Dog Days and Cheesecake

Siberian husky by  grzegorz jaśkiewicz--public domain

We're coming into the Dog Days of summer. Yuck! I don't know about you, but we're in Texas and it's damn hot. At the moment, in this very place it's 101 (feels like 102, so the humidity isn't too bad). If you don't know why these are called Dog Days, no, it's not because they're only fit for dogs. They're not fit for anyone, man, woman, nor beast! They're Dog Days because the Dog Star, Sirius (seriously), is the bright star in the Canis Major (Greater Dog) constellation. It nears the sun in the summer and ancients thought that was what made it so hot.

Dog Days are hard on me, as a writer. The heat saps my energy and I have a hard time getting things done. Dog Days take on a new meaning at our new home. We've recently moved to an area where letting lots of dogs run loose is acceptable--apparently--behavior. There is no animal control. Hey, we're way out there! I've seen dogs chase people down the street, people who are just trying to walk somewhere. Except for the heat and the dogs, I'd be walking a lot and it would make a good break to get my blood pumping and work ideas out before I return to the keyboard. It IS possible to walk early in the day, temperature wise, so I've ordered Dog Spray (pepper spray) since mine is depleted. I hope to be walking, avoiding the loose dog packs, soon, even if these ARE Dog Days.

public domain photo of strawberry New York cheesecake

Now, what about Cheesecake? Today is National Cheesecake Day. Cheesecake is a great thing to eat while your ideas are percolating, after your brisk walk. The dairy is so good for you! At the risk of starting a fight, I'll baldly state that my favorite style is New York. But I do love the Jello mix cheesecake with graham cracker crust--don't tell anyone. Here are some places to refer to:

This site has links to recipes, and tells us that Olympic athletes in ancient Greece ate cheesecake: http://www.chow.com/food-news/3321/happy-national-cheesecake-day/ (probably not New York style, since there was no Old York, let alone New York)

Recipes with mouthwatering pictures: http://chicago.grubstreet.com/2008/07/happy_national_cheesecake_day.html

More recipes: http://baking.about.com/b/2009/07/29/july-30th-is-national-cheesecake-day.htm

And lastly (this one's for you, Mary Ann), the Cheesecake Martini: http://girly-drinks.com/national-cheesecake-day-%E2%80%93-the-cheesecake-martini/112/ (includes a picture of George Clooney)

Happy Dog Days and hope your Cheesecake Day is yummy!