After my ordeal in the hospital, I’m supposed to not only take it easy, but also eat healthy. I held back on brushing my broccoli and beef with hot pepper oil, ditched burgers and fatty foods, and limited myself to not eating too many fried fries. However, as soon as I could really get around again, I found myself walking through the doors of Upper Crust Baking.
Since my last culinary column, I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve been there at least three to four times. I had been eagerly scrolling through Davis’ location’s Instagram feed, dreaming of the day I could get my hands on these delicious and fancy pastries.
I know many of you are passionate about donuts, but I am passionate about cheesecake. I talked nonstop about how much I wanted to taste Upper Crust cheesecake, and the time finally came when I was at my friend Brittny’s. His mother brought some. I’m not one to be rude and refuse a slice of cheesecake.
I don’t claim to be a cheesecake connoisseur, but between baking my own versions, participating in frozen cheesecake on a stick at the fair, attending cheesecake tasting classes, and eating not-so-good cheesecakes – I think I’ve a well rounded opinion on the taste of a delicious cheesecake. Upper Crust Baking Cheesecake is where it’s at.
It was so good that when I walked into the bakery for my first visit, I shamelessly walked out with a whole cheesecake topped with fresh blueberries and peach slices. It was beautiful and the fresh fruit only added to the experience. It’s worth the purchase.
Cheesecake is a New York recipe. It feels dense, creamy and silky on your tongue. It’s the perfect balance of richness and sweetness baked into a flaky pie crust. I haven’t confirmed if that’s really what it is yet, but the flaky texture is what it reminded me of. And, I don’t know if I can really enjoy it with a simple, boring graham cracker crust.
I can also rave that the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake is delicious. I’m not really a pumpkin spice girl. I’m brazen enough to pretend that apples are the ultimate flavor of fall. But I was open-minded enough to grab a piece of pumpkin cheesecake on my last visit – It was a solid choice.
It’s their creamy, decadent cheesecake with folded pumpkin. And it doesn’t taste fake or processed. It doesn’t taste like the fashionable “pumpkin spice” that is being created this time of year. It tastes clean, sweet, and just like pumpkin cheesecake. I’m pretty sure it’s seasonal, so don’t wait to pop in and grab yourself a slice or three.
I also let my eldest daughter choose a slice of cheesecake for her birthday last week. She opted for the slice with chocolate on top. She was so kind, she let me have a bite to eat. It was delicious, again. I feel compelled to try every type of cheesecake they make and offer in their storefront.
I foresee a slice of cheesecake and a glass of Albariño or Roussanne wine in my future. The thought of pairing a crisp white wine with a bite of creamy cheesecake makes my mouth water at the thought. (Those are also the options on my wine rack right now. Work smarter, not harder.)
I am also a fan of homemade bread from the bakers. I’ll be transparent, though, and tell you that I’ve only brought home the Raisin Pumpernickel so far. It’s not that I don’t want to try anything else, it’s more that I loved it so much that I can’t resist grabbing a new one when I go in for cheesecake. That, and I’m married to a bread guy – I have to put up with what literally puts bread on my table.
Pumpernickel is not for everyone. But it’s one of my favorite breads (with a good marbled rye). The taste is intimate, earthy and tasty. Upper Crust Baking’s Raisin Pumpernickel does not disappoint. Each slice is filled with juicy, sweet raisins and plump, golden raisins.
I toast it and spread it over butter or cream cheese, whichever I prefer. I even added boysenberry jam on top. It’s delicious because I’m running outside to drop my kids off at school. It’s an easy snack to bring back to my office. It’s also satisfying when I know I’m one of the few people in my household who appreciates it.
If pumpernickel just isn’t your thing, Upper Crust Baking has a variety of other types of bread to try. One of these days I’ll convince myself to give Birdseed or Jewish Deli Rye a shot.
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