Curiosity, "cream cheese" and wikipedia = Do you know what Neufchatel cheese is?

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So, I went to the store to get some cream cheese. They have this type of cheese packaged near cream cheese which calls itself Neufchatel cheese. It proudly explains that it has 1/3rd less fat that cream cheese. It tastes like cream cheese, so I never gave it much thought. I was in the kitchen. Making lunch for my daughter at school tomorrow (I like to do that.) Because we are avoiding peanut butter (some salmonella problem recently), I wanted to make something else special for her lunch. Something cold, of course, because it is a bag lunch. So I spread "cream cheese" on bread and put jelly on the other piece. Sandwich together and, viola, a sort of cheesecake sandwich of a sort. But I looked at the package and wondered. "Why doesn't it just call itself light cream cheese?" So, I decided to marshall the considerable wisdom and insight of Wikipedia to the task. Neufchatel cheese is nothing like cream cheese. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neufchâtel_(cheese) [i]French Neufchâtel is a soft, slightly crumbly, mould-ripened cheese made in the region of Normandy. One of the oldest cheeses in France, its production is believed to date back to the 6th century. It looks somewhat similar to camembert, with a dry, white, edible rind, but the taste is saltier and sharper. It has aroma and taste of mushrooms. Unlike other soft-white-rinded cheeses, Neufchatel has a grainy texture.[1] It is usually sold in heart shapes, however it is also produced in other forms, such as logs. It is typically matured for 8–10 weeks. In 1872, a New York dairyman, in the township of Chester, created cream cheese as the result of an attempt to create a batch of Neufchâtel. In the United States, French Neufchâtel is called farmers' cheese.[2] A package of store brand American Neufchâtel Cheese American Neufchâtel is a lower-fat cream cheese product marketed as a healthier alternative to cream cheese. It is not identical to French Neufchâtel. American Neufchâtel is somewhat softer than cream cheese due to its 33% lower fat and higher moisture content.[citation needed] Neufchâtel was commonly used in British forms of Cheesecake[/i] - Wikipedia. So, this thing which is sold in America as Neufchatel cheese is really a messed up batch of some other kind of cheese. Having read about it on wikipedia, I realize that this "cream cheese" really is easier to spread on bread than the normal kind. Hadn't really notice that before, but I am able to spread it on that really soft white bread without a problem. Then, I start following links. Neufchatel is more like farmer's cheese ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmer_cheese ) which is cottage cheese with the liquid pressed out. Oh, look, now there's a link for something called "pot cheese." Farmer's cheese has been pressed to remove so much liquid that it is dry and crumbly, but Pot cheese is what you'd get if you were less thorough. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot_cheese ) Ah, and here is a link to a similar cheese from Indian cuisine. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paneer ). Oh, wait, there's also a mexican one. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queso_blanco ) Of interest here, I find, that the Indian Paneer is more 'vegetarian friendly' because it can be made without Renent. I shrug. What's Rennet? ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet ) Great, now I know that cheese is not only made from mold but also, in some cases, from stomach juices from cows. (Ugh, did I want to know that?) So, at the end of my little dissertation comes my question. Do any of you in the mylot community have first hand experience to share with these sorts of cheeses? Would you know or taste a difference between "cream cheese" and neufchatel? Have you purchased "farmer's cheese?" Is it good? Have you ever tried making cheeses at home? (Some of these types of cheeses are described as being the sort of thing a person could make at home.)