An ode to consistency and cheesecake goodness
Consistency is great, right? Shouldn’t we all make a practice of doing something diligently for sheer joy and inspiration? I was going to tell you about some of my reminders of consistency lately. I wanted to tell you about all of those good parts of consistency, the bits that make you feel like a real winner for having come through in the end. But I have been feeling that at every turn, there is some reminder that I ought to be doing something more consistently. And while there are a myriad of good reasons to practice consistency in many aspects of life, sometimes I end up feeling more clobbered by the reminders than inspired. In fact, I’ve begun to wonder if I could be having consistency fatigue, which must be somewhat akin to decision fatigue.
But supposed conditions aside, I’ve been struggling to make amends with all of the various pieces of my life and their current place of my list of to-dos. Part of what got me to this place was the urging of a mentor who told me to keep working and that if I was consistent in my work, my voice would find me. My voice, my eye, whatever that mystic little piece of self is that I can share with others—whether in the written word or visual—can only find me over time. No amount of searching or cajoling is going to bail me out on this one, it is just down to hard work and effort over time.
I should know these things. Right now, I am training to run a half marathon with my sister, Tina. We’ve been training since dark, cold February. There is little that drives home the point of consistency as much as physical activity. The day-to-day repetition of something like running brings a fortitude of mind and foot that cannot be imitated. Some of those miles, the sun is shining. The air is filled with the scent of just-opened magnolia blossoms. Other miles, it’s still dark. It’s cold and my feet are wet from the rain. Let’s be clear, I am not fast. I have my good days and my bad, but always, I’m plowing through it.
One place I don’t have to try to be consistent is in the kitchen. It’s a given that I am going to want to eat every day—most of those meals prepared and shared around the cozy table in my kitchen with my family. Day after day, I keep coming back to the kitchen. Here consistency is a need, as present as the rumbling tummy of my three-year-old. Recipes to try keep stacking up and through it all, I delight in getting to come back to it again and again. I keep hoping that feeling rubs off elsewhere in my life.
Cheesecake with honeyed apricots
Adapted from Food and Wine
Truth be told, this cheesecake may be contributing to my consistency in running! The filling just chills for a few hours, which feels deliciously right in these first few days of spring.
Amaretti crust
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Pinch of kosher salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake
3/4 cup chilled heavy cream
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Honeyed apricots
3/4 cup honey
Four 3-inch rosemary sprigs
6 ounces dried California apricots
First, make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse the amaretti with salt until finely ground. Place the crumbs in a small bowl and stir in the butter. Press crumbs over the bottom and about halfway up the sides of an 8-inch springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is set. Cool on a rack.
Next, make the cheesecake: In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water; let stand about 10 minutes, until the gelatin is softened. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the heavy cream with a mixer until soft peaks form; refrigerate.
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar and salt with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally, about 5 minutes. Beat in the mascarpone and lemon juice.
Microwave the gelatin until melted, 5 seconds or so; add to the cream cheese mixture and beat until well incorporated. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and smooth the surface. Refrigerate the cake until firm and set, 4 to 6 hours.
Finally, honeyed apricots: In a medium saucepan, combine the honey with 3 cups of water and three of the rosemary sprigs. Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the honey is dissolved. Add the apricots and simmer until tender, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let apricots sit in the syrup for about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, place the apricots in a bowl. Boil the rosemary syrup until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Strain the syrup over the apricots and let cool. Garnish with the remaining rosemary sprig.
Unmold the cheesecake and serve with the honeyed apricots.
