A schmear is cream cheese spread on a bagel. The word comes from Yiddish, meaning "to spread". It refers to any spread used with bread or food, especially if cheese-based.
Variations of Schmear
Originally, a schmear was plain cream cheese on a bagel. Now, schmears are blended with things like fruit, onions, and herbs. Lox – cured but unsmoked salmon – is a popular bagel topping.
Quantity and Quality
Bagel shops use generous schmears so customers feel they get value for money. The cream cheese complements, not overpowers, the bagel. Smaller bagels need less cream cheese – about 2 tablespoons. Too much cream cheese makes bagels high in calories.
Corporate History
Einstein Bros bought Noah’s Bagels in 1996. In 1998, New World Coffee – owner of Manhattan Bagel – bought Einstein Bros. Einstein uses only cage-free eggs.