Searching for the Perfect Cheesecake

Ever since the dawn of time, mankind has striven to create the perfect cheesecake. From 776 B.C. through today, people have been creating their own version of the perfect cheesecake.

Springfield, IL (PRWEB) July 27, 2006 -- Ever since the dawn of time, mankind has striven to create the perfect cheesecake. The earliest history of the art is lost, but we know that cheesecake was already a popular dish in ancient Greece. With the Roman conquest of Greece, the secret fell into Roman hands. The Roman name for this type of cake (derived from the Greek term,) became "placenta." Placenta was more like a cheesecake, baked on a pastry base, or sometimes inside a pastry case. They were also called "libum" by the Romans, and were often used as an offering at their temples to their gods. Small cheesecakes were served to athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 B.C. on the Isle of Delos.

1000 A.D. - Cheesecakes were introduced to Great Britain and Western Europe by the Roman conquering armies. By 1000 A.D., cheesecakes were flourishing throughout Scandinavia, England, and northwestern Europe.

1872 - American dairymen achieved a technological breakthrough that ushered in the Modern Age of cheesecakes. In attempting to duplicate the popular Neufchatel cheese of France, they hit upon a formula for an un-ripened cheese that was even richer and creamier (they named it cream cheese). William Lawrence of Chester, New York, accidentally developed a method of producing cream cheese while trying to duplicate the French Neufchatel.

1880 – The Empire Cheese Company of New York began producing PHILADELPHIA BRAND Cream Cheese for a New York distributor called Reynolds. In 1912, James Kraft developed a method to pasteurize cream cheese (Philadelphia cream cheese), and soon other manufacturers of dairy products offered this newer kind of cream cheese.

New York cheesecake is a “pure” cheesecake with no fancy ingredients added either to the cheesecake or placed on top of it. It is made with pure cream cheese, cream, eggs, and sugar. Everybody has a certain image of New York Style Cheesecake. According to New Yorkers, only the great cheesecake makers are located in New York, and the great cheesecake connoisseurs are also in New York. In the 1900s, cheesecakes were very popular in New York. Every restaurant had their version. The name "New York Cheesecake" came from the fact that New Yorkers referred to the cheesecakes made in New York as "New York Cheesecake." New Yorkers say that cheesecake wasn't really cheesecake until it was cheesecake in New York.

1929 - Arnold Reuben, owner of the legendary Turf Restaurant at 49th and Broadway in New York City, claimed that his family developed the first cream-cheese cake recipe. Other bakeries relied on cottage cheese. According to legend, he was served a cheese pie in a private home, and he fell in love with the dessert. Using his hostess' recipe and a pie she made with ingredients he provided, he then began to develop his own recipe for the perfect cheesecake. Reuben soon began to serve his new recipe in his Turf Restaurant, and the cheesecake quickly became very popular with the people who frequented Reuben's Broadway restaurant.

1949 - Evelyn Overton bakes one of her New York-style cheesecakes for the employer of her husband, Oscar. The employer requests additional cakes to give as gifts. She rolls the idea into a small-scale bakery operated first from a shop and then from the finished basement of the family's Detroit home. She continued to run the enterprise there for more than 20 years. Her son David and daughter Renee earned their childhood allowance by folding pink cardboard cake boxes for 1 cent a box, thus, the beginnings of the Cheesecake Factory.

1977 – A new cheesecake dessert hits the menu at "Eli's the Place for Steak".

Following up on a suggestion from a customer about his dessert, Eli spends several weeks coming up with a recipe that pleased everyone. Eli's Cheesecake quickly becomes a marquee offering at Eli's the Place for Steak.

2005—Present - In July of 2005, Lisa Spurlin, creator of Lisa's Gourmet and the web site, www.AllThingsCheesecake.com, claimed to have developed the "most perfect and newest cheesecake" in the history of cheesecake. Using ideas and tips from many different types of cheesecake, Lisa developed a cheesecake that uses fresh, hand made fromage blanc and crème fraîche, no preservatives or additives, and little sugar. This type of cheesecake tends to put a person in a euphoric state of mind that allows them to feel as though they are indulging in a "sinful" delight, but is low in fat, sugar and calories. It is definitely unlike anything on the market today.

Throughout history, people have been striving for the perfect cheesecake. Some people favor a dense, rich cheesecake, such as the New York style. Others prefer a creamy, decadent cheesecake, and still others prefer a simple, slightly sweet and creamy cheesecake. However, no matter what your personal preferences are, there is a cheesecake out there just waiting for you.

For more information about Lisa's Gourmet and their cheesecakes, please visit http://www.allthingscheesecake.com or contact Lisa Spurlin at 217-891-4258.

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