The 1960s Co-Op Refrigerator Cheesecake - Margaret Ullrich

I'm sorry.

Back in January I posted a simple piece on my feelings about Cheesecake, New York and New Jersey style. I had flipped through Entertaining with The Sopranos and learned that, while the cheesecakes may look similar, they are different.


I should have stopped right there.


Oh, no... I had to continue:
I've heard about a cheesecake Winnipeggers made. The recipe used to be on a milk carton. It was the Co-op Refrigerator Cheesecake. A friend gave me an empty milk carton. I tried to fit in, be a real Winnipegger, but really. I couldn't believe it. Knox Gelatin? Heavy Cream? Separated eggs? CRUSHED PINEAPPLE? I think not.

Some things you just have to respect.


I should have respected the Co-Op Refrigerator Cheesecake.


I've received a few e mails.
Some defended Winnipeg's cheesecake honor.
Some asked if I still had that empty milk carton. They had always intended to, but never gotten around to, copying the recipe.
And some sent me the recipe and told me to try it again.


For those of you who never got around to copying the recipe, here it is.


1960s CO-OP REFRIGERATOR CHEESECAKE

refrigerate at least 4 hours

combine
2 Cups graham wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
press 2/3 of the mixture into a 10 inch pan
----
soak
2 envelopes Knox gelatin
in
1/2 Cup cold water or pineapple juice
----
combine in a double boiler
3/4 Cup milk
1 Cup sugar
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
cook until thickened
remove from heat and add gelatin mixture
cool
----
cream well
2 (8 oz/250 g) packages of cream cheese
add the cooled gelatin/milk mixture
add
1 teaspoon vanilla
----
fold in
1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped
2 eggs whites, stiffly beaten
----
add, if desired
crushed, well drained pineapple or chopped cherries
----
pour filling over crumb crust
top with remaining crumbs
refrigerate at least 4 hours


Are we friends now?