Cheesecake a la Kocot

Cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese ... pretty much any white creamy substance that smells like sour milk,  is not on my food consumption list.  When I was a child, I couldn't even sit at a table with someone eating any of these foods. In fact, a cereal box separated me from the person eating the goo.

However, at 16 I became curious of the cheesecake. What was this love afair with cheesecake? And so many kinds, so many recipes. Italian style with ricotta, New York style from Juniors. One day I came home from school and opened the fridge. Nothing to eat except an Entemann's cheesecake. (In those days it was real Entemann's). I closed the door and went upstairs. Came back down and decided to try it. Not bad. So I had a piece and another and another.

After dinner mom pulled out the cheesecake for dessert. She said "Who ate the cheesecake?" I claimed "Don't look at me - I hate cheesecake". And so began my guilty pleasure.

Several years later I was working as an intern in Washington, DC. I played softball on the district of Columbia Law Clerks team. Teams with three-girl quotas are always looking for female players who can sort of play. And so I met Nancy Kocot. She brought cheesecake to a party.
It's over 30 years and I still have the recipe she gave to me. Since the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (a dairy holiday celebrating Moses accent to Mount Sinai to get the Ten Commandments) is coming this weekend, I thought I'd make Nancy's cheesecake recipe. I can barely read the recipe card anymore, I thought I should include it in my blog for A to have forever (or until the next tech thing happens).  Nancy, if you manage to read this. I just want to say thanks for the recipe and the memories.

Cheese Cake a la Kocot
3 well-beaten eggs
2 8oz packages of cream cheese, soften
1 cup sugar
1/4 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. vanilla extract (don't understand the difference between vanilla's just made it with 2 t. extract.)
3 c. sour cream (I only used 2 cups)

Combine eggs, cheese, sugar, salt, and extracts; beat until smooth. Blend in sour cream. pour into graham cracker crust in 9" spring form pan. Trim with crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 mins. or until set.
Cool well about 4-5 hours or overnight. Filling will be soft).

Graham Cracker Crust
Combine 1-3/4 c. fine graham cracker crumbs., 1/4 c. chopped walnuts, 1/2 t. cinnamon, 1/2 c. melted butter. Preserve 3T mixture. Press remainder on bottom and up the sides of a 9" springform pan.