Zausner’s Creme Fraiche Cheesecake

by Gail Monaghan

The food stores were jammed this weekend, even the Wine And Cheese Cask had a long line. I hear that retailers fear a very difficult season is coming and that the early signs are very bad. I suspect that lots of people are planning to have terrific family feasts and few presents, like in olden days.

I recently made a delightful, lemony cheesecake from Lost Desserts . Much of Lost Desserts recalls fancy New York and Los Angeles restaurants of the fifties and sixties, but this one is based on memories of old Harvard Square and the introduction of creme fraiche to the U.S. by Sol Zausner by way of Sages and Cardullo’s. The tasty cultured cream came with a booklet of recipes, and this was the best. Or at least the best-remembered. The scale was prodigious, and this was the first time I was truly thankful to have the big KitchenAid 600. (I should have read more closely: “serves 20” means what it says.)

Also on the docket for Sunday was a batch of Sunday scones, a loaf of pumperknickel in my nifty new (and covered ) Pullman pan , and a big hunk of double-cut brisket that’s merrily corning away.