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).