratio of two parts cream cheese to one part butte.
• When making cakes or cookies, buttercream icing with cream cheese comes in handy when using a ratio of two parts cream cheese to one part butter.

How to store
• Cream cheese has a short shelf life. If making it at home, remember that without preservatives it must be consumed within a few days.
• Store bought or homemade cream cheese must be stored under refrigerated conditions to maximise its shelf life.

Health benefits
• Since it is sourced from milk, cream cheese is a concentrated source of the nutrients naturally found in milk, including calcium.
• Cream Cheese also contains a large amount of other essential nutrients such as phosphorous, zinc, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and vitamin A.
• It is a dense source of high quality protein.
• Compared to other cheeses, cream cheese is denser because of its higher fat content.