Grandpa’s cherished birthday cheesecake

Every year around this time, Grandpa would show up with a grocery bag filled with cream cheese and graham crackers and maybe some butter and eggs.

He had a deal with Mom, the oldest of his four children and the one who lived closest: If he would supply the ingredients, she would make him a couple of cheesecakes for his birthday.

I’m still struck by the sweet and simple request. I don’t remember Grandpa, a humble and quiet man, ever asking for anything else.

I asked plenty of him – mostly for rides. From school. To practice. To and from work.

When I was older and his eyesight worsened and reflexes slowed, I was able to return the favor by taking him to and from bingo some Sunday nights. But I never came close to chauffeuring him as many times as he chauffeured me.

Although he never talked much, I think he enjoyed having me there. He always paid for my game. I was in college by then. He was in his late 70s. And we always sat in the same place: in the back, nonsmoking room where all of the other bingo players knew him and greeted him by name.

For some reason, that made me very proud.

Bingo, the grocery store and his favorite delicatessen – Husky Deli and Catering in West Seattle – were the only places I remember him going without Grandma. It felt special to share his space.

Maybe that’s how Mom felt about Grandpa’s Birthday Cheesecake. They had an understanding.

Selfishly, I looked forward to the annual tradition of because inevitably it meant one for us. Mom always made an extra.

They were simple, dense and creamy – with just a hint of lemon – and Grandpa, who didn’t indulge in anything else besides bingo and charcuterie, took great pleasure in them. If he was around to hand-deliver ingredients, I’m sure Mom would make him as many as he wanted and I would drive him to and from his beloved bingo.

He and his cheesecake have been on my mind lately. He would have been turning 95 on Friday.

Grandpa’s Birthday Cheesecake

Mom uses recipes like suggestions. Sometimes, she adheres to them. Most of the time, she doesn’t. She makes a lot of substitutions and often combines elements of two or three recipes to make one dish.

Her cheesecake recipe is the amalgamation of a couple of recipes that she has adapted throughout the years.

But she will switch it up depending on how she’s feeling or what ingredients are on hand or whether she wants to make a trip to the store.

“Sometimes, I might substitute half of the cream cheese with ricotta cheese, or even add whipping cream, to the filling to make it extra rich – or more healthy,” she said.

Grandpa didn’t seem to mind either way. Mom’s cheesecakes always made him smile.

For the crust

8 ounces graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs

4 ounces butter, melted

2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar

For the filling

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened

8 ounces sugar

2 eggs

1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla

Lemon zest, to taste

Orange zest, to taste (optional) (Mom uses “a few sprinkles … when I have it.”)

Make the crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine all crust ingredients, then gently pat the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan.

Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, working in small batches, blend all filling ingredients until very smooth. Pour into crust-lined springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Note: To help keep it moist, place shallow pans of water in the oven on the rack beneath the cheesecake as it bakes.