There is a myth surrounding the birth of cream cheese, with many sources claiming that it was accidentally invented in 1872 by New York dairyman William Lawrence "while trying to reproduce a French cheese called Neufchâtel," says ThoughtCo. However, food historians have a serious problem with this oft-repeated story.

Writer Jeffrey Marx sets the record straight by pointing out that "directions for making cream cheese can be found in a Pennsylvania newspaper as early as 1769." He does agree, however, that Lawrence was the first man in America to make and sell cream cheese on a large scale, under the still-famous brand name Philadelphia.

Marx also disagrees with the date on Philadelphia cream cheese packaging that says "since 1872," since the year of Lawrence's entrepreneurial push was likely between 1875-77, but was backdated as a marketing ploy. While cream cheese wasn't accidentally invented by Lawrence, he did play a key role in its rise to global popularity.