neufchatel
neufchatel Lexical Profile
• noun
American A soft, white, unripened cheese similar to cream cheese but with a lower fat content and higher moisture level.
"She substituted neufchatel for cream cheese in the cheesecake recipe to reduce the overall calories without sacrificing texture."
A traditional, soft, slightly crumbly French cheese made from cow's milk, characterized by a bloomy edible rind and typically molded into a heart shape.
"We paired the heart-shaped French neufchatel with a crisp white wine and slices of fresh baguette."
Word Nuance & Usage
In American culinary contexts, neufchatel refers to an unripened, lower-fat substitute for cream cheese, which differs significantly from the authentic, bloomy-rind French Neufchâtel cheese.
• Rhymes for neufchatel
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named after Neufchâtel-en-Bray, a town in the Normandy region of France where the cheese originated. The town's name derives from Old French 'nuef' (new) and 'chastel' (castle).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.