Anna Sultana’s Mocha Cake and Mocha Fudge Frosting

I’m watching Julie & Julia on television.

It just started.

Julie has had a rough day at work.

She’s home and is making a chocolate cream pie.

That chocolate pie lead to her blogging, sort of.

Ah…  chocolate…

Chocolate has had its place in my writing career, too, sort of.

When Sophie and I wanted to start our radio show in 2007 we had to come up with a name.

It was supposed to be short, catchy, something to tell the listeners who we were.

We went home and wrote lists of what we thought were perfectly good titles.

Robin Eriksson, the Program Director at CKUW, wasn’t impressed by our ideas.

She suggested we name our show Better Than Chocolate.

Since we were totally out of ideas - and we knew she had final say on the show’s name - we agreed to accept her suggestion.

Now we’re talking two senior citizens.

I was 57 and Sophie was 75 years old.

Neither of us had heard of, let alone seen, the movie Better Than Chocolate.

It was a 1999 Canadian romantic comedy movie shot in Vancouver and directed by Anne Wheeler. 

Just so you know, it is one of Canada's highest grossing films of all time, really, according to the Cannes Film Festival Website.

Yeah, well, there were Canadian beavers in it, all right, but just not the type of beavers two old ladies would go to the movies to see.

Wonder how many of our listeners were equally surprised when they tuned in to us.

In 2009 that radio show became my blog Winnipeg is Better Than Chocolate.

Which I started after seeing the movie Julie & Julia.

The circle of life... Julia... Julie... me.

Oh, well…  Back to chocolate…

Chocolate’s health benefits have been in the news lately.

Last year the Huffington Post had an article about that, too:

10 Ways Giving In To That Chocolate Craving Can Benefit Your Health

So, yes, there's proof, chocolate is good for you.

But a square of chocolate doesn’t quite seem like enough for a dinner dessert.

Especially if it’s been a Sunday dinner type of dinner.

That does seem to call for Julie’s chocolate cream pie.

Or Ma’s Mocha Cake with Mocha Fudge Frosting.

Hints:

If you are using all purpose flour in this recipe remove two tablespoons from each cup of all purpose flour.

If you are using cake & pastry flour in a recipe that calls for all purpose flour add two tablespoons to each cup of cake and pastry flour.

The frosting instructions are for the sheet cake.

If you are making two layers:

Cut 2-inch-wide strips of wax paper.

Place the cake upside down on a serving plate.

Arrange the wax paper under the cake to protect the plate.

Spread the frosting over the cake with a spatula.

Smooth the frosting over the top and sides.

Place the second layer on top and cover with frosting.

Let the cake set at least an hour before serving.

                        Mocha Cake

Place the rack in the centre of the oven.

grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan or 2 8 inch round pans

      

Preheat oven to 350º           

Sift together into a large mixer bowl

2 Cups cake & pastry flour

2 Cups sugar

3/4 Cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Add

2 large eggs

1/2 Cup oil

1 Cup strong black coffee

1 Cup buttermilk

Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

The batter will be thin.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan or pans.

Smooth the surface with a spatula.

Bake until the cake is done, 35-45 minutes (30-35 minutes for round pans).

A toothpick should come out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Invert the cake onto the rack and let it cool completely.

                        Mocha Fudge Frosting

Chop

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Place in a medium saucepan

1/2 Cup heavy cream

1/4 Cup butter

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

Heat until simmering.

Remove the pan from the heat and add

chopped bittersweet chocolate

Stir until smooth.

Chill, stirring occasionally, until the frosting is thick enough to spread.

Cut 2-inch-wide strips of wax paper.

Place the cake upside down on a serving platter or board.

Arrange the wax paper under the cake to protect the platter.

Spread the frosting over the cake with a spatula.

Smooth the frosting over the top and sides.

Let the cake set at least an hour before serving.

A Winnipeg Staycation by Margaret Ullrich - Margarita recipes

Is there anything that feels longer for Winnipeggers than the six weeks we have to live through while waiting for Spring to come?

Some folks wimp out and fly off for a few weeks.

They figure it’s a necessary mental health expense.

Most of us tough it out here at home.

A few years ago I posted about how Eaton’s, a Department store, would take pity on Canadians and have a sales promotion known as ‘Uncrate the Sun’ at about this time.

There’d be fancy displays and posters, as well as a few exotic dishes for us to try.

Hard to believe, but in the late 1970s we thought eating a five-cent taco was exotic fare.

Amazing what a minus 40º C week can do to a person.

Well, a little pretending can be fun.

National Margarita Day is celebrated on February 22. 

As Jimmy Buffett sang in Margaritaville: 

But there's booze in the blender

And soon it will render

That frozen concoction that helps me hang on…

It’s time to pull out the straw hats and have a staycation.

The Margarita recipe was first published in the December 1953 issue of Esquire.

Some say it was invented in 1938 by "Danny" Herrera at his restaurant Rancho La Gloria in Mexico.

He created it for former Ziegfeld dancer Marjorie King who, allergic to many spirits, enjoyed tequila.

Marjorie is a variation of Margaret, so I guess he thought the Spanish variation, Margarita, would look better on the menu.

There are a few other stories - most involving women - but I like this one.

A bit of History trivia…

The first frozen margarita machine was invented on May 11, 1971 by Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez. 

The machine was originally a soft-serve ice cream machine and now sits in the Smithsonian National Museum of History.

If you’d like to cook something Mexican to go with the Margaritas, here are some spice mixes you could easily make at home:

Spice Blends: Fajita, Chili, Taco Seasoning Mixes 

Crushed Red Pepper / Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix and Taco Seasoning Mix 

It’s National Chili Day on February 25… Celebrate!!   

You could also offer your guests a choice by making a Piña Colada or two.

That drink also inspired a song.

Hints:

Margarita can be served shaken with ice (on the rocks), blended with ice (frozen margarita), or without ice (straight up).

Use glasses ranging from cocktail and wine glasses to pint glasses and schooners.

The drink is traditionally served in the margarita glass, a stepped-diameter cocktail glass that looks like an inverted sombrero.

In formal settings margaritas are served in a cocktail glass, while in informal settings, particularly with ice, margaritas may be served in an old-fashioned glass.

Besides Cointreau, other orange-flavoured liqueurs that might be used include Grand Marnier, Gran Gala, other brands of triple sec, or blue curaçao (for the blue margarita).

Alternate fruits and juice, such as mango, peach, strawberry, banana, melon, or raspberry, can also be used in a margarita. 

It’s traditional to prepare the glass in this way:

Place salt in a smal bowl.

Rub the rim of the glasses with a lime slice.

Dip the rim of the glasses in the salt.

Set aside.

                        Margarita, as in Esquire magazine, December 1953

Pour over crushed ice

1 ounce tequila

Dash of Triple Sec

Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon

Stir and carefully pour into prepared glass.

                        Margarita ll

Pour into a blender or shaker with crushed ice

7 ounces tequila     

4 ounces Cointreau    

3 ounces lime juice 

Blend or shake very well until smooth.

Carefully pour into the glasses, taking care not to dislodge any salt.

Garnish with 

a lime slice

About the moon and sky next week…

According to the Farmers Almanac:

February 22 – February’s Full Snow Moon at 1:20 p.m. Learn how it got its name in this short Farmers’ Almanac video.

On February 22 Jupiter shines as a brilliant silvery “star” in Leo low in the eastern sky as evening twilight is ending. Jupiter will arrive at opposition to the Sun on March 8th and thereafter will now appear to climb higher in the evening sky. 

This giant planet is ready for telescopic observing by 9:30 p.m., roughly one-third of the way up from the horizon.  It reaches its highest position in the south around 1 a.m. and is heading toward its setting in the west after sunrise.

February 23 – Look to the east in the evening and see Jupiter sitting just 2° to the upper left of a nearly-full Moon.  Usually when the Moon is this bright, it will overwhelm most stars that are this close to it, but not Jupiter.  

Please don’t call the local radio station to say you’ve seen a UFO!

February 29 –  Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars of Gemini are nearly overhead at around 9 p.m.

Handy Links, Especially for Winnipeggers

Winnipeg 311 / City Services links

My Right Care for all medical questions!

Global News, CTV News and CBC News

What you can recycle

Hot Zones for deer and motorist collisions

The Canadian Mental Health Association

First Fridays in the Exchange


If you or someone you know needs help, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline now at
1-800-273-TALK (8255).

If you live in Manitoba:
Crisis stabilization unit
204-940-3633
Klinic 24 hour suicide crisis line
204-786-8686
Manitoba suicide line
1-877-435-7170

In Canada, for links and numbers click here: 24-hour suicide crisis lines in your province.

SENIORS RESOURCE COUNCILS IN MANITOBA

Please check these Safety Reminders

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service

Highway conditions for: Manitoba……... Saskatchewan
Ontario………... North Dakota……………….Minnesota

Safe Schools Manitoba tells you how to Stop Bullying. Other problems?
Check out Kids Help Phone and If you need help stopping online abuse

Help animals through The Animal Rescue Site. It's FREE!
D'Arcy's Arc is a Winnipeg no-kill animal shelter.
Check happenings at The Winnipeg Humane Society

Visit Shelmerdine for expert gardening advice.

Sage Garden Herbs has an on-line store.

It's Showtime!!!!
Manitoba Food Events
Fresh Manitoba Produce
Manitoba Farmers' Market
Manitoba Food Processors Links
Christmas / Holiday Favorites
EASY FAMILY RECIPES!

Heard about a food recall?
Visit Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Speak to a dietician to eat better.
Nutrition A - Z
Food sources for vitamins
Canada's Food Guide
Check out these Safety Reminders.

One of the first rules for getting fresh vegetables at their best quality - and cheapest price - is to buy them in season.  These are the dates for fresh produce in the midwest area of North America.  Buying Fresh Produce in Season.
If you live further south, or on the east or west coast, you have a longer season. Here's the produce grouped by when they're in season.
Menus Planning with Fresh Produce

Barefoot in the Park in Winnipeg by Margaret Ullrich

Last summer I posted about our move to British Columbia in 1972.

I explained that I had been deeply impressed by seeing Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's 

movie The Long, Long Trailer when I was in elementary school.

Inspired by Lucy's adventure, I was sure that one day I, too, would live in a trailer.

A few years later, Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park premiered on Broadway in 1963.

That production starred Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. 

The play was made into a film in 1967, starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

So, Barefoot was part of popular culture during my high school years.

In Simon's play a newly wed couple live on the top floor of a New York brownstone.

Corrie and Paul had to walk up 6 flights of stairs to get to their top floor flat.

Well... Five flights, if you don't count the front stoop.

The apartment was a tiny, barely liveable dump.

Snow drifted through the hole in the roof.

The bride was a well meaning optimist.

The groom said things like "Well, I'm 26, and cold as hell" and got sick.

The only sign of a neighbour was the pile of empty cans of tuna fish by the door.

An eccentric older man guided them through the adventure of life in their new city.

In 1975 I went from Lucy in the trailer to Corrie in the attic as a lifestyle role model.

Okay…  maybe I don't think things through.

Paul and I were living in an attic apartment which had one room and a kitchen.

It was a third floor walkup - four flights, if you didn't count the front stoop.

As was said in Barefoot:  It may be a stoop, but it climbs like a flight.

Thanks to the sloping ceiling, Paul couldn't stand up in half of the apartment.

A preschooler couldn't stand up in half of it.

We slept in our sleeping bags.

It was like we were perpetually camping, with all the discomforts.

We shared the bathroom with Mrs. Solomon, who lived across the hall.

Actually, it was bathrooms.

One room had a tub and a sink, the other room had a toilet.

We never saw Mrs. Solomon.

Every morning and afternoon we heard the clanging from her bag of bottles.

We spent many evenings debating whether they were bottles of soda or booze.

Winnipeg is where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet in the Canadian Prairies.

It's at the longitudinal centre of North America, away from mountains and oceans.

As a result, it has an extreme humid continental climate.

Extreme doesn't begin to describe it.

It has gotten as high as 42.2 °C (108 °F) in July 1936.

And as low as −47.8 °C (−54.0 °F) in December 1879.

That's a hell of a difference. 

They say Winnipeg has four distinct seasons.

Right.  If you're away on the wrong weekends, you can miss Spring and Fall.

Needless to say, there was no air conditioning in that apartment.

We barely survived the summer in it.

The summer of 1975 was a really hot summer.

Stores had run out of fans.

Updates on when fans might be coming to the stores were on the nightly news.

Paul came down with heat stroke.

We knew that winter was going to be just as bad.

We wondered about the heating system.

Six months later a second floor apartment was vacant.

We grabbed it.

Paul could stand up anywhere in the apartment.

There was a separate bedroom.

We bought a mattress and set up a bed.

Mr. Brown, the fellow who had explained the parking ban, was our new neighbour.

We shared another pair of bathrooms with him.

No problem.

Unlike Victor Velasco, Mr. Brown was bemused and helpful, like a kindly uncle.

Widowed, he had moved to the apartment to be near the Legion.

Paul enjoyed working in the art department of Bulman Brothers, a printing firm.

I liked working at an Italian bakery which was a couple of blocks from our apartment.

Things had taken a turn for the better.

In the 1970s Winnipeg didn't have many of the tourist things it has now.

Still, it had a certain charm.

Winnipeg had an active downtown, where people gathered, walked and shopped.

There were attractive store windows, like the toy-filled one that mesmerized the boys in A Christmas Story.

Winnipeg had fascinating small ethnic stores, historic movie theatres and restaurants.

This was before the oversized malls and big box stores destroyed many downtowns.

If there was a movie or show we wanted to see, we'd just stroll downtown.

After a show we'd pick up some treat - for a while we went through a 'fancy cheese' phase - and we'd nibble as we walked home.

We saw as many events, festivals and sights as we could.

We went to all the Folklorama pavilions.  

Back then they crammed the whole world into one week.

Those were our Barefoot in the Park days…

Where it says keep off the grass 

Isn't recommended for the very old 

But when you're young and you're in love 

The world is beautiful.

Winnipeg Bound in 1975 by Margaret Ullrich

Today is the first full moon of 2013.

The full moon usually means the end of a moon's cycle.

In 1975 it was the end of the cycle of our living in British Columbia.

We had just been through a rather strange few months.

The previous July we had gone camping in Alberta.

Saw the Stampede in Calgary… camped in the parks… toured Edmonton.

We liked Edmonton quite a bit.

We even toyed with the idea of moving there.

But, Paul had said he had a secure future with Carolina Publications.

Since we were in our twenties, a secure future sounded really good to have.

So we returned to the basement suite of our duplex in Surrey. 

Surrey in those days was barely more than a giant farmer's field.

I went to work for an accountant and did payrolls for lumber companies.

Paul went back to work at Carolina Publications.

We had our plans.

Well, as the saying goes, Man plans and God laughs.

Within a few weeks British Columbia went into one of its bust cycles.

Layoffs in the lumber industry meant my employer wasn't doing payrolls.

Reduced advertising revenues meant Carolina Publications had to cut back.

Paul and I were both unemployed.

But we were young and Paul was in the union.

There were union jobs available in Winnipeg.

No problem.  We'd move to Winnipeg.

Armed with a half dozen submarine sandwiches, we traveled by CN rail to Winnipeg.

It wasn't a luxury ride like the one we enjoyed for our fortieth anniversary last April.

We were sitting in coach all the way across the Rockies.

That's something that should only be done by folks in their twenties.

It wasn't the first time we moved quickly, if not comfortably, across the continent.

We arrived in the morning and went to a rather seedy motel.

Well, it was cheap.

Since we'd been living in British Columbia we didn't exactly have clothing warm enough for Winnipeg in January.

Well, we were young and hardy and in too much of a panic to notice.

The day after we arrived Paul had his job interview and was again employed.

We celebrated by going to the movies.

Towering Inferno.

It was about a burning skyscraper.

Perfect… it reminded us things can always get worse.

After another two days we found an attic apartment.

A third floor walkup which had one room and a kitchen.

Thanks to the sloping ceiling, Paul couldn't stand up in half of it.

Hell, a preschooler couldn't stand up in half of it.

We shared the bathroom with an elderly woman who lived across the hall.

None of that mattered. 

The landlord allowed pets.

We paid the rent for February so no one else could take it.

Within four days we had redesigned our future.

It was time to return to Surrey.

Slight problem - CN had gone on strike.

We had to refund our train tickets and go to Greyhound for bus tickets.

Train or bus didn't matter.

It was another trip where we had to sit all the way across the Rockies.

Armed with another half dozen submarine sandwiches, we headed back to Surrey.

Uncrate the Sun at Winnipeg Mardi Gras by Margaret Ullrich

Winter in Manitoba...

If you're of a certain age, and weren't a snowbird, you remember when Eaton's held the Uncrate the Sun event every winter at about this time.

For a few days we'd pretend we were someplace warm.

Spain... Mexico… warm, with different, spicy food.

I mean, how many pyrogies can anyone eat?

Last week Paul and I attended a food tasting event for Winnipeg Mardi Gras.

A sampling of what they'll be serving at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.

It was a bit like Eaton's Uncrate the Sun.

The weekend before we'd had freezing rain, followed by a blizzard.

Did we enjoy a couple of hours of New Orleans Mardi Gras warmth and fun?

Absolutely.

What is Mardi Gras?

... a traveler has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans. - Mark Twain

Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, the last night of eating rich food before the Lenten fasting.

Whatever… we loved celebrating Mardi Gras in January.

Winnipeg Mardi Gras takes place on February 15 and 16.

It just misses being on Fat Tuesday on February 12.

So what?

We're in Manitoba.

How many winter events get postponed because of the weather here?

Winnipeg Mardi Gras happens on the weekend right after Valentine's Day.

Make this a special Valentine's Day and go to Winnipeg Mardi Gras.

Experience an evening in the Big Easy without leaving town!

Valentine's Day at Mardi Gras - a two-fer!

What Winnipegger doesn't love a deal?

The Festival du Voyageur starts the same weekend, but it goes until the 24th.

You still have plenty of time to see it and have a bowl of pea soup.

And what will you eat at Winnipeg Mardi Gras?

We enjoyed Fried Oyster and Cheese Po' Boy Sandwiches, Crawfish Étouffée, 

Deep Fried Pickle Spears, Southern Sweet Potato Fries, Louisiana Crab Cakes, 

Cajun Carbonarra with Spicy Sausage and Chicken, and New Orleans Shrimp Creole.

The food had been professionally prepared by the Convention Centre staff and a cook from the Met theatre's new Metropolitan Restaurant.

They did an excellent job of preparing the dishes.

They were also very friendly, eager to answer questions about the ingredients.

Think Cajun means red hot chilli peppers?

Afraid you'll have a four alarm fire in your stomach?

Don't be.

The food was well seasoned but not overwhelmingly hot.

Craving a fiery experience?

There were bottles of hot sauce available at each station.

The Deep Fried Pickle Spears were interesting.

Be warned: pickles are mostly water.

After frying they were like solid steam.

Nibble, don't chomp down on it.

Cajun Carbonarra has a definite garlic kick.

If you're celebrating Valentine's Day, share a dish.

Just saying... 

And to drink?

We sampled Fireball Whisky, a blend of cinnamon and whisky.

Delightful… do try it!

Want to come to Winnipeg Mardi Gras on February 15 and 16?

The general admission tickets are $16.00 and can be purchase through

JDRF  (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)     

MAAC (Manitoba Association of Auto Clubs) 

Manitoba Blues Society    

Adventures for Successful Singles  

The Happy Monkey Club
Ticketmaster    

Come, put on a set of Mardi Gras beads, eat, party and enjoy!!

Bye, Bye, MSOS & Aqua Books by Margaret Ullrich

Maybe there's something in the air.

On July 31, The Manitoba Society of Seniors shut its doors.

The MSOS, a non-profit organization, had been in Manitoba for over 30 years. 

MSOS members paid an annual fee of $20; $30 for a household. 

In return they received free personal income tax preparation, the monthly Journal, Fifty and Beyond, as well as recreation and travel discounts. 

Now if one was over 50 and wanted those items, that seemed fair.

But, if one didn't want those services, well, there are better ways to spend $30.

According to the MSOS, they represented the views of older Manitobans with government, the media, business and employer groups.

The Manitoba Society of Seniors' closing wasn't covered by the media.

So much for their media presence and contacts.

The only media that covered the MSOS ending was their journal, Fifty and Beyond.

A stack of F & B was at the Winnipeg Free Press building, along with the free weeklies.

I don't know where or how else a non-member would have heard of their news.

I googled.

Nada.

Fifty and Beyond's editor, Andrea Geary, had her own opinion of the MSOS ending. 

Her editorial was almost as good as Professor Hill's Trouble.

His show-stopping solo from the musical The Music Man.  

Yep, we've got trouble, right here in River City.

Nobody is going to speak up for us poor defenseless Boomers.

She made it sound like we're losing the vote.

According to Andrea, we're now invisible.

Andrea pointed out that the over-50 crowd is growing.

Well, duh.

And the board members of MSOS had expected every Boomer to join the MSOS.

Yet, their numbers have steadily fallen over the years.

Well, Andrea knows what's wrong with the "younger seniors".

We don't know we're getting old.

We're not joiners.

We lack a community spirit.

Yeah, right.

Maybe we can do our own taxes and don't want to go on their tours.

When McDonald's tries a new product and it doesn't sell, the folks at Micky D don't call customers names.

They just stop selling that product.

The customer is always right.

Speaking of customers...

On August 11, after being in business a dozen years, Kelly Hughes announced he was shutting Aqua Books' doors.

Aqua Books is a secondhand bookstore / restaurant / you name it.

Music, classes, yoga, plays.

It was almost guaranteed there was something for everybody.

Almost.

According to Kelly's e-mail, "Smart phones, Facebook, and the internet are all part of what has replaced reading time. 

I won't beat it to death, but it's an irreversible change in people's habits." 

Technology is making people read books less.

Yeah, he spread the word through an e-mail.

Ironic, eh?

News of Aqua Books' Closing hit all the media.

Radio, newspapers, television, the internet.

The CBC has an online version where people can post comments.

Pro and con. 

Some folks did say they were going to miss Aqua for a read or a feed.

But others had a different view on why Kelly's store had failed.

Along with comments on changing times, some got quite specific.

Everything from overpriced books and meals to the staff's attitude was covered.

Then there was Mr. Hughes himself.

One person posted a link to Kelly's blog.

Some had found Hughes humorous.

Some didn't.

The customer is always right.

Lindy's Cheesecake with Red Cherry Glaze, New York Style Cheesecake - Margaret Ullrich

Valentine's Day is coming up.  

Last year, around this time, I talked about Carmela's New Jersey Cheesecake.

Oy... 

That led to the Great Cheesecake Battle.

I know better now.

Never dis anybody's cheesecake.

But, in every genre, there is an icon.

In horror, there's Stephen King.

In cheesecake, there's Lindy's.

I know, nothing can compare with the Co-Op Refrigerator Cheesecake.

But, Lindy's has a certain mystique.

It conjures up Broadway, theater, glamor.

Here, for a night to remember, is the recipe for

                        LINDY'S CHEESECAKE

          

In a medium bowl combine

1 Cup sifted flour

1/4 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make a well in the center

Add

1 egg yolk

1/4 Cup soft butter

Mix, with fingertips, until dough cleans side of bowl.

Form into a ball.

Wrap in waxed paper.

Refrigerate about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400º

Grease the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan.

Remove the side from the pan.

Roll 1/3 of the dough on bottom of springform pan;

trim edge of dough.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden.

Meanwhile, divide the rest of the dough into 3 parts.

Roll each part into a strip 2 1/2 inches wide

and about 10 inches long.

Put together springform pan, with the baked crust on the bottom.

Fit dough strips to side of pan, joining ends to line inside completely.

Trim dough so it comes only 3/4 way up side of pan.

Refrigerate.

----

Preheat oven to 500º

Combine in a large bowl of electric mixer

5 (8 oz/250 g) packages of cream cheese

1 3/4 Cups sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Beat, at high speed, just to blend.

----

Beat in, one at a time

5 eggs

2 egg yolks

----

Add

1/4 Cup heavy cream

beat just until well combined.

Pour mixture into springform pan. 

Bake 10 minutes.

Reduce oven tempurature to 250º

Bake 1 hour longer.

Let cheesecake cool in pan on wire rack.

Glaze top with Red-Cherry Glaze.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

To serve:

Loosen pastry from side of pan with spatula.

Remove side of springform pan.

Cut cheesecake into wedges.

                        RED-CHERRY GLAZE

Drain and set aside

1 can (1 lb) sour red cherries, packed in water

  reserving 1/2 cup liquid

----

Combine in small saucepan

1/2 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Add

reserved cherry liquid

Stir until mixture is smooth.

Bring to boiling, stirring, over medium heat.

Boil 1 minute.

The mixture will be thickened and translucent.

Remove from heat; let cool slightly.

----

Add

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 drops red food color

reserved cherries

Cool thoroughly before spooning over cooled cheesecake.

Makes 2 cups glaze.

Serve with the Arts section of the New York Times.

Next week I'll cook up something from Ma and Carmela's Entertaining with The Sopranos.

I promise.