The Hole Shmear: How America Brought Cream Cheese to the Jews

Culinary Historians of San Diego will present “The Hole Shmear— How America Brought Cream Cheese to the Jews, “ with Jeff Marx, at 10:30 a.m. November 18, in the Neil Morgan Auditorium of the San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd, San Diego.

Slathered on a bagel, inserted into blintzes, the secret to “real” cheese cake, what could be more Jewish than cream cheese? And yet, the Jews who came to America from Eastern Europe in the late 19th century had never heard of it. Where did cream cheese come from and how did it get to be a Jewish food? Jeff Marx, a historian of cream cheese, will share with us the, er, udder truth as to its beginnings and development in America. The audience will discover where Philadelphia cream cheese really comes from, why today’s cream cheese bears little resemblance to the original, and learn how some Jews went from rags to riches as they marketed this delectable cheese.

Rabbi Jeff Marx has been called “the world’s premier expert on the history of cream cheese.” He has researched, published and lectured on how cream cheese was created, developed and marketed in America. In addition, Marx’s research has extended to the origins of bagels and lox. His forthcoming book from Rutgers University Press is on Abie Kabibble, the first Jewish cartoon strip character in America. After serving the Santa Monica Synagogue in Los Angeles as their senior rabbi for 36 years, Marx recently became Rabbi Emeritus, which gives him time to work on his new book, a history of Jews and arson in America.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information visit: chsandiego.org

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