Good Riddance, Summer!

Aside from the false nostalgic feeling of freedom that summer provides (last time I checked, I still had to go to work on the regular), I could give a shit less about this season and I long for the days I can see my breath outside.  Soon enough, friends.  I am also more willing to spend time in my kitchen, and that is a win win for everyone.

I will be making the South Indian Lentil Cakes with Raita tomorrow and doing much of the prep work at some point tonight, but today, on my glorious day off, I made the Lemon Icebox Cheesecake.  My fingers are like prunes - lemony scented prunes.  I haven't really baked in a while, aside from a chocolate pie a few weeks ago as a goodbye/"good riddance" for someone, and I was watching Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen and got momentarily inspired!

Unfortunately, you can't get their recipes unless you pay for a membership.  Their show is on public television.  What the fuck?  I stumbled across a few bloggers who had their own "Jennifer's Lemon Icebox Cheesecake, adapted from the ATK version" (again, what the fuck?) before I found the exact copy, located here.  Thank the baking heavens!

The recipe is broken down into five parts:
1. MAKE CRUST
2. MAKE CURD
3. SOFTEN GELATIN
4. MAKE FILLING
5. CHILL CHEESECAKE

MAKE CRUST

MAKE CRUST

MAKE CURD

MAKE CURD: butter, heavy cream and lemon juice in a delightful dish that reads "GREAT LAWN" 

MAKE CURD

MAKE CURD

MAKE CURD

MAKE CURD: Anyone else feel compelled to clean the bowl/pan as much as possible to prevent losing any precious goods?

MAKE CURD: Better strain them shits. 

FINISH CURD

MAKE FILLING: Get inspired

MAKE FILLING 

CHILL CHEESECAKE

We'll see how it turns out later this evening and/or tomorrow.

Also, while googling America's Test Kitchen related stuff, I found this awesome three-entry blog, http://christopherkimballisabitch.blogspot.com/.  I'd like to close this ATK inspired entry with the following:

The glasses. What's up with those?

I'm not fond of Mr. Kimball's eyeglasses. They enhance the overall "I'm a hypercritical, upper middle class, New England foodie turd" look and feel of the Christopher Kimball image. New England isn't that great by the way. I've been there.