[1] Make frozen strawberry cheesecake pops to celebrate National Cheesecake Day (photos #1 and #3 © Philadelphia Cream Cheese).

[2] Have a frozen strawberry cheesecake experience without turning on the oven (photo © Good Eggs).

[3] Cream cheese is an American invention. Cream cheese-based cheesecake owes its popularity to Philadelphia Cream Cheese, which launched in 1872. The brand promoted the recipe on its packages.

[4] Lime juice and zest add a second flavor note (photo © Lisa Fotios | Pexels).

It’s a heavy cream cheesecake with a sour cream topping that isn’t found often these days—probably because most people don’t want to take the extra step.

If you don’t want to bake any type of cheesecake, how about these Strawberry-Lime Cheesecake Pops from Philadelphia Cream Cheese?

They give you a summery cheesecake experience without turning on the oven.

Not all cheesecakes are sweet, by the way.

We love savory cheesecakes—basil, blue cheese, corn and provolone, lobster Gruyère, salmon and tuna. Serve one with cocktails, as an appetizer, or as the cheese course with a salad. They’re memorable!

> There are more cheesecake recipes below.

> There’s also fun cheesecake trivia below.

> The history of cheesecake.
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRY LIME CHEESECAKE POPS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PLACE a 3-ounce paper or plastic cup in each of the 12 muffin pan cups. Cut each of 3 strawberries into 4 slices; place them in the cups.

2. PLACE the remaining strawberries in a food processor. Add the cream cheese, lime zest, juice, and sugar; process until smooth. Spoon into a medium bowl.

3. BEAT the whipping cream in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon into the prepared cups. Tap the cups on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

4. INSERT a wooden pop stick or a plastic spoon into the center of each cup. If they won’t stand up straight, freeze for an hour and try again.

5. FREEZE for 4 hours or until firm. Remove the frozen pops from cups just before serving.
 
 
CHEESECAKE TRIVIA

 
 
SCROLL DOWN FOR 18 DELICIOUS CHEESECAKE RECIPES!

We love cheesecake, and have published quite a few recipes over the years. Here are some of our favorites:

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Each country in Latin America has a national salsa, or sauce. In Argentina, it’s chimichurri (chih-mee-CHOO-ree).

Chimichurri sauce is made of finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, white or red vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Oregano can be added. Cilantro can replace parsley in some regions; vegetable oil can replace the olive oil.

The original sauce is green from the parsley; later red versions add tomatoes, red bell peppers and/or hot chiles.

In beef-endowed Argentina, chimichurri is the steak sauce of choice, also used with other beef-based dishes and any grilled meats.

A recipe for chimichurri sauce follows and the recipe after that. Also see below:

How to create your signature chimichurri sauce.

The many ways to use chimichurri sauce.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

As one story goes, the name evolved from “Jimmy McCurry,” an Irishman who developed the recipe in Argentina. However, there is no written documentation of this.

Purportedly, McCurry was sympathetic to the cause of Argentine independence in the 19th century and served in a troop under the command of General Jasson Ospina. The sauce was popular but “Jimmy McCurry” was difficult for Argentineans to say, so it became “chimichurri” sauce (pronounced chimmy CHOO-ree).
 
Another theory is that the name comes from the Basque settlers who arrived in Argentina in the 19th century. According to grilling expert Steve Raichlen, the name of the sauce comes from the Basque term tximitxurri, loosely translated as “a mixture of several things in no particular order.” (Source: Raichlen, Steven, “Planet Barbecue!,” Workman Publishing Company. p. 159)

It’s easy to make chimichurri in a blender or food processor; but purists may want to make it the original way, with a mortar and pestle. We find that pesto made this way tastes better than food processor pesto, even when the exact same ingredients are used.

[2] Enjoy chimichurri with any grilled meat, lamb (in photo), pork, poultry, or fish (photo © D’Artagnan).

Ideally, make the chimichurri sauce a day in advance to allow the flavors to meld. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Ingredients For 1-1/2 Cups

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade attachment. Process until finely chopped, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, about 1 minute in total.

2. ADD the oil in a steady stream, with the motor running. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse a few times to combine.

3. TRANSFER the sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day, allowing the flavors to meld. Stir, taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
 

[3] This chimichurri sauce has been made elegant by puréeing. It’s served with a vegetarian dish, Grilled Halloumi And trumpet Mushrooms (photo © Gardenia Restaurant | NYC).

You can adding or substitute other ingredients to create a signature chimichurri:

Like Italy’s pesto, chimichurri is a bright green, herb-based, versatile sauce that you can use with:

 
Other ideas? Post them here.
 
 
> SEE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SALSA IN OUR SALSA GLOSSARY.

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Perhaps that’s why Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, created in 1938 to season the prime rib served at Lawry’s restaurant in Beverly Hills, has remained a prominent fixture on the spice rack in many households.

The blend of salt, herbs and spices (garlic, onion, paprika and turmeric, plus sugar—here’s the copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt Recipe) adds more flavor than salt alone.

Home cooks found that it worked on everything, from breakfast eggs to any grain, protein, starch or vegetable.
 
BUYING FLAVORED SALTS

Over the last decade, numerous specialty food artisans—Urban Accents, Saltworks and quite a few other—have created collections of seasoned salts, with a base of sea salt. Even McCormick has joined in, with 11 McCormick sea salt grinders from Chipotle to Sweet Onion.

Casina Rossa seasoned sea salts from
Italy—Porcini, Saffron, Edible Flowers,
and others, are available from Seasoned
Sea Salts. Photo by Naheed Choudhry |
THE NIBBLE.

The Fusion line of sea salts from Saltworks goes farther, with gourmet salts such as Black Truffle, Espresso, Ginger, Lemon, Lime, Maple, Matcha, Merlot, Sriracha, Sundried Tomato, Vanilla and White Truffle.

But at $15 or so per 3.5-ounce jar (more for pricier items like porcini and truffle), you might want to try blending your own with what you have on hand.

We’re addicted to truffle salts, and to Casa Rossa’s saffron salt. A pinch of salt lets us enjoy these two favorite flavors in everything from scrambled eggs to mashed potatoes and vinaigrette.

Unfortunately for us, it’s so costly to purchase dried saffron or truffles—two of the priciest ingredients in the world—that there’s no money to be saved by blending our own.

But there’s much more to blend than saffron and truffles.

It takes just five minutes to blend salt, herbs and spices in a spice grinder. You can make them on an ad hoc basis, or make larger batches to store and use as needed.

Pick A Salt

If you don’t have sea salt on hand, start with kosher salt or table salt. After you get the hang of blending, you can try more exotic salts, such as:

 
See our Salt Glossary for the different types of salts.
 
Pick Your Seasonings

 
Then, decide on ratios: which flavors do you want to be dominant, which flavors should be background hints.

Start with twice as much salt as other flavors, and even less of hot flavors. You may find, after making different blends, that you’re using less salt and more herbs/spices.
 
RECIPE: SAMPLE FLAVORED SALT BLEND

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well-combined. Working in batches, add the blend to a spice grinder and process into a fine powder. If you don’t have a spice blender, you can try a regular blender.

2. STORE the salt in an airtight container. Store away from heat and light (as all herbs and spices should be stored!).
 
If you want to make other blends but already have too much of homemade seasoned salt on hand, give it as gifts!