In different version of my life, I left Sydney for New York, not London. I would have sent the words yes please instead of no thank you as a response to the acceptance letter I received from NYU, I would have hung out in Brooklyn rather than Bloomsbury and probably wouldn't have been who I am today. Although I missed out on seeing what that choice would have resulted in, it's not something I mourn, but it will always be a city I miss. 

In my month of cooking inspired by the cities I love, I had to do New York as it is a place that truly taught me how to eat. At eighteen I went for a winter and walked everywhere to find the best of what I considered New York classics. Countless pizzas, bagels, cheesecakes, and deli sandwiches were sampled in my quest and all written up in my notebook. I went to Dean and DeLuca and bought ingredients I couldn't afford to bake a pie for friends and made use of many diners 24/7 hours with slices of cherry pie à la mode and grilled cheese. I felt so small and lost back then but in these moments of bliss with something good to eat and my notebook nearby I felt like I was seeing myself for the first time.

In a few weeks I had mastered subway changes, tipping, and the situations in which to harden the R's on words so people could understand my accent and without realising had decided what I wanted to do with my life. Nearly ten years later, the path feels like I mapped it out on the back of a napkin even though at the time I didn't know the destination.

As I write this curled up on the sofa with a cat on my toes and a slice of cheesecake by my side I want to thank you for reading. Writing this for you all is the highlight of my week and it's such a thrill seeing you cook from it and reading all of your messages. If you're feeling a little lost this week, remember you can find food that brings you back to yourself, in the tastes we love are who we are. 

 

My criteria for a perfect cheesecake is as follows. It has to be silky smooth inside with a delicate balance of sharp and sweet. The crust must have crunch and something almost savoury about it. Together these two things create a cheesecake that you simply must have another slice of. This week as I pondered what I wanted to create for New York I thought a lot about what I'm excited to eat when I'm there. 

I decided on turning a few flavours that feel like New York to me into a classic baked New York Cheesecake. The crunchy/salty combo of the crust comes from rye crackers from my love of pastrami on rye (with lots of mustard). The sharpness in the sweet of the soft cream cheese comes from the divine tartness of pink grapefruit inspired by a pink grapefruit martini I must have consumed by the litre on one trip. The final flourish of poppyseeds adds texture and bitterness to what could feel like a rich dessert and are a nod to my number one bagel choice. 

Baked Vanilla & Poppy Seed Cheesecake
with a salty rye cracker crust + a hint of pink grapefruit

• 120g of rye crackers
• 50g of caster sugar
• 1/2 a tsp of cinnamon
• 50g of melted butter

• 250g of cream cheese
• 200ml of sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of pink grapefruit zest
• 1 tsp of vanilla paste/extract
• 120g of caster sugar
• 2 tbsp of poppy seeds

Start by setting your oven to 170°C. In a food processor or blender, blitz the rye crackers, sugar, and cinnamon until it’s a textured crumb but not too fine. Tip it into a mixing bowl and pour over the melted butter. Stir the butter and blitzed crackers together until it feels like damp sand. Press it evenly into a lined spring form tin and push the crumb high up the sides. Put the empty crust into the oven and bake it for 20 minutes until it smells toasty and the edges are getting golden. Take it out of the oven and let it chill on the bench while you make the filling.

Rinse the blender or food processor and use it for your filling for the quickest cleanup and smoothest cheesecake. Add all of the ingredients (except the poppy seeds) to the blender and blend until smooth and airy. Pour this mixture into the crust and bake for 35 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of its baking, sprinkle over the poppy seeds. When it's done it will still have a jiggle to the centre when wobbled. When it's done leave it to cool completely in the oven for an hour or so and then chill it in the fridge for a few more hours before serving.