My family is hosting a baby shower for my niece and we're so excited! She and her mate have been married for four years now and are expecting a baby this Fall...the first baby in our family for many years. You can picture how elated we were when she agreed to let us host her first shower.
Preparing for the baby shower was an easy task. Simply choose the people to be invited, choose the color scheme in which to decorate, and determine the food to be served. What?!? Refreshments!?! I am so tired of the usual cake and ice cream. BLAH! I wanted to serve something as special as our niece is. What to serve; what to serve? Who would have thought that this would have been the biggest problem in planning for this happy occasion? I eventually decided to serve something a bit different. I wanted a treat that was sweet and filling, yet tart and light. Cheesecake is what came to mind.
Cheesecake is a favorite desert of our family's. Its distinctly sweet, yet tangy, flavor and light, creamy texture is a delightful taste sensation. We often crave cheesecake as a satisfying snack, as well, because of the different varieties from which to choose. New York style cheesecake can be topped with fruits of your choosing, making a refreshing and healthy option. Our family's favorite fruit toppings include juicy red strawberries, plump Marionberries, or sweet peaches. Chocolate cheesecake is decadent enough to satisfy all chocolate cravings and makes a wonderfully rich choice. Key Lime cheesecake offers an extra tartness which cleanses the palate, creating a unique desert experience and leaving your mouth refreshed.
Cheesecake is very, very easy to serve. Simply slice into any shape and portion size and scoop onto the plate. It can be eaten with either a fork or spoon. My favorite utensil to use when eating cheesecake is a "spork"...you know...the spoon/fork combination. It is not messy, nor does it have many crumbs, so clean-up is a breeze. Cheesecake can be kept frozen until the time it is desired or it can be stored in the refrigerator for several days ahead of time; thus eliminating last-minute preparations.
Toppings and flavors for cheesecake are only as limited as your imagination. Fruits such as juicy strawberries, firm blueberries, or sweet peaches are wonderful toppings for cheesecake. They offer a healthy, flavorful addition to the tartness of cheesecake. Chocolate or caramel syrup drizzled over each cheesecake slice offers another tasty treat. Or, try raspberry jam swirled over the top.
For my wonderful niece's shower, I finally chose to serve turtle cheesecake. The combination of chocolate and caramel drizzled over each piece and topped with chopped walnuts combines to make a delicious and memorable refreshment. To stay with the baby shower theme, I am going to decorate each piece with a miniature baby bottle or baby rattle, alternating them throughout the entire cake, culminating in a festive appearance.
The author is a writer, who loves parties. She often serves
turtle cheesecake. She is also a proud aunt and grandmother.
