The first time I remember having cheesecake was when I had recently arrived in Manchester and visited my first ever delicatessen in Didsbury. (There are a lot of ‘firsts’ in that sentence, but I can’t think of another way to simply word it!) I think it was a small shop with a rather unfriendly man working there – I’m sure I was polite to him, but he was very frosty and abrupt. Anyway, I saw this unknown item in the glass fronted cabinet along with other things which were clearly desserts or cakes. It seemed to have a base, probably pastry, and then a deep, pale yellow, very solid looking filling, and a browned top. I asked for it, not knowing how it would be served so probably said something like “Please may I have a piece of that”, and he snootily said, oh the cheesecake, rather crossly. I can’t remember how it was decided the amount I would have, but I know I was almost horrified at the price – being on a student grant at the time, which wasn’t that much of course.
I left the shop with my cheesecake in a paper bag, surprised at how heavy it was, because of course I was expecting it to be a traditional cake. Possibly I was very hungry – as no doubt I’d only had a very meagre breakfast and lunch, probably porridge made with water (yes, I know it’s the traditional Scottish way) and maybe the cheapest sandwich or barm cake from the college canteen – and I couldn’t resist having a nibble of my cheesecake. I had been brought up to think that one shouldn’t eat in the street, so maybe I felt guilty, or mildly rebellious, but I opened the paper bag and took a bite out of…
Oh good heavens!! It was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted! I had never eaten anything with a texture like it, and the flavour – the flavour was just wonderful, and it was all I could do not to stuff it into my mouth, but to nibble at this delectable treat. That delight lived with me for a while until I had saved enough and was back in the area to go to the deli again – and it was closed! I tried several times, but although the shop was still operating, it was never open. Thinking back to it now, I think the proprietor was Jewish and I went there on a Saturday.
I’m remembering this now because I have just opened Philip Harben’s book “Traditional Dishes of Britain” and the second chapter is entitled “Richmond Maids of Honour” about Richmond Maids of Honour.
“It is rather wonderful to think of a simple little cheesecake not only maintaining its popularity over four centuries, but in the course of that time founding several generations of family fortunes, becoming the basis of a thriving local industry dispatching to all parts of the world and – perhaps most amazingly of all – remaining for four hundred years a closely guarded secret, Such, nevertheless, is the remarkable story of Richmond Maids of Honour.
Philip tells us that the fact that we can enjoy these tarts at all is that Henry VIII fancied Anne Boleyn and came across her and her ladies in waiting enjoying some little tarts (could the same be said of Henry himself??!!) which he found so delightful that he had his own pastrycook make some which were then called ‘Maids of Honour’!
Unfortunately, when I tasted my cheesecake, I wasn’t in a position to describe it to my cooks and have them knock up a few for my delectation, so any recipe is lost to me! I would still love to find a recipe – just as I forever seek a recipe for Passion Cake which Manchester Central Reference Library café used to make!
Lois Elsden 