Bagel and cream cheese (original) (raw)

A bagel and cream cheese (also known as bagel with cream cheese) is a common food pairing in American cuisine, the cuisine of New York City, and American Jewish cuisine, consisting in its basic form of a sliced bagel spread with cream cheese. The bagel with cream cheese is traditionally and most commonly served open-faced, sliced horizontally and spread with cream cheese and other toppings. Beginning in the 1980s as bagels greatly expanded in popularity beyond Jewish communities, the bagel served closed as a sandwich became increasingly popular for its portability. The basic bagel with cream cheese serves as the base for other items such as the "lox and schmear", a staple of delicatessens in the New York City area and across the U.S. While non-Jewish ingredients take well to bagel sandwich