The Food That Built America Recap for Cheesecake Chronicles

 

This week’s episode of The Food That Built America on The History Channel is called Cheesecake Chronicles and talks about the history of one of the most famous desserts in the country…..one of the top five, in fact!

 

The earliest versions was meant to fuel the body and then was made with cheese curd in Europe, making them less sweet.

 

In Chester, NY, William Lawrence was working on his dairy farm. He realizes this is hard work, so he decides to make his own cheese to not waste his product.

At the same time, French cheese is becoming more popular, leading him to make Neufchâtel in a creamier version, inventing what we now know as cream cheese.

 

It becomes popular and one day, when he realizes that there is a lot of gaps in his shipping box, decided to make it into a brick, therefore selling and shipping more of the product.

 

In 1880, he meets Alva Reynolds, cheese broker. He suggests they collaborate and although William is resistant to the idea, Alva convinces him that they can make it into an American staple…..Philadelphia cream cheese.

The name came from the aura and knowledge of Philadelphia’s dairy farming life. William thinks it is dishonest, but Alva says it is not made there, it is just the brand name.

The two partner up and the product is a HIT.

 

. Kraft would go on to take over and buy it, making it a nationwide product.

 

In 1929, Arnold Reuben is a restaurant owner known for celebrity guests and delicious food, including the Reuben sandwich. He was also known for hosting parties and cooking.

One night, a friend brought over a cheese pie, which was not sweet, but interesting. Reuben enjoyed it enough to make his own version, using the famous Philadelphia cream cheese and sugar…..inventing the cheesecake.

 

It would be served in the restaurant and becomes the talk of the town. Several other places, including Lindy’s would make their own version and then Junior’s would make one of the most famous of all.

This would be known as the New York Style cheesecake, but the nation wanted in on the action, particularly Kraft, who would put their own version of the dessert on cream cheese boxes. This would put the company on the map.

 

Back in Chicago, a bakery owner named Charles Lubin works on his own version of cheesecake. He’d been in business with his brother-in-law, but once he left, Charles took over completely and would go on to make the Sara Lee brand, named after his daughter.

The cheesecake is a huge success and pretty soon, people want to have it shipped. Charles wishes he can do this and realizes that this could be a huge opportunity.

 

In Detroit, a woman is making a new dessert for her husband’s boss. Evelyn Overton made a cheesecake recipe she found in the paper but made it her own. This impressed the boss so much that he told her to go into business making it.

 

Back in Chicago, Charles is still selling cheesecakes but wants to take it to the next level by shipping them nationwide. He experiments with ways to make this happen and it isn’t until he sees a box of frozen vegetables that he tries flash freezing the dessert using a disposable baking tin he created.

This idea works and is a huge hit and soon there are even more frozen baked goods added, including their famous pound cake.

 

Sara Lee would be sold to Consolidated Foods, making the brand expand even further….complete with the ‘nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee’ jingle.

 

By now, Evelyn is working on her own cheesecake business. She takes time off to raise her kids, but would go on to come up with one of the most famous cheesecake restaurants….The Cheesecake Factory, thanks to the support and help from her family.

Her son David comes up with the idea of opening a bakery in LA, where they would sell the cheesecakes wholesale. They would also experiment with different toppings and flavors, but plain remained the favorite.

David then says they should just open their own restaurant focusing on the various flavors of cheesecakes…..and BOOM! The Cheesecake Factory is born.

 

It is a hit and people want to come back to try every flavor of cheesecake. The restaurant and menu would expand, making it one of the most iconic menus in the nation and worth billions.

 

Consolidated Foods became the Sara Lee Corporation and makes billions per year.

 

Philadelphia cream cheese is also worth billions and is one of the top cream cheese brands in the nation.