Agate Fine Print.
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER Dear Reader, I’m writing to tell you about THE ELI’S CHEESECAKE COOKBOOK: Remarkable Recipes from a Chicago Legend (Agate Midway; 978-1-57284-182-6; December 1, 2015; $25) by Maureen Schulman (the late Eli Schulman’s daughter-in-law), Tara Lane, Diana Moles, and Jolene Worthington. This cookbook’s 50 recipes include more than 20 variations on Eli’s iconic cheesecake as well as 10 of Eli’s most notable savory dishes. Additional components, such as batters, crusts, and toppings, allow readers to mix and match flavors and create something new. Eli Schulman is often credited with putting Chicago-style cheesecake on the map. Richer and creamier than its New York counterpart, Eli’s Cheesecake has an avid fan base that includes President Barack Obama, who recently served it for his 50th birthday in Chicago. Beginning with the first cheesecake creation at Eli’s The Place for Steak in the late 1970s, The Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook reveals the story behind one of the nation’s most famous desserts. Eli’s classic steakhouse was not only a pillar of Chicago’s culinary community, it was also a noted celebrity watering hole. From both Mayor Daleys, the Halas family, and Irv Kupcinet to Bill Clinton, Frank Sinatra, and Sean Connery, celebrities regularly stopped by Eli’s for their favorite dishes and desserts. This book collects some of the Schulman family’s favorite celebrity anecdotes, which act as introductions to the recipes in this book. In fact, a few Chicago icons—such as Jeff Tweedy and Mike Ditka—have contributed their own variations on Eli’s Original Plain. Published to coincide with the 35th anniversary of Eli’s Cheesecakes (the dessert made its official debut at the Taste of Chicago in 1980), this collection will allow home cooks to make the same cakes that helped celebrate Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s inauguration, President Clinton’s inauguration, Abraham Lincoln’s bicentennial, the City of Chicago’s 150th birthday, the White Sox World Series, and more. Between the diverse recipes, charming stories, beautiful photography, and vintage snapshots, this is the go-to guide for Chicago’s most iconic dessert. As Eli Schulman might say, it’s a helluva book. I hope you will consider The Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook for a review or feature. Coauthor Maureen Schulman is also available for interviews. To learn more, please contact Jacqueline Jarik, Agate’s marketing and publicity assistant, at 847-475-4457 ext. 4# or at jarik@agatepublishing.com. Best,
Doug Seibold
Agate Publishing, Inc. 1328 Greenleaf St. Evanston IL 60202 847.475.4457 agatepublishing.com
Agate Fine Print.
Praise for Eli’s Cheesecake “The best cheesecake for purists.” —Bon Appétit magazine “Intensely flavored, it is creamy without being too heavy. . . a local product making a national reputation because it is one of the best.” —The New York Times “A Chicago legend and deservingly so.” —The Chicago Tribune “Slice of Heaven. . . this cheesecake is perfection on a plate.” —Oprah Winfrey “Eli’s Cheesecake, long celebrated in Chicago and now nationwide.” —Parade magazine “A Chicago institution and a world wide ambassador of the City’s culinary scene.” —Office of the Mayor: Chicago of Chicago “Guaranteed to satisfy the most ardent chocolate fan.” —Cooks Illustrated “King of Cheesecake.” —Chicago Sun-Times “This is where real Chicagoans go for Chicago-style cheesecake.” —Gwenyth Paltrow, goop “It’s the best. . . it’s like deep dish pizza except sweet.” —Roe Conn, 89 WLS Radio and ABC7’s Windy City Live “Chicago’s #1 Cheesecake.” —NewCity
Agate Publishing, Inc. 1328 Greenleaf St. Evanston IL 60202 847.475.4457 agatepublishing.com
Agate Fine Print.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jessica Jarik, Marketing and Publicity Assistant 847.475.4457 ext. 4#, jarik@agatepublishing.com
The Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook Remarkable Recipes from a Chicago Legend by Maureen Schulman, Tara Lane, Diana Moles, and Jolene Worthington Foreword by Rick Kogan Hook: In celebration of Eli’s Cheesecake’s 35th anniversary, this intimate collection of recipes, stories, and snapshots brings the history behind the legendary Eli Schulman and his iconic Chicago-style cheesecake to life. The Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook begins with the fascinating story of Eli Schulman and includes 10 classic savory recipes from his famous namesake steakhouse. The next section details the history of Eli’s Cheesecake and contains recipes for cheesecake components, including 17 batters; 10 crusts; and 13 chocolates, caramels, and compotes. The next section “brings it all together” with recipes for the legendary Eli’s Original Plain in addition to more than 20 cheesecake variations. Beautiful photography, classic snapshots, and celebrity anecdotes complement the recipes. Recipes include: • • • • •
Honey Almond Pistachio Ricotta Cheesecake Lemon Cheesecake Tart with Blueberries Crème Fraîche No-Bake Cheesecake with Blackberries Goats Milk Cheesecake with Huckleberries Belgian Chocolate Cheesecake
• • • • • •
Vanilla Soufflé Glace with Cherry Compote Baked Apple Cheesecake with Toasted Oat Streusel Salted Caramel Flan Cheesecake Chateaubriand Liver Eli Shrimp de Jonghe
Maureen Schulman, Eli’s daughter-in-law, is the director of public relations of Eli’s Cheesecake Company. Tara Lane is a culinary innovation consultant for Eli’s Cheesecake Company. Diana Moles is the vice president of research and development at Eli’s Cheesecake Company. Jolene Worthington is the executive vice president of Eli’s Cheesecake Company. The Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook, December 1, 2015, 978-1-57284-182-6, 8 x 10 in, Cooking/Courses & Dishes/Cakes, $25 ### Agate Publishing, Inc. 1328 Greenleaf St. Evanston IL 60202 847.475.4457 agatepublishing.com
Agate Fine Print.
Q. & A. with Maureen Schulman, coauthor of The Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook The Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook celebrates the 35th anniversary of Eli’s Cheesecake. Why do you think Eli’s Cheesecake has stood the test of time? Eli’s has stood the test of time because, plain and simple, Eli’s Cheesecake is a great dessert. We have always put quality first and maintained the standard of excellence put forth by Eli himself. Whether it was at Eli’s The Place For Steak, purchasing the best cuts of meat, or testing sour cream as it went through the culturing process every hour for 18 hours—great quality, excellent ingredients, talented pastry chefs, and dedication to detail always stands the test of time. Also, Eli’s Cheesecake is different than most cheesecakes in terms of taste and texture. If you like it, you’re a fan for life because nothing else tastes quite like Eli’s. It’s like a souffléed custard on the inside, a little firmer and golden on the top and sides, and not too sweet. My father-in-law is credited with creating Chicago-style cheesecake, and that’s what Eli’s is: richer and creamier than its New York counterpart and baked on an all butter-cookie crust instead of graham. In the book, you share stories as well as recipes. Which is your favorite anecdote? When President Clinton came to Eli’s The Place For Steak for dinner and the Secret Service told us we couldn’t tell anyone about his arrival, even the staff. I suggested telling Hal Roach, our great piano bar entertainer, so that he wouldn’t react. The SS said that they would have the President at his table so fast, Hal wouldn’t even notice. The President wasn’t in the doorway for more than a second, when we all heard “Hail to the Chief” being played on the piano! I also really like the Shrimp Marc story, when my husband was being interviewed for a job at a law firm. After looking at a fairly impressive resume, the interviewer asked him if he was Shrimp Marc. Beyond the obvious differences you describe above (texture, crust), what sets Eli’s Cheesecake apart from other cheesecakes? I guess you could say we’re control freaks. We do everything ourselves, from having ingredients made to our specifications and selecting certain fruits from specific groves at specific farms to making all our caramels, ganaches, and fruit compotes in house. So basically, nothing goes into or on top of an Eli’s Cheesecake unless we’ve made it, tested it, and tasted it. We still do a lot of things the old-fashioned way. There is handwork on almost every cheesecake and dessert we make. We have a decorating line that looks a lot like the candy scene from I Love Lucy. If a cheesecake has a swirl, decorators literally stand there with the skewer and make sure every swirl is beautiful. They dust the cocoa, smooth the tops, pour the caramel—real pastry artists are working on every cake. Agate Publishing, Inc. 1328 Greenleaf St. Evanston IL 60202 847.475.4457 agatepublishing.com
Agate Fine Print.
Why did you include some savory favorites in addition to the many cheesecake recipes? Eli’s The Place For Steak was a very popular restaurant and had a loyal following. It closed ten years ago, when the building was torn down to make room for Lurie’s Children’s Hospital. People ask us all the time if we will reopen Eli’s because they miss certain dishes. Since the book has a timeline theme to it and the cheesecake was created in Eli’s kitchen as the signature dessert for the restaurant, we thought it would be fun to include the most requested recipes. By far, Liver Eli is the most beloved. The book discusses how Eli’s took a scientific approach to cheesecake. What’s the secret to creating perfect cheesecakes at home? Baking is a science, so we felt the best way to approach the recipes was to address the issues that affect the outcome of baking a perfect cheesecake. In the “Demystifying the Cheesecake” chapter, we call out the “Must do’s”: tempering ingredients, adding one ingredient at a time, scraping the mixing bowl after each ingredient addition, mixing slow and long, baking hot and fast, and letting the cheesecake rest at room temperature for an hour before releasing it from the pan. Once you understand those elements, you’ll be able to troubleshoot if your cheesecake turns out to be less-than-perfect and adjust your process for next time. What do you hope readers gain from The Eli’s Cheesecake Cookbook? Confidence. Cheesecake is traditionally considered an intimidating dessert to make at home. If you do everything outlined in these recipes, the cheesecake will turn out perfectly. And if, for example, the cake cracks, the reader is now armed with the scientific knowledge to address the problem. I think our approach empowers the home cook to not only make a great cheesecake, but to understand the principles behind successful baking. The book provides a jumping-off point to be creative. What’s next for Eli’s Cheesecake? Continuing the year-long 35th anniversary celebration and, of course, the sequel to this cookbook. We’re also planning to expand the bakery to meet demand and create new desserts.
Agate Publishing, Inc. 1328 Greenleaf St. Evanston IL 60202 847.475.4457 agatepublishing.com