I had a sort of interview this week. It was not a job interview. It an interview with two directors who will be part of a committee involved in making decisions over the sort of assignments that can be offered or extended to Jack and me once we are married.
I knew this was coming. I knew they wanted to have a chat with me on my own, rather than me with Jack sitting next to me. I understood why it was important. But I had been feeling very tense about the scenario of being asked questions that may well push my buttons and reveal emotional frailties and vulnerabilities.
Jack suggested it might be less stressful if we have a bite to eat together. I am not sure if it was more or less tense, but I saw an opportunity to make a good impression by feeding them lovely food. Jack told me that one of that one of the two men who were coming is always telling people that I made the best cheesecake he has ever tried. (The one he means – it was not actually the cheesecake he loved, it was the blueberry cinnamon compote.) So, Jack asked me to make a cheesecake.
So I did…I made a post cheesecake…(not this one, scroll down if you want to see the real one!)
Due to my lactose intolerance, I only make cheesecakes for other people. But I try to have a little just so I know it if is a good cheesecake or not. In my cheesecake making history, I have always been a little nervous of baked cheesecakes because they sometimes end up a little rubbery. On the whole, friends and family seem to prefer chilled cheesecakes.
I found a recipe for a baked Strawberry Praline Cheesecake, and it looked quite interesting. So I made it…and it was really good – not rubbery – but wonderfully creamy and light. It has a shortbread and praline base, a very deep cheesy layer rippled with strawberries, and is decorated with more crushed praline and fresh strawberries.
The cheesecake I made was a bit huge. So, the two gentleman only ate a slice each. I took half of the remainder into work the next day, and I took the other half to the home of some friends who assured me they could devour it!
When I came home last night, there was an email from one of my friends saying “You are a cheesecake goddess”. Of course, I am not going to accept that accolade, but I think that means they liked it!
Caramel 