Patch Taste-Tests Local Cheesecakes

Saturday, July 30 is National Cheesecake Day, an event for which Patch could hardly leave its readers unprepared.

That's why editors Kathy Shaskan of Morris Township-Morris Plains Patch and John Dunphy of Morristown Patch happily rose to the occasion and taste-tested five local slices from the following businesses:

• , Morris Township
• , Morristown
• Rod's Steak House, Morris Township
• , Morris Plains Farmer's Market, Morris Plains
• (salad bar), Morristown

The intention was to taste just the cheesecake. In cases where toppings were added, they were avoided.

The two editors were in near-perfect agreement. The cheesecake from the Fairchild Market in Morris Township came out on top, not just in taste, but in slice size and price.

Approx.

Price

Slice

Size

John's

Ranking

Kathy's

Ranking

From the transcipt of the tasting:

ROUND ONE:

Fairchild Market:

JD: Mmmm.

KS: Mmmm.

JD. This one is soft, it's got a little bit of that chunkiness, which is kind of like Mom used to make for me. It's not super smooth, which is good. I find when a cheesecake is just super, super smooth it almost feels artificial. Mmm, that's good.

KS: This is light. It has less of that cloying sweetness you get in some cheesecakes. Very nice. The texture is really good. 

Provesi

JD: Now this one's from Provesi. Mmmm. 

KS: This one is totally different.

JD: It's completely different because it's a ricotta cheesecake.

KS: The texture is almost cakey.

JD: Slighty, yes.

KS: Very nice flavor.

JD: I actually really like it.

KS: Slightly less sweet than I would like.

JD: I actually don't mind it being less sweet. I like that a lot.

Rod's Steak House

JD: Hmm, that one seems a little smoother and less chunky than the Fairchild Market One.

KS: I'm tasting something. Maybe lime? Not sure.

JD: I think I like the Fairchild Market one better, though.

KS: Right now, for me, they're still on par with one another.

Mara's:

KS: And here we've got Mara's

JD: Very popular place.

KS: I taste vanilla. Very good.

JD: Mmm. That is very good.

KS: Nice flavor. The sweetness is just right in that. But, I feel I have to revisit Fairchild Market and Rod's.

JD: I'm still really liking the Fairchild Market.

KS: Me too.

A&P salad bar.

JD: Alright. My first impression is that it kind of reminds me a little bit of Jello Cheesecake. It's very stiff and a little gummy.

KS: The texture's not great. It is gummy. It would only be okay for a real cheesecake emergency.

ROUND TWO:

Fairchild Market, Rod's and Provesi

JD: Now, this time around I notice less diference.

KS: And I noticed more of a difference. I think I've got to give it to the Fairchild Market. That's the one I like the best.

JD: They're pretty close. It's hard to say which ones are one and two for me. If I was just giving an opposing opinion, I'd give it to Provesi–go Morristown!–I just really like the fact that it is slightly different. I'm not a cheesecake nut but I like that. I can see it going with a nice, strong coffee. But overall, I think I have to go with Fairchild Market too. It's very, very good. Unfortunately, the salad bar cheesecake from A&P just couldn't hold up. Mara's was pretty good and the Rod's steak House wasn't bad.

KS: I think, with the exception of the A&P cheesecake, all four of them are very respectable desserts. You'd be happy to get them at a restaurant. 

JD:I have to say that the slice from Fairchild Market was four bucks and it's a good size slice.

KS: A big slice.

JD: So that was an excellent value. 

JD: And then there's the 85 cent one, which I don't care about ever trying again.

KS: Agreed.