schmear

Definition

A generous spread of soft cheese, cream cheese, or other spreadable ingredients, most famously associated with bagels. It's the Yiddish way of saying 'don't be stingy with the cream cheese.'

Example Usage

I'll take a toasted everything bagel with a schmear of scallion cream cheese and lox.

Origin

From Yiddish 'shmir' meaning to smear or spread

Fun Fact

A proper New York bagel schmear should be thick enough to leave cream cheese in the bagel holes but not so thick you need a structural engineer.

Source: Jewish-American deli and bagel shop terminology

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