Alda Takes the Cake!

My mother’s mother was Alda Avita Fernandes Gregson. She was really the grandparent that I knew best.

Alda Avita Fernandes Gregson 1940's

My dad’s parents had died long before I was born, and my mom’s dad died when I was really young. So it was my mother’s mother, who my sisters, brothers and I all called Gram (or Gramma), that I knew best.

She was many things other than just being our grandma. As a young girl, she wanted to be an artist. She was glamorous and had a life long love affair of movie stars; she loved clothes and getting dressed up.

Gram looking Glam in the 1980's

I remember her as someone who loved to read, loved getting attention, and loved to laugh. She had a sweet tooth like no one else I knew. She always kept ice cream in her freezer and some sort of pastry on hand. I don’t remember her as being a great cook.

Being a great cook was not her most famous role

One thing I do recall her making was her Lindy’s Cheesecake. But to be honest, it was not really hers. She took it.

Lindy's was a famous New York restaurant that opened in 1921 by Leo “Lindy” Linderman and his wife Clara.

An early shot of Lindy's NYC

The original restaurant was located in New York City between 49^th and 50^th and was frequented by many show people and celebrities in its day.

Lindy's NYC postcard.

Lindy’s was and perhaps still is most famous for it’s cheesecake. Lindy's cheesecake has been described as the “most famous in the United States”.

The original Lindy’s closed it last location in 1969, but it’s legend lives on. In the musical Guy and Dolls, even Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson sang the praises of Lindy’s Cheesecake. One taste and you will know why.

Call it what you may, Gram's Cheesecake or Lindy's Famous Cheesecake, when I was growing up, this cheesecake was a staple on our holiday table.

As my mother tells it, it was really my mother who first obtained the recipe (and this was long before anyone ever heard of the internet) . It was my mom who gave the recipe to my grandmother.

My mother (Judy) gives it to her mother (Alda)

For as long as I can remember, family gatherings and big meals always happened at my parent’s house with my mom doing all the cooking. Guests were encouraged to bring something to share if they so chose.

Even though my grandmother was not remembered for her great cooking, she did make a great cheesecake, so that is what she brought her cheesecake each time. Today I offer you the recipe she followed.

Just to keep the record straight and in the spirit of full disclosure, remember it was my mom who first obtained the recipe and first made the cheesecake. But it will always be the cheesecake I associate with Gram.

Because of this, with my apologies to Leo and Mom, it is Gram who takes the cake.

Lindy’s Famous… Nah, let’s make that Gram’s Famous Cheese Cake

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour, sifted

¼ Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Peel

½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Egg Yolk

¼ Cup Unsalted Butter (softened)

Filling:

5 8-ounce sized packages of Cream Cheese

1 ¾ Cups Sugar

3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour

1 ½ teaspoons grated Lemon Peel

1 ½ teaspoon grated Orange Peel

¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

5 Eggs

2 Egg Yolks

¼ Cup Heavy Cream

Pineapple Glaze:

2 tablespoons of Sugar

4 Teaspoons of Cornstarch

2 Cans of Crushed Pineapple (do not drain)

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 drops of Yellow Food Coloring

Directions:

Crust:

Combine the Flour, Sugar, and Lemon Peel. Whisk together. Create a mound in the center of your bowl and then make a well in the mound. I always told my kids you need to make a nest before you add the eggs. Add in the Egg Yolk, Vanilla Extract and the Butter. Mixed together with clean hands until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl.

Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9” spring form pan. Remove the sides of the pan.

Roll 1/3 of the dough and use it to fill the bottom of the pan. Trim off the edges. Bake the bottom of the crust without the sides on the pan for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven preheated to 400 degrees.

Divide the rest of the dough into 3 parts. Roll each into strips 2 ½ inches wide and about 10 inches long.

Once the bottom crust has cooled, put the spring form pan back together and then fill the sides with the strips of raw dough. Be sure that the sides only come up 3/4s of the way up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate pan until ready to add the filling.

Filling:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine 5 packages of 8 oz Cream Cheese, the Sugar, Flour, Lemon Peel, Orange Peel and Vanilla Extract. Cream together. Next beat in eggs one at a time. Don’t try to save time by adding them all at once. When you add one at a time, it allows the eggs to incorporate better and add in the air you will need to keep the cake light.

Add in the Heavy Cream and beat until blended.

Remove pan from the refrigerator pour in filling.

Bake in 500-degree oven for JUST 10 MINUTES. REDUCE oven temperature to 250 and bake 1 hour longer.

Set the cake on a wire rack and allow the cheesecake to cool.

Filling:

In a saucepan, combine the Sugar, Cornstarch and whisk together before adding any additional ingredients or turning on the heat. Next add in the two cans of Crushed Pineapple (do not drain of juice), the Lemon Juice and the Yellow Food Coloring. Turn the stove on to Medium Heat and bring to a boil. Boil one minute or until it thickens and becomes translucent. Allow glaze to cool before pouring over the cooled cheesecake.

If you get invited to a party and someone invite you to bring something for dessert, consider making Gram’s cheesecake. That way you can take the cake.