Fresh Blueberries and Cheesecake Color My World

 

"Mini Cheesecakes" are topped with fresh blueberries and homemade whipped cream. I love to think about color and food.

By Anna Krejci

Blueberries are in season in Ohio. Whether I adventure to a pick-your-own blueberry farm or head to the supermarket to find them, July is just right for making a flavorful berry dessert. I used blueberries as a garnish on top in a recipe for tiny cheesecakes. I also added homemade whipped cream. It is a well-loved treat, and I admire the colors of blueberries and yellow cheesecake as a pair. Food is so colorful. Not only does my blueberry dessert taste rich and creamy, but it also reminds me of the happy history I have with blue and yellow. Those colors evoke special memories beyond eating blueberries and cheesecake.

History With Blue

As a child, swings were my favorite piece of playground. I would close my eyes while swinging back and open them as soon as I was facing the sky. The sensation of propelling upward in a blue sky was exhilarating.

In college, I carried my books up a hill on campus and to classrooms in a blue backpack.  The backpack has lasted for many recreational trips. Now I pack reading material and card games in it for entertainment.

I was invited to be a bridesmaid at a summer wedding, and I wore a cornflower bridesmaid dress for the occasion. It had an empire waist and long flowy skirt. Some beadwork adorned the bodice. Wearing the dress and being invited to stand in the ceremony made me feel like an exceptionally special guest.

In Madrid, Spain I rode the No. 1 line, which was blue on the Madrid Transport Map, and it crossed through Sol Metro stop, where I could walk to the historic Plaza Mayor. The blue line reminds me of all the walking and riding I did; I was always on the go that year. The Plaza Mayor was the center of numerous cafés and the site of festivals.

I own a blue ruler that I use for my drawing projects. I use it for making straight lines, like the line of a door frame or the rectangular shape of a gift box. I’ve had it for as long as I can remember, and it keeps certain sketches of mine looking neat and orderly.

Experiences With Yellow

I do not do this as often as I should, but once I gave yellow tulips to someone who was homebound after surgery. The bright flowers represented the fresh air outdoors. It was a small gesture that left me hoping the yellow flowers would help in their speedy recovery.

Yellow was the color of the windbreaker I wore when I studied in Spain. I wore it almost everywhere, and I felt like I drew attention to myself as a bold and spirited American when most people were wearing muted colors.

Yellow reminds me of the yellow sunflowers that were given to me as a gift to adorn the living room. Outdoor sunflowers grow toward the sun, and I am drawn to sunshine, too.

Sipping yellow lemonade during summertime refreshes me, and on occasion I will make it from squeezed lemons, following a recipe. I love to open windows to let in outside air when I prepare it.

I enjoy having cake for special events, and if I have my choice, I will order it decorated in icing colored pale yellow and light blue.

I crossed one of Pittsburgh’s yellow bridges when I visited. The resplendent bridges over the river make a fabulous focal point of the city.  I like Pittsburgh for many reasons, including its hills, Point State Park and the Fort Pitt Museum and the Heinz History Center.

Colors Offer Choices

As I enjoyed my dessert, I remembered the good times. Blueberries and yellow cheesecake look pleasing. I associate so many memories with those colors. I delight in choosing colors for so many things. Food is colorful; so are plants. Even selecting the table coverings for a meal is a fun activity when you have colors to choose. My pack of colored pencils gives me a generous choice when I am drawing. I love to page through a clothing catalog to see the shades of garments on offer. My world is so colorful.

Source

The recipe I used to make the cheesecakes came from a publication that I picked up in Berlin, Ohio while traveling. The result is dainty, tasty cheesecakes with a graham cracker crust. It is a very good recipe, and I found it simple to make.

“Mini Cheesecakes.” The Country Register, Nov/Dec 2023, p. 12.

The Ohio Country Register has PDFs that you can view on its website, https://countryregister.com/ohio/. If you navigate to the issue of Nov/Dec 2024 and flip to page 12, you can see the recipe in its entirety.