| Whats your favorite birthday cake? For me, | | | | light and airy consistency. The Greeks might |
| nothing beats cheesecake. In fact, I cant | | | | 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, youd 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 Ive 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 didnt 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 | | | | Youd be hard pressed to find a culture that |
| spread the divine taste of cheesecake | | | | doesnt or didnt enjoy a good cheesecake. |
| throughout Europe. From there it was only a | | | | Culinary historians cite cheesecake recipes |
| matter of time before European immigrants | | | | dating back to the first century AD, with |
| brought their cherished cheesecake recipes to | | | | additional recipes floating around from the |
| America. | | | | centuries that followed. Youll find every |
| | | | imaginable flavor and topping in todays |
| It seems that every region of the globe has | | | | cheesecake recipes, but the basic premise, |
| embraced cheesecake in one form or another, | | | | baking creamy cheese with wheat and |
| adapting the recipe to local tastes and | | | | sweetener, has stood the test of time. |
| adding local flavors. In America, cheesecakes | | | | |
| are typically made with a cream cheese base, | | | | And lets not forget savory cheesecakes |
| but even here we vary the recipe by region. | | | | featuring blue cheese, garlic, seafood, |
| New York cheesecake is famous for its | | | | chiles, and other tasty cheese-friendly |
| ultra-smooth texture and decadently rich | | | | flavors, or vegan versions of cheesecake-like |
| flavor achieved by adding extra egg yolks and | | | | desserts made with tofu. With so many |
| a hint of lemon and youll find other | | | | varieties, youd need a lot more than a |
| regional variations from Chicago-style to | | | | Cheesecake of the Month club to sample them |
| Pennsylvania Dutch. Many American bakers add | | | | all! |
| sour cream for a creamy cheesecake that can | | | | |
| be frozen without compromising taste or | | | | Clearly, cheesecake has lived long and |
| texture. | | | | continues to prosper. Whether its a birthday |
| | | | cake, anniversary treat, or just a |
| Italian cheesecakes generally use ricotta | | | | Make-Everyday-Special indulgence, cheesecake |
| cheese, which makes them drier than their | | | | is an ancient delight that will never go out |
| American cousins. The French prefer | | | | of style! |
| Neufchatel cheese and often add gelatin for a | | | | |