Blackberry Cheesecake -- Something Sweet for the Saints Who Carried Us

Birmingham spring, sugar. The dogwoods are budding. The yellow tulips are up. Tuesday feeding was hard this week. We ran short on cornbread because I underestimated the crowd. I will not underestimate again. The crowd ate. Nobody left without a plate, baby.

Calvin preached Sunday on Job's patience. The church said amen. I talked to Marcus this morning at the kitchen window with my coffee. I told him the kitchen was holding. He did not answer in words. He does not need to.

Fried chicken Saturday. Buttermilk overnight with hot sauce. Seasoned flour. The cast iron at three-fifty. Skin crisp. Meat juicy. Bernice's recipe. The chain holds.

I talked to Mama at the stove. I told her the recipe was right. I told her the kitchen was holding. The cast iron skillet hummed.

Bernice was here, baby. In the smell of the chicken. In the hum at the stove.

Doris called Thursday. Three times a week, the standard. We talked about Calvin's health. We talked about Harold's health. We talked about the family. We talked about what I was cooking.

I had a small cry Wednesday morning at the kitchen window. No reason in particular. The grief comes when it comes. I made coffee. I went on. That is how this works.

Sister Beulah came by Tuesday afternoon to drop off the bulletins. She stayed for coffee. We talked about the church, about her grandbaby, about the heat. The visit was the visit.

A new young wife joined the Saturday cooking class. Twenty-two years old. She does not know how to make rice. I will teach her. The chain extends.

Calvin Jr. called Tuesday night. He was tired. He had been at work twelve hours. I told him, baby, eat something. He said, Mama, I will. I said, what did you eat last. He said, a granola bar. I said, baby, that is not eating. He laughed.

I sat on the porch Saturday afternoon. The neighborhood was quiet. Mr. Henderson across the street waved. I waved back. The porches are the original social network, sugar. We have been at this since Eden.

The kitchen smelled like garlic and onion all afternoon Wednesday. Calvin came home from his Bible study and stood in the doorway and said, Loretta, what are we eating. I said, baby, you will see. He said, that is a yes from me. He has been saying that for fifty years.

Sister Patrice's husband had heart surgery this week. I drove a meal over Tuesday — chicken and rice, cornbread, peach cobbler. She cried at the door. I told her, baby, eat the food. The food was the saying.

I have been thinking about heaven a lot lately. I do not know what I think. I know what Calvin preaches. I know what the AME doctrine says. I know what my Mama believed. I am at the age, sugar, where heaven is more than a Sunday school answer. I am working on it.

I made coffee at five Tuesday morning. Strong, with cream, no sugar (the diabetes). I stood at the kitchen window. The yard was still in dark. The day ahead was the day ahead. I went into it.

Sunday after service Calvin and I drove past the new sanctuary site. The choir loft windows were going in. We sat in the car and looked. He did not speak. I did not speak. The watching was the prayer.

I went to the cemetery Saturday morning. I left a small piece of pound cake on Bernice's stone. I sat on the grass for fifteen minutes. The wind moved the trees.

Now sugar, I know the story was about the fried chicken — and Bernice’s chicken will always be the centerpiece of this kitchen. But I have been thinking about what I carried to the cemetery Saturday morning: a small piece of pound cake, because that is what she loved. When you spend a life cooking for grieving sisters at the door and young wives who do not yet know how to make rice, you learn that the sweet things matter just as much as the savory ones. This blackberry cheesecake is the kind of thing you bring to the fellowship table or leave with a family after surgery — rich, unhurried, and made with the understanding that the food is always the saying.

Blackberry Cheesecake

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 1 hr | Total Time: 5 hr 30 min (includes chilling) | Servings: 12

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• For the filling:
• 3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• For the blackberry topping:
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Prepare the crust. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
2. Make the filling. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and 1 cup sugar together on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and mix just to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low after each addition — do not overmix. Fold in sour cream and vanilla until just incorporated.
3. Bake the cheesecake. Pour filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan and add 1 inch of hot water to the roasting pan to create a water bath. Bake at 325°F for 55 to 65 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles only slightly. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake rest inside for 1 hour.
4. Cool and chill. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Let cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight until fully set.
5. Prepare the blackberry topping. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine blackberries and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to break down, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch into cold water until smooth, then stir into the berry mixture along with lemon juice. Continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
6. Assemble and serve. Spoon the cooled blackberry topping over the chilled cheesecake. Release the springform ring, slice with a clean knife wiped between cuts, and serve. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 425 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 285mg