Sluglife

I was originally going to title this post, “Ho Ho Holy Crap, How’d It Get To Be December?!” Because, well, it is December. Not just that, but it’s almost the middle of December. How did that happen? I don’t know either.
But that’s about as far as I took that one. Instead I want to talk about the incredible dessert that Anna made the other day – a gingerbread cheesecake. We were scheduled to go over to see some friends for dinner and Anna offered to make dessert. And what a dessert it was! I realize that cheesecake can be a rather polarizing dessert – some people adore cheesecake of any flavor and variety while others can’t stand the very mention of cheesecake. And while they may very well have valid reasons for their opinions, those who hate cheesecake are dead to me. I do not acknowledge their existence. To everyone who loves cheesecake (everyone), I offer this simple description: crust – crushed gingersnaps; cheesecake filling – luscious Philadelphia full fat cream cheese with spicy gingerbread…uh…spices. Heaven on a plate. Seriously.
Anna had considered making this same cheesecake for Christmas – this was kind of a test run. It easily exceeded expectations, but could it displace the tried-and-true pumpkin pie? Ah, there it is. Pumpkin pie. Please, don’t get me wrong, I really really like pumpkin pie. A lot. I do. But at the end of the day, it’s just… well, pumpkin pie. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but, come on, when you get right down to it pumpkin pie is the missionary position of holiday desserts – oh, I’ll enjoy it, sure, but there’s so much more you could be having. Like a gingerbread cheesecake. Or, hell, a pumpkin cheesecake. And while a pumpkin cheesecake tastes very similar to pumpkin pie, it’s not. It’s pumpkin pie with a kink.
Seriously, you know I’m right here – the best recipe for pumpkin pie, after all, is printed on the damn pumpkin can. Oh, but, Jordy, you can make the flakiest crust and then use fresh, organically grown pumpkin you plucked from the vine you tended in your own yard and of course you tweak the spices for just the right amount of cinnamon, and….and…
And what? You have pumpkin pie. From-scratch crust or frozen? Still pumpkin pie. Freshly ground spices? Still pumpkin pie. Baked in the OVEN OF THE LORD and served on precious china hard as nails yet a quarter inch thin and immaculately lacquered? Yeah, that’s still pumpkin pie too.
And again, I do enjoy pumpkin pie. This time of year you have to have a pumpkin pie at some point between November and December; it’s the law. There are people in Guantanamo Bay and their only crime is that they abstained from pumpkin pie during those two months. I don’t have a lot of sympathy for their plight, because pumpkin pie is worth having. But can it stand up to gingerbread cheesecake? Pumpkin pie, you’re really nice. You are. I really like you. But I just want to be friends. Really, really good friends, but just friends. I’ve got a hot date with Anna’s gingerbread cheesecake.