New York Style Cheesecake

REAL New York style cheesecake, according to my mother, does not come with graham cracker crust. It comes with a pastry crust - or in her recipes case cream cheese crust. Which in my opinion is better than graham crackers ground up and slathered with butter. Honestly it's the cheaters way out. Maybe being raised by New Yorkers I have become biased in the cheesecake I prefer. I have actually, not intentionally, made someone throw out store bought cheesecake because I said I would make them REAL cheesecake and not that "crappy ass graham cracker crust shit." I was put on speaker phone at that point and then was told that they threw out the cheesecake that someone had given them.

I felt bad at that point, if you like your graham cracker crust, be my guest and eat it but I can't say I prefer it, it's just too sweet to go with the already sweet filling.

I did indeed make these kind people a cheesecake - my mother's blessed recipe, to make up for the cheesecake they threw away so they wouldn't "taint" their mouths with graham cracker crust.

Mike and I have had this discussion as well. I am told his father makes a "great" cheesecake. Well, I'm biased and say my mother makes a "great" cheesecake and to top it off it's a REAL New York style. No graham crackers involved. Seriously, you shouldn't have to cheat your way out with cheesecake unless you're in a jam and can't take the time, then you might as well buy that boxed mix from the baking aisle, you know - the one made by Jell-O. -_- I FORBID YOU TO DO THAT! Seriously, Jell-O, making cheesecake!? Um, yeah that's just wrong. At least go buy the tub of Philadelphia brand cheesecake filling in the cream cheese case at your store. That is at least made from real cream cheese - mind you there are fillers and stabilizers and other random ingredients I'm sure you cannot pronounce.

I'm not a big proponent of natural foods or organic but when it comes to baking, why buy it when you can make it and know exactly what you have in your food. Am I wrong? For those reading this with kids, don't you agree? Don't you want to know that the dessert you are treating your child and family to isn't fully of preservatives and God knows what else, possible allergens etc. I for one grew up baking with my mother, baked frequently and enjoyed it. It gave my mom a sense of peace knowing she gave us something with real ingredients, was it healthy? No, far from it, it was sugar but it was a treat, not a snack or meal replacement.

I have a feeling though that there will be a cake off - unofficially - between my mother's cheesecake and Mike's father's cheesecake. His father uses graham crackers, that was actually the first question I asked when I was told that no one could beat his dad's cheesecake. I then promptly say "That's not real New York style then. My mom's is REAL New York cheesecake." (I'm a bit pompous about my mom's cheesecake for sure - a self proclaimed cheesecake snob).

I am meeting Mike's parents sometime this month or next and will not bring it up nor will I bring a cheesecake but I will fix one for Mike and have him try it and definitely the roomie - provided cheesecake is a food roomie likes. Hmm, I'll have to ask.

So in the mean time, until I decide to turn the oven into a hot box again, or until the heat wave ends here is the cheesecake I made last, disregard the cracks due to the fact I forgot the water bath.

Creamy goodness that is cheesecake filling

Finished product

Wish I had a picture of the cake in sliced format due to the fact that this cake has a cream cheese crust and not a cheaters graham cracker crust. The cream cheese crust is almost cookie like and I have made cookies out of just the crust. In due time my fellow foodies, in due time. Meanwhile, salivate and hope the heatwave ends. ;)