SC - Cheesecakes

[L Herr-Gelatt and J R Gelatt]

>
>Date: 17 FEB 98 15:45:39 AES
>From: RMcGrath at dca.gov.au
>Subject: SC - Cheesecakes
>
>I have been asked by a friend to ask the combined intellects of this group 
>(including any who are hiding behind rocks :-) if they know of a period 
>recipe for cheesecake.  The one which my friend made had no base made of 
>biscuit crumbs - it was simply *all* cheesecake.  I think it had almond 
>meal and honey in it, but I'd be very grateful to hear of any other 
>cheesecake recipes.
>
>Thank you!
>Rakhel Petrovna
>Lochac
>

Well, if you can find a copy of the recipe called Richmond Maids of Honor,
this is supposed to be a recipe created by Henry IIX's cook for his ladies
in waiting, and the story goes that it was dubbed "Maids of Honor" when
'Enry himself came upon the girls muching in the garden on small cheese
tarts. Supposedly he asked what they were called, and when they didn't know,
he named them Maids of Honor. The story goes that the recipe was given in
secret to a Cook called Richmond, who set up a bakery and began to sell
them. I do not own a "period" version of this recipe, though, and cannot
vouch for the story's veracity. Richmond Maids of Honor contain curd cheese,
peel, currants, almonds, etc. in the filling.

Alternatively, there is the "White Torta". See the quote below, excerpted
from an enormous recipe file I have for Aethelmearc's First Crown Tourney.
Sorry not to quote the originals. You can look them up in TI, however, if
that is an issue. I got it second hand---in longhand--from a TI collector in
the local group.

>White Torta (Ginger Cheesecake)
>as featured in Tournaments Illuminated Spring 1993, Issue #106, based on
two White Torta recipes, from On Honest Indulgence, and Epullario.
>Cheese Filling:
>24 oz. Ricotta cheese
>12 egg whites
>2 c. sugar
>3/4 lb. softened butter
>1/2 c. milk
>1  2-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and chopped fine
>dash of rosewater
>2  9-inch pie shells, pre-baked
>Variations: add any of the following: 2 tbsp. cinnamon, or 2 pinches
saffron, or 1/4 cup liqeur
>
>Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
>While pre-heating, beat Ricotta with mixer or whisk until smooth. Add sugar
and beat again until smooth and light. Blend in the butter and milk. Add
ginger (and other flavorings if desired).
>
>Beat egg whites untill stiff. Fold into cheese mixture. Add a dash of
rosewater. Fill pie shells and bake for approx. 45 minutes (or until center
is firm). Chill well before serving. 


Please note that "cream cheese" is a modern innovation. Any period
"cheesecake" using  a creamy rather than lumpy mixture would have probably
used something like finely broken up  or smashed curds, *possibly* a ricotta
like cheese, or something equivalent to farmers cheese mixed with a liquid.
The modern, fluffy texture and  light consistency of cheesecakes might not
have been appropriate to a historically accurate dish. Modern Cottage cheese
has a "sauce" of fresh cream added back into the curds, and so should be
drained very well if this is to be your substitution for "curds".

HTH

Aoife

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