Cheesecakes made with love

 Originally from Long Island, New York, being a North Carolina transplant has been quite the culture shock. A foodie at heart, I will always choose quality over quantity. I feel that food a particular demographic area has to offer usually trumps not-quite-the-real-thing imitations. As such, I slowly found myself swapping out bagels for biscuits, seafood for soul food, and all things Italian cuisine for all things barbecue. It was a rough transition, but I've made peace with it. I've even found some solace in swapping out my beloved bacon, egg and cheese on a Kaiser roll for an occasional scratch made sausage biscuit. But there's one food for which I've never been able to find a suitable replacement -- cheesecake! If you're like me and you occasionally (or frequently) like to indulge in a slice of silky smooth, velvety heaven then you know just how rare a find good cheesecake is. In fact, it is so rare that I gave up searching entirely and focused my efforts on baking my own to satisfy my cravings. It's been over a decade since making that decision and I'm excited to share with you some of the recipes that friends and family have come to call their favorites!

Aaron Evans