CHICAGO — To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Eli’s Cheesecake relaunched the Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook: Remarkable Recipes from a Chicago Legend, 40th Anniversary Edition.
During November, which is Epilepsy Awareness Month, a percentage of sales through www.EliCheesecake.com will be donated to CURE Epilepsy with code CURE21.
The book, published by Agate Publishing, teaches readers how to make a perfect cheesecake in the spirit of the bakery’s signature product. It was created by founder Eli Schulman, who rose to fame through his sweet and savory creations at his restaurant Eli’s The Place For Steak. Festive savory dishes from his eatery, one of Chicago’s most popular dining spots from 1966-2005, are also included.
In addition to more than 100 recipes, the cookbook takes readers on a historical ride from 1940 to present through the lens of Schulman’s colorful career and rise to restaurateur and baker extraordinaire. From surviving the Depression by selling shoes out of the back of his car to creating “Chicago Style” cheesecake in his restaurant’s kitchen 35 years later, Schulman, with no formal culinary training, managed to create one of the country’s most loved desserts.
It was there that he dreamed up dishes like Liver Eli and Shrimp a la Marc, put his own spin on Shrimp De Jonghe and Chicken Vesuvio, all recipes in the book, and created the signature dessert for the restaurant. When it came to cheesecake, Eli broke all the rules — no water bath, and a fast and hot bake — resulting in a creamier texture than its New York counterpart and baked on a shortbread cookie crust instead of graham cracker one.
The cookbook includes 12 most-requested recipes from his famous namesake steakhouse, as well as recipes for 21 cheesecake batters, 12 crusts, and 15 chocolates, caramels and compotes. This allows readers to mix and match as many as 3,177 different combinations to create their own signature desserts. There’s also a new section devoted to Eli’s team members, from Kosovo to the Congo, sharing their favorite family recipes and food memories. Celebrity collaborations are also featured from honorary Chicagoans Miguel Cervantes, who portrayed Alexander Hamilton in the Chicago production of Hamilton: An American Musical, and reprises his role on Broadway, and acclaimed actor Joe Mantegna.
Copies are available for $30 at Eli’s Cheesecake’s website or wherever books are sold.
