The Baker

More than 10 years ago I dated a baker. He had big brown eyes, a dreamy look and a constant expression of someone who's completely lost. With a past including a year in the Hari Krishna cult, attempts to hurt himself, and unclear future, he was, perhaps, lost and undateable. But he baked me a baguette with my name on it. He baked me a doggie, which stood on the window shelf in my old St Botolph apartment and watched the quiet street below with sad eyes. He baked me a wonderful cheese cake. And he disappeared one day with no explanation, a few short weeks after we met, while I was going through a nasty flu that kept me in bed for a week.

Why did I date him? Perhaps I was young and stupid. Scratch that - I wasn't that young anymore, just a bit lost myself after the end of my first and longest relationship. It hurt, but eventually I moved on, and after a few months the doggie moved on as well.

I haven't seen Joey since, but I still make his cheese cake recipe from time to time. I wrote it down while watching him making it with no recipe and no measurements. It's a wonderful recipe - easy, forgiving, and open to improvisation. Add or remove a cup of cheese or cream, or even add an egg or two - it won't make a big difference.

Here's for you, Joey, and all the other lost souls out there. Have a piece of cake!

Joey’s Cheesecake

Crust:

• 1 cup graham crackers, crushed 
• 50 gr melted butter (4 TBSP) or sour cream 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Filling:

• 700 gr cream cheese 
• 1.5 cups sour cream 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 TBSP cornstarch (not corn flour!) 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1 TBSP lemon juice 

Topping:

• 2 cups blueberries 
• ¼ cup sugar 
• 1 TBSP cornstarch 

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. 
2. Mix the crust and pad into a large round baking pan (11’’ or so). 
3. Mix the dry ingredient of the filling; mix in cheese and cream; add the rest and pour on top. 
4. Bake for an hour or more, until the top is golden brown and a little soft. 
5. Mix blueberries, sugar and cornstarch in a small pot, and cook over low flame for 10 minutes (a little more if the blueberries are frozen). 
6. After the cake cools a bit, cover it with the topping and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.