Subscriber exclusive — Champagne wishes and cheesecake dreams

Cool temperatures? Check. Bright sunshine? Check. A craving for a sweet treat and a warm drink? Check.

This week, I blissfully enjoyed the benefits of the change in weather. I no longer need to walk my dog before the crack of dawn or an hour after sunset to avoid the hot concrete on his tender paws. I've pulled out my cozy blankets, warm sweatshirts and even wore a scarf to work. I am still waiting to see bright red, orange, and yellow leaves falling, but in the meantime, I have been soaking in the arrival of fall.

I was headed to Hobby Lobby on Saturday when I had the urge to indulge in a sweet treat. I took a little detour to My Daddy's Cheesecake Bakery and Cafe at 265 S. Broadview St., in Cape Girardeau, which was on the way. If you haven't been there, you have probably seen their baked goods and coffee available at other local establishments.

I intended to order something sweet and move along, but when I walked in the warm atmosphere and fall decor beckoned me to stay. I ordered the Daddy's Combo which allows for the choice of a bowl of soup and half a sandwich. I chose the Apple Butter Turkey sandwich and a bowl of chili. The difficulty came while choosing my dessert. I read the descriptions of their large variety of fresh-made cheesecakes — turtle, Butterfinger, tiramisu, Mississippi mud, to name a few of my favorites. Then I admired the baked goods case — muffins, fresh cookies, beautifully crafted cupcakes, pumpkin squares, lemon bars, gooey butter cake, and one of my all-time favorites — coconut cream pie. The bourbon whiskey cheesecake caught my eye and was ultimately my selection.

I took a seat and my lunch was literally served within minutes. I mean the literal use of the word literally — I am not exaggerating. The food was what you would expect of a typical deli-style lunch, and I have no complaints. The real reason you go to My Daddy's Cheesecake is in the name, so I will move on to the star of the show: bourbon whiskey cheesecake.

My Daddy's bourbon whiskey cheesecake.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

I like bourbon. If my friends are reading this article they are probably laughing at me, so I better keep it real. For someone who claims to appreciate a good bourbon, I don't drink alcohol often, have limited knowledge of it and, literally, have no tolerance. There I go again with that word. I promise, I am not exaggerating. I am what they refer to as a lightweight. Bourbon whiskey cheesecake sounded like a classy grown-up choice. The server explained it isn't even made with alcohol so I didn't have to worry about driving home. What a relief! I am only half-joking.

My slice of cheesecake had an orange-ish brown and white marbleized topping with a dollop of whipped cream. The cheesecake was of a perfectly creamy melt-in-your-mouth consistency. If you would be so kind as to humor me, I would like to take a moment to try and impress you with my bourbon-related terminology, so here goes. I detected the subtle hint of smoky butterscotch or possibly molasses with a touch of vanilla. I know a few other bourbon adjectives, such as oak and autumnal spices, but those hardly sound appropriate to describe a cheesecake. Are you impressed yet? Thank you for letting me get that out of my system. Back to the cheesecake.

I am a foodie of the simplest form and what I can tell you about My Daddy's Cheesecake is the display case is full of delicacies sure to delight any self-proclaimed epicurean. Stop by for a slice and bring a friend so you can try their slice too.