Brought to you by Philadelphia® Cream Cheese

NATIONAL CHEESECAKE DAY

While we never need a reason to indulge in this sinful confection, National Cheesecake Day on July 30 calls for treating your taste buds to a thick slice (or four) of decadent cheesecake. Cheesecake lovers unite! This creamy confection has long since held a prominent place on dessert menus and in our hearts. Whether due to the notion that it’s more nutritious than its pastry counterparts (it’s certainly not, but hello, calcium!), or simply because its dense richness satisfies like no other, cheesecake is a sought-after indulgence. Whatever your preference for this delightful treat, celebrate this beloved dessert with its rich taste - and history. 

HISTORY OF CHEESECAKE

More closely resembling a pie than a cake, cheesecake’s origins can be traced back to the Greek island of Samos in 2000 BC - documenting quite a long love affair with this famous dessert! Cheesecake was thought to be a potent energy source - and was even used as a protein boost for the athletes of the 776 BC Olympic Games. It stands to reason, if you’re going to gorge yourself on cheesecake, you’d better do enough exercise to compensate. The Greeks also ate cheesecake to celebrate weddings, a tradition which became the forerunner of wedding cakes.

The Romans conquered ancient Greece, and with it, its recipe for the divine cake, adapting it to include eggs. Cheesecake eventually made its way to Western culture, further evolving with the addition of milk, butter, and sugar.

In the late 19th century, Americans began adding the newly invented cream cheese to the mixture, perfecting the lusciously smooth result we are familiar with today.

Cheesecake continues to boast a variety of regional recipes, with countries worldwide enjoying their own version of cheesecake, from the cloud like Parisian sort to New York’s thick classic served without toppings.

FUN CHEESECAKE TRIVIA

• American cream cheese was accidentally developed in 1872, by dairyman William Lawrence of New York, while looking for a way to replicate the French Neufchâtel. He distributed it under the name Philadelphia® (known for its high-quality dairy farming), which was eventually bought by the Kraft company, who still produces it today.
• Archeologists excavated cheese molds in ancient Greece which were dated circa 2,000 B.C.
• “The Golden Girls” cast consumed more than 100 cheesecakes during the seven-year TV run.
• February 10 is National Cream Cheese Brownie Day.
• March 6 is National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day.
• April 23 is National Cherry Cheesecake Day.
• May 26th is National Blueberry Cheesecake Day.
• October 21 is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day. 
• The largest recorded cheesecake ever weighed 4,703 pounds and was made by Philadelphia Kraft Foods Mexico in 2009.

TIPS for CHEESECAKE

Try these tips for the ultimate indulgence. Make any day a little creamier - with Philadelphia.

Tip #1 – Gentle Even Heat

Although cheesecake contains deceptively simple ingredients such as cream cheese, eggs, sugar and a graham cracker crust, baking cheesecake is both an art and a science, as the custard needs gentle even heat to prevent curdling.

Tip #2 - Add Flour or Cornstarch

The addition of flour or cornstarch will affect the consistency as well resulting in a firmer cake.

Tip #3 - Unbaked

Other cheesecake varieties are left unbaked for ideal creaminess and rely on gelatin or pudding as a thickening agent.