Saturday, 28 August 2010

• Cheesecake Recommendations for the Non-Cheesecake Eater

  

  "I'd like a cheesecake please"

  ...is a heavy request. One immediately connotates "cheesecake" as something rich and thick; worthy of a meal itself. A slice of one of these feels like a block of calories, which might evoke feelings of self-loathing and resentment. I kid. Only slightly. This is why I've always been a little reluctant to  order any kind of cheesecake unless I was in a dire situation, such as being pressed into a corner with little to no alternative. Dining at the Cheesecake Factory can be one of those dire scenarios where everything is cheesecake- even whilest eating your entree, all you can think, smell, and taste is cheesecake.  

  However the beauty of the Cheesecake Factory is its wide spread variety. Their range of cheesecakes are so  broad that they feature some cakes far from its prototype-plain-jane-cheesecake. Yes, even if you are ordering what is technically a cheesecake, fear not, it's only cheesecake-esque.
  

  So last night, when presented with an impressive list of these cheese-desserts, I did what any non-cheesecake eater would do: avoided anything original cheesecake-ish by promptly ordering the key-lime, white chocolate raspberry, red velvet, and lemon-raspberry cheesecakes for my dining party of five wary but trusting companions.

  I must say, I am going to recommend all four as great "alternatives" to the usual ordinary cheesecake, although in this specific order:

  1. white chocolate raspberry

  There's something about this classic harmony of white chocolate and raspberry that explodes into sweet savory foodgasm. Cheesecake haters will forgive the similar taste texture of cheesecake with this order simply because of its dominant chocolately-tart flavor. All you taste is creamy white chocolate until you are quickly rewarded its raspberry, which kick seals the deal with this yummy dessert.

  2. key-lime

  I admit, I had some doubts about this until I took a bite out of it. The experience? Instant tart, instant citrus, instant lime flavor that invades your entire tongue. The limey goodness of the bite lights up your world and for a second you forget this is cheesecake that you are eating. The key-lime bursts with a lime candy taste, which melts and lingers in your mouth. This is highly recommended for those of you who have a sweet tooth for fruitiness.

  3. lemon-raspberry

  A very very very mellow version of the key-lime. The taste of the lemon cheese part is reminiscent to the yellow lemonness of Starburst candy. The raspberry part is the cake at the bottom (so technically, this is half cheese and half cake) which complements well with the very mellowness of the lemon. While not very striking in flavors, it is a different version of the key-lime and is recommended for people who wish to avoid the wild tartiness of said key-lime. I like to call this- the low-key lime. Harhar.

  4. red velvet

  Mostly red velvet cake finished with white chocolate cheesecake parts, the flavor of cocoa defines this cake. Chocolatey and rich, the red velvet cake is moist and delicious. The cream cheese top frosts the cakey flavor well and you wonder how something so not-cheesecake like has ended up at the top of the list in the Cheesecake Factory menu. 

  For those of you who find cheesecake too heavy and unlikeable, and wish to join an anti-cheesecake club (such as this Facebook group right here), I urge you to pause and first try out the list above. It will open eyes and raise eyebrows. I swear. Advice to the rebellious Anti-Cheesecaker: order something flavorful (citrusy will do the trick) to ward off the usual cheesecake taste. With strong flavors like chocolate or lemon, the cheesecake texture turns into more of a creamlike base that supports the dominant flavors. And there you go.

  For those already in love with the Plain Cheesecake, go out and try the alternatives out there. Innovative flavors like these put the cheesecake dessert in a whole new level. 

  Questions that immediately rise from this amateur cheesecake eater's review:

  What do you think about the cheesecake? Why would you order cheesecake? Am I really late in the whole cheesecake scene? Are there any cool or new innovative flavors out there that will blow us all away?

   

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