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My mother passed away when I was a young boy and there are only three dishes of hers that I remember. Liver, tongue, and cheesecake. Oddly.
So, in honor of Shavuot, a Jewish festival that involves a lot of cheese eating, here’s the story of “my mother’s cheesecake.” 1/8
So, in honor of Shavuot, a Jewish festival that involves a lot of cheese eating, here’s the story of “my mother’s cheesecake.” 1/8
About 15 years ago, I rang my older sister and asked for my mother’s cheesecake recipe. It was during some heinous Middle East conflict. I was missing New York and comfort food.
My sister, to my chagrin, had not the faintest idea what I was talking about. “Our mother didn’t have a cheesecake recipe,” she said. My sister cooks. And bakes. And generally knows what she is talking about. Never the less, I argued back, there was one. There HAD TO BE one.
The cheesecake was such a strong and distinct memory, one of so few, I knew I was right. So, I began to describe the cake to her. The texture, the taste, the look. Finally it dawned on her what I saw talking about.
“That’s Betty Crocker,” she said. And indeed, the recipe was one of those they used to put on the back of the cornstarch package. Nothing fancy, quite the opposite, it was literally the fattiest, least refined, most American cheesecake possible. It's still super yummy, of course.
The 1960s back of the box recipe. Argo cornstarch package.
"Classic" https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/1960-argo-classic-cheesecake.html
"Classic" https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/1960-argo-classic-cheesecake.html
Anyway, for me, it’s the best cheesecake. It might give you a heart attack if you have too much, as it has lots of butter, cream cheese, cottage cheese and sour cream, on top of sugar and sugar. So, you know, risky stuff. Proceed at your own discretion.
But once a year it makes me happy. I ate some last night.
My arteries are now clogged with joy.
8/8
My arteries are now clogged with joy.
8/8
