Smile and Say......"N" is for Neufchatel

I guess you can figure out my theme for the 2014 A to Z Blogging Challenge. That’s right, it’s cheese!  I hope you enjoy these posts!“N" is for NEUFCHATEL Neufchâtel is a soft cheese made in the region of Normandy, France. It's one of the oldest cheeses in France, with production believed to date back to the 6th century in the town of Neufchâtel-en-Bray. Similar in appearance to Camembert, the taste is sharper and saltier. Unlike other soft, white-rind cheeses, Neufchâtel's texture is grainy. It's typically matured for 8-10 weeks.In the late 1800s, a New York dairyman made the first American cream cheese as a result of his attempt to create a batch of Neufchâtel. This American Neufchâtel is softer than regular cream cheese due to its lower fat and higher moisture content. These days, it's found in most grocery stores as a reduced-fat option to regular cream cheese.