Thought to have come from the Yiddish word shmirn (to smear or grease), the word schmear is used in the culinary world to describe a dab of something like mayonnaise or cream cheese that's spread on a roll, bagel, etc. More recently, cream cheese is combined with flavorings such as onions, garlic and bell peppers to create a spread that's commercially packaged as a schmear.
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