DADDY'S CHEESECAKE WILL OPEN DOWNTOWN

The gourmet cheesecake business that five years ago gave new meaning to the word savor has moved to downtown Cape Girardeau.

My Daddy's Cheesecake will open Monday at 111 N. Main.

"We feel we'll fit in the downtown market," said Tom Harte, president of the firm. "We're really looking forward to our new location. This is the first time we have had any public visibility."

The new business will sell retail, wholesale and mail order.

The business was founded in 1987 by Tom Harte and his wife, Jane Harte, and Joe Low and his wife, Lauchette Low, as a part-time business. The bakery has been at Plaza Galleria.

The new business is easy to spot. Utilizing a sleek, cosmopolitan, black-and-white theme, the lower part of the building front and the floor covering carry a distinctive checkerboard design.

"We're really pleased with the look of the new facility," echoed Harte and Low. "We left everything up to our architect, John Boardman, and he did a super job."

"The new facility will give us an opportunity to try some new things," said Joe Low, vice president of the company. "We've been experimenting with a new low-fat cheesecake, which we introduced at the opening."

Other products that will be available at the new site are regular and low-fat muffins, scones, and brownies.

"We'll sell our cheesecakes by the cake or by the piece," said Low. "People are welcome to stop by and purchase a muffin or a piece of cheesecake to go. We'll also offer coffee and tea.

"We'll give Main Street whatever it wants," he said.

My Daddy's Cheesecake has five delectable standards in its cheese cake line:

New Orleans Praline, a national award-winning dessert in 1991, featuring pecans and a soft caramel.

Turtle, another national award-winning product in 1990, featuring pecans, caramel layered throughout the cheesecake, topped with gourmet chocolate and more pecans.

Mississippi Mud, a creamy milk chocolate cheesecake smothered with chopped pecans with drizzled with chocolate.

Cookies `N' Cream.

Classic cheesecake.

The name, "My Daddy's Cheesecake," was originated by the Hartes' daughter, Jill, who served as a waitress during a summer job while in college.

Jill cajoled her dad into baking about "four cakes a week" for Jeremiah's, a downtown restaurant, where she worked.

Jill suggested to customers that they try a slice of "my daddy's cheesecake" for dessert.

Before long, other waiters and waitresses started using the line and the name stuck. The demand for Harte's gourmet cheesecake grew, and My Daddy's Cheesecake became a dessert sensation, first in Cape Girardeau, then Southeast Missouri, and now nationally.

Twice the company has won national "best dessert" awards.