The secret to making cheesecake that’s light and airy, with a rich and creamy yet feathery texture, is simple and twofold. Low and slow. That’s according to Thomas Speight, who owns Spokane Cheesecakes with his wife, Gillian. The bakeshop, which opened in December and celebrated its grand opening at the end of April, specializes in small, individual-sized cheesecakes. The couple have developed more than 30 flavors of crust and cake combinations – from their signature Mayan chocolate cheesecake with chocolate ganache, Saigon cinnamon, a hint of chile, and dark-chocolate- and-orange-scented crust, to their limón cheesecake with a vanilla-lemon crust. While the Speights specialize in mini-cheesecakes, they take custom orders for the full-size variety/Adriana Janovich, SR. More here. (SR photo: Thomas Speight, who co-owns Spokane Cheesecakes with his wife, Gillian, makes a batch of ginger cheesecakes)

DFO: Quite possibly the greatest dessert ever created is huckleberry cheesecake (made annually for Yours Truly by a long-time family friend. It's a slice of heaven. Strawberry rhubarb is a close second. What is your favorite dessert?)