“Man is an epicure just as he is an artist, a scholar, a poet. The palate . . . is as delicate and susceptible of training as the eye or ear, and equally deserving of respect.” — Guy de Maupassant, Madame Husson’s Rose-king
The scholar, artist, and epicure Julia Child hosted a beer and hot dog tasting recently held at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan. Our empress of gastronomy, a refreshingly unpretentious person, sat on the hot dog panel, which was composed of a fireman, a policeman, and two other non-foodies. Mrs. Child tasted her way studiously through seven candidates for the title of Best Hot Dog. The Papaya King dog was awarded “Best of Breed” based on flavor, appearance, and texture, and 1 wandered off to conduct a private survey of the brewer’s art. If I’d had a gold medal in hand I would have given it to the small New York brewery New Amsterdam, for its new and delicious hopsy ale.
It would be nice if the Shea Stadium concessionaires paid any attention to the outcome of this hot dog and beer judging but, of course, they won’t. Although hot dogs didn’t originate in New York (frankfurter, remember?), nor did pizza, the city has some of the finest examples to be found anywhere. New York cut steaks appear on menus nationwide, as does New York cheesecake.
Cheesecake in its native Germany is rather a thin, dry cottage cheese affair. My first taste of it nearly put it on the “Do miss” list for life — then I came to New York and discovered what a glorious thing it could be. It’s the one dessert that I absolutely cannot pass up. Much cheesecake research has ensued, both in tasting and baking m ultitudinous versions. These are my favorites. Whichever recipe you choose, start out with fresh, unprocessed cream cheese or ricotta. This can be bought locally at Dean and Co.
Apricot Cheesecake
I put together two much-loved flavors in this pale peach-colored cheesecake, which has almost no crust and is easily made in a food processor.
Serves 10 to 12.
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp. softened butter
1/4 lb. premium dried apricots
1 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 lbs. fresh cream cheese
4 eggs (“large”)
1/2 cup sour cream
Apricot glaze (optional)
Either buy the pre-made crumbs or spin a few graham crackers in the food processor to make one-third cup of crumbs. Lavishly butter an eight-inch springform cake pan about three inches deep. Pat the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan.
Rinse the apricots and barely cover with cold water. Cover them and cook slowly over low heat until the fruit is tender and nearly all water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Process the sugar and the lemon zest (this is the thin yellow peel only — avoid the bitter white pith that lurks just underneath). Add the apricots and puree. Add a third of the cream cheese and one egg. Process about 10 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the container. Repeat this step until all the eggs and cheese are used, then blend in the sour cream, scraping down after each addition.
Scrape the butter into the prepared springform pan. Gently place it on a cookie sheet and bake with the top in the center of the oven about 50 minutes — until a skewer comes out clean. Do not overbake or the cake will be dry. Turn off the oven, prop it open a few inches, and leave the cake there for 30 minutes. Remove it to a draught-free place and let it get cold. Do not refrigerate unless the cake is being prepared a day ahead. Cheesecake is most often served chilled but I think it is at its best at room temperature.
Apricot glaze makes the cake look very professional but should not be overdone as it would make the cake heavy. Melt a few tablespoons of apricot preserves and thin it with a soup spoon of brandy. Cool slightly and pour it into the center of the cooled cheesecake. Spread it gently out to the inner rim of the cake. All cheesecakes sink when they cool unless they have had flour and leavening added.
Mike Uzzi’s Cheesecake
Another guest at a New Year’s Day luncheon contributed this wonderful light, delicate cheesecake — light in texture, of course, but only somewhat lighter in calories. These ingredients make one large or two small cheesecakes.
8 ozs. ricotta
8 ozs. fresh cream cheese
8 ozs. sour cream
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Cream sugar with ricotta and cream cheese and add eggs and other dry ingredients. Melt butter and stir in with lemon juice and vanilla. Fold in sour cream. Bake in a buttered springform pan at 350 degrees, about one-and-a-half hours for a large cake, and 50 minutes for smaller (eight-inch) ones. Cool in pan for 30 minutes, then release the sides and serve the cake still resting on the metal bottom.
Longchamps’ Cheesecake
Many years ago there was a middlepriced chain of restaurants called Longchamps in New York where respectable ladies could meet for lunch over Manhattan cocktails and the restaurant’s famous cheesecake. This recipe survives courtesy of the dessert queen Maida H eatter’s mother, who wheedled it out of her neighborhood Longchamps. Serves 10 to 12.
Crumb Crust
1 3/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
7 Tbsp. plus tsp. unsalted butter
Generously butter the sides of a nine-by-two-and-a-half or three-inch springform pan. Mix together the crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon, then melt the remaining butter and stir that into the crumbs. Remove and reserve one-and-a-half cups of the mixture. Pat the remainder into the sides of the pan, leaving the top halfinch uncrumbed. Pat the reserved crumbs evenly in the pan bottom. Freeze until you are ready to use it.
Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
6 eggs (“large”)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Zest of 2 large lemons
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees after adjusting the rack one-third of the way from the oven bottom.
With an electric mixer (or powerful hand-held mixer) beat the cream cheese smooth. Beat in the sugar, scraping often with a rubber spatula. Then add the salt and the eggs, two at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla, then remove the beater and stir in the lemon zest. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust.
Bake for one hour and 20 minutes, then turn the heat off and prop the oven door open about eight inches and leave the cake to cool completely. Mrs. Heatter’s mother says to run a thin knife blade around the inside of the springform before attempting to release it, but I have never found this necessary. Remove the sides and place the cake, still resting on its pan bottom, on a serving plate.
