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Cheesecake Day
Jul 30
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"🎶 My girl she's crazy, over cheesecake all the time,
so I'll bring her cheesecake, and she'll treat me mighty fine!"
~Louis Armstrong, Cheesecake, 1965
Dancing definitely works up an apetite and might make you feel justified in perusing the dessert table at the treat table after the dance. This lively reel (or jig) is truly "a piece of cake", that is, easy to teach and learn. Are you a fan of cheesecake? Are you a dancer who prefers the rich, creamy decadence of New York Style, the traditional charm of Pennsylvania Dutch Style, the tangy twist of Country Style (Buttermilk), or the nostalgic flavors of the mid-century modern Unbaked Cheesecake? Or though you may like to have your cake and eat it too, do you prefer your cheese separately? If so, you may be the exception as cheesecake has been adored since the days of ancient Rome with popularity surges throughout the centuries. In fact, even the term "cheesecake" has been used to describe a beautiful woman since as far back as 1660! In a verse published in 1662, after the death of Oliver Cromwell (who supposedly did not care for such desserts), the poem laments Cromwell driving certain ladies of questionable repute out of town: "But ah! It goes against our hearts, To lose our cheesecake and our tarts." 🤪 🧀 🍰 🧡
A Piece of Cake
It's Cheesecake Day! This dance has figures to mimic the cutting of a cake into slices.
Depending on the type of cheese used, flavour additions, and baking techniques, a cheesecake, which has roots in ancient Rome, has many delicious variations depending on the country of origin.
In the United States:
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New York–style cheesecake relies upon heavy cream or sour cream, some with a sour cream-based topping requiring twice-baking.
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Pennsylvania Dutch-style cheesecake uses a slightly tangy type of cheese with larger curds and less water content, called pot or farmer’s cheese.
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Philadelphia-style cheesecake is lighter in texture, yet richer in flavor than New York style cheesecake.
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Country-style cheesecake uses buttermilk to produce a firm texture while increasing acidity to extend shelf life.
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An unbaked cheesecake, using flavoured uncooked cream-cheese on a crumbled-biscuit base, also became popular in the 20th century.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland:
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Cheesecake is typically made with a base of crushed, buttered biscuits and often topped with a fruit compote. The usual filling is a mixture of cream cheese, sugar, and cream, and is not baked, but refrigerated. Common fruits used are: black cherry, blackcurrant, strawberry, passionfruit, raspberry, and lemon curd.
In Scotland:
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A smoked salmon cheesecake is a savoury version of a cheesecake.
In South Africa:
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South Africa has many different varieties of cheesecake, including one made with whipped cream, cream cheese, gelatine for the filling, and a buttered digestive biscuit crust. It is not baked, and is sometimes made with Amarula liqueur, a cream liqueur made from the fruit of the African marula tree.
In Germany:
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German-style cheesecake (Käsekuchen, Quarkkuchen, Matzkuchen; Topfenkuchen in Austria) uses quark (a fresh cheese made from sour milk) . The Käsesahnetorte (cheese cream tart) adds cream and is not baked.
For an authentic Bavarian Cheesecake recipe using "quark" click the "piece of cake."
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
