A Cheesecake Obsession

Lately I’ve been a little obsessed with cheesecake. Which is odd because I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. It started with the cookbook that I am writing. I needed a dessert chapter and decided that cheesecake would work particularly well for the theme of the cookbook. I needed ten cheesecake variations for the book. But as I perfected the basic recipe and mastered the techniques for getting a creamy, uncracked cheesecake, I found myself inspired at every corner and thinking about cheesecake all the time. My list of cheesecake variations is up to almost 40 now (and I’m highly confident in the vast majority of them, there are only a couple that I’m not sure about and just need to try them to see if they work).

I’d love to write a cheesecake cookbook with a gorgeous photo of each one. All I’d need is a food stylist/photographer and some time to test them all. Anyone interested in funding this little venture? Not sure we could make a lot of money but you’d definitely get all the cheesecake you care to eat! A quick search of Amazon returned more than 3,000 cheesecake cookbook titles, so maybe the world doesn’t really need another one. Then again, we don’t eat cheesecake because we need to.

I’ll include a new cheesecake recipe inspired by a recent vacation in an upcoming entry, so stay tuned…

A Little Citrus in the Winter

In the winter I often find myself craving a crisp, fresh salad. I think that’s because in winter we tend to eat heartier meals to keep us warm: thick soups, stews, root vegetables. Delicious and warming but they leave me wanting to lighten it up a the end of the meal (which is when I always eat my salad).

I have a citrus vinaigrette recipe that I typically serve in the hot months for its light and fresh flavor. But it occurred to me that if I can layer in some of the citrus flavor into croutons, it might bring just enough weight to the salad to satisfy my craving for lightness after a heavy winter meal without feeling too out of balance.

Citrus Vinaigrette (makes about 1 cup)

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• Juice and zest from 1 lemon
• Juice and zest from ½ orange
• ¾ cup olive oil

1. Combine the garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix in the juices and zest. Whisk the olive oil in a slow stream to form an emulsion.

The vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. If it congeals, just take it out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using.

Lemon Pepper Croutons

• 1 loaf wheat ciabbata or other crusty bread, cut into ½-inch chunks
• Olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Freshly grated black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with lemon zest and pepper. Mix to combine. Bake for about 15 minutes until toasted. Set aside and cool.

The croutons can be stored for several days in an airtight container. If they get soft, just pop them in a 350° oven on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes.

The Cilantro Wars

I recently read an article about cilantro that had me scratching my head. The article isn’t really about cilantro but about people who are obsessed with their hatred of cilantro who are, in turn, incurring the wrath of cilantro lovers.

For the record, I do not like cilantro. (Yeah, it tastes like soap to me.) Having said that, I have no desire to prevent others from enjoying this apparently controversial herb. I’m happy for cilantro lovers to eat as much as they wish and enjoy every bite. I simply try to avoid it. If a recipe I’m making calls for cilantro, I substitute parsley. If I order a dish that has (or I think will have) it, I request “no cilantro, please.” And if I’m served a dish that despite my best efforts includes cilantro, I simply eat around it.

The hostility between the cilantro haters and lovers in this article and in the online feedback perplexes me. What difference does it make if someone else does or does not like cilantro? This isn’t just about cilantro, though. We could be talking about just about anything (an herb, a television personality, a personal philosophy, etc.). Just because you like something doesn’t mean everyone has to. And why do you care if they don’t? On the flip sice, the idea of creating an “I hate” anything Web site or social network seems crazy to me. If you don’t like something, don’t eat/watch/use/whatever it. But why spend time focusing on something you hate? Wouldn’t it be much more positive and productive to invest your time and energy in something that you love?

Carrot Soup

Some of the best food in the world is extremely simple. And while I do enjoy fancy concoctions on occasion, nature creates such amazing flavors that sometimes you don’t need to do much to enjoy them. A simple carrot soup is a great example of this. You certainly could make a "gourmet" carrot soup using lots of aromatics and spices, and it would be very good. But the very simple version celebrates carrots in the clean, fresh flavor and the bright orange color.


Carrot Soup (6 servings)

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup light cream
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the carrots and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken stock. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Purée the carrots and stock in a blender then return to the soup pot. Add the cream and parsley. Gently heat on low.