The Birthday Party That Isn't Going To Happen

Today's Card: The Intuit

Last June, I thought about having a birthday dinner party combined in celebration of the first anniversary of The Game of You food blog and decided all the recipes I cooked for it would also be from the blog. I thought about the twenty-five wonderful friends I wanted to invite and knew I would have to rent a really long table to put in the backyard. Being an avid lover of cooking magazines, I have seen countless layouts of beautiful parties in people’s backyards. The table is always set perfectly, flowers are arranged with a color palette and style, food is plated gorgeously, and everyone looks like they are having such a good time. The hosts in the pictures always look so calm and relaxed as they toss a mixed green salad on their kitchen island and the guests stand around with a glass of wine in hand, laughing and talking as the hosts prepare.

I planned the party in my mind: I would serve small plates, tapas/ mezze style, and feature only vegetarian recipes since several friends I wanted to invite were vegetarian. I would serve wine with a plate of boreks and green grapes for cocktail hour - my first attempt at making the boreks since watching my mother-in-law make them several times.


For the table, I would make several dips: My favorite, the muhammara posted last year, the eggplant dip in honor of my father, and my best version of hummus with grilled pitas and zahatar in baskets on the side.








Then, I would make several salads: The fennel with pistachios and lemon slices, the carrot salad with roasted sunflower seeds, the eggplant with red pepper and pickle relish, and the traditional Israeli salad.








For something more substantial and to go with the Mediterranean theme, I would make the potato tortilla, and the zucchini and edamame pasta from last week's blog.




For desert and the champagne toast, I was planning to make my favorite thin cheesecake, a perfect light desert that isn’t too heavy or overwhelmingly sweet, and along with it, chocolate dipped strawberries on skewers arranged in a clear round flower vase filled with white sugar.


It was all carefully thought out, except one thing: How on earth would I do it all? How could I enjoy the party and not be exhausted when guests arrived? Could I pull off what I created in my mind with relaxation and ease? As I started to prepare for the party I felt myself get really anxious, and then I remembered something, something I have been aware in myself before, and something I promised myself I would remember when I found myself anxious again: Anxiety is a messenger for me to listen to my intuition and know that I am somehow pushing myself to do something I don’t have to do.

I realized that on Sept 2, I will be forty-one years old, and that this was as good a time as ever to make a mature even-keeled decision to choose relaxation and ease. So, in honor of the birthday party that isn’t going to happen, I am posting my birthday cheesecake recipe here. In my imagination, I am blowing the candles out with all the friends I love around me, and making a wish to continue following my intuition in all circumstances over the next year.



Sharon’s Cheesecake
Saveur Magazine

For the Crust:
2 cups finely crushed digestives (English whole-wheat biscuits)
1 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:
1 ½ cups cream cheese
½ cup plus 2 tbsp mascarpone
1 cup sugar
3 eggs

For the Topping:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract

1.) For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix crushed biscuits and sugar together in medium bowl. Add butter and stir until well combined. Transfer crumb mixture to a 10” springform pan. Using your hands, spread the mixture out in an even layer, then use your fingertips to press crumb mixture into bottom and side of the pan about 1 ½” to form an even crust. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until crust is set and golden in places 15-20 minutes. Set crust aside to cool.

2.) For the filling: Beat cream cheese and mascarpone together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually add sugar, beating well, about 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Pour filling into crust and bake until just set 40-45 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

3.) For the topping: Combine yogurt, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour onto cheesecake, spreading it out to cover top of cheesecake completely. Set aside at room temperature at least 2 hours before serving.

Love,
Lynn

http://www.thegameofyou.blogspot.com

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