| What's your favorite birthday cake? For me, | | | | light and airy consistency. The Greeks might |
| nothing beats cheesecake. In fact, I can't | | | | use ricotta, mizithra, farmers, feta, Swiss, |
| imagine what the world was like before | | | | or a combination of cheeses, while the |
| cheesecake was created! | | | | Germans typically rely on cottage cheese or |
| | | | quark. The Japanese incorporate cornstarch |
| Turns out, you'd have to search back pretty | | | | and whipped egg whites into their cheesecakes |
| far to find a time when the Earth was | | | | for a more custard-like effect, and I've even |
| cheesecake free. In fact, way back in 776 BC, | | | | heard you can find cheesecake in vending |
| long before the first Cheesecake Factory | | | | machines in Japan. Now why didn't I think of |
| opened, the Greeks are said to have served | | | | that? |
| cheesecake to the athletes at the first | | | | |
| Olympic games. The Romans soon caught on and | | | | You'd be hard pressed to find a culture that |
| spread the divine taste of cheesecake | | | | doesn't - or didn't - enjoy a good |
| throughout Europe. From there it was only a | | | | cheesecake. Culinary historians cite |
| matter of time before European immigrants | | | | cheesecake recipes dating back to the first |
| brought their cherished cheesecake recipes to | | | | century AD, with additional recipes floating |
| America. | | | | around from the centuries that followed. |
| | | | You'll find every imaginable flavor and |
| It seems that every region of the globe has | | | | topping in today's cheesecake recipes, but |
| embraced cheesecake in one form or another, | | | | the basic premise, baking creamy cheese with |
| adapting the recipe to local tastes and | | | | wheat and sweetener, has stood the test of |
| adding local flavors. In America, cheesecakes | | | | time. |
| are typically made with a cream cheese base, | | | | |
| but even here we vary the recipe by region. | | | | And let's not forget savory cheesecakes |
| New York cheesecake is famous for its | | | | featuring blue cheese, garlic, seafood, |
| ultra-smooth texture and decadently rich | | | | chiles, and other tasty cheese-friendly |
| flavor- achieved by adding extra egg yolks | | | | flavors, or vegan versions of cheesecake-like |
| and a hint of lemon - and you'll find other | | | | desserts made with tofu. With so many |
| regional variations from Chicago-style to | | | | varieties, you'd need a lot more than a |
| Pennsylvania Dutch. Many American bakers add | | | | "Cheesecake of the Month" club to sample them |
| sour cream for a creamy cheesecake that can | | | | all! |
| be frozen without compromising taste or | | | | |
| texture. | | | | Clearly, cheesecake has lived long and |
| | | | continues to prosper. Whether it's a birthday |
| Italian cheesecakes generally use ricotta | | | | cake, anniversary treat, or just a |
| cheese, which makes them drier than their | | | | "Make-Everyday-Special" indulgence, |
| American cousins. The French prefer | | | | cheesecake is an ancient delight that will |
| Neufchatel cheese and often add gelatin for a | | | | never go out of style! |