Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games was also the place where cheesecakes were invented. The cheesecake was used as food for the Olympic athletes of the time. Now, the modern iteration of the cheesecake is a scrumptious dessert loved by all.

A scrumptious energy bar in the ancient Greece, a cheesecake was made from mainly cow or goat cheese mashed into a pulp. Honey, wheat flour and some water were added to give sweetness, volume and texture and also soften the mixture. It was then formed into patties or cakes. After it was baked and let to cool, it was then served to the athletes. Cheesecakes developed a following soon after as they tasted good. Soon, it became a prominent element in Greek cooking. It was also customary during those days for a bride-to-be to make and serve mini cheesecakes to the groom's associates in the ancient Greece. The custom of serving of cake for wedding has since then evolved into the present wedding cake.

When the Roman army came to Greece and defeated the Greeks; they have lived amongst the Greeks and followed many of Greeks tradition and food. As the Romans swept into other parts of the world occupying country like Europe and Britain, they have introduced cheesecakes to these nations. Cheesecakes were well loved by these nations and soon, many different versions of cheesecake came about as the result of this. Spreading from the old world to the new, even the USA too has become a capital of cheesecakes.

The modern cheesecake consists of a mixture of a selection of cheese including cottage cheese, cream cheese, or ricotta. This mixture is what adds different flavors to a cheesecake. In the USA, there are two major cheesecakes varieties and the more common of the two is the Jewish cheesecake or more popularly known as New York Style cheesecake. Basically, The New York Style cheesecake is a cream cheese based cake on a cracker crust. Many variations of this dessert have evolved over time using this basic recipe by adding different flavors and toppings, such as Key Lime, Tiramisu, chocolate, and fruit flavors such as mango and strawberries.

The Italian cheesecake which is made with ricotta cheese and bits of candied fruit with a pastry crust is another popular variety of cheesecake. Expert chefs have for many generations guarded their own secret family cheesecake recipes to be passed down to the next generation. Traditional cheesecake is high in calories and fat due to the nature of the ingredients used but thanks to today's modern developments of artificial sweeteners and low fat ingredients have made this dessert available in healthier selections such no fat and sugar added cheesecakes and even sugar free cheesecakes without any flavor loss.

Want to select a dessert that will savor your taste buds? Look no further as cheesecakes are the perfect dessert! Why not give your loved ones a surprise by making them cheesecakes? The only hard part about making them is deciding when the cake is cooked. Unlike a traditional cake, the semi solid nature of cheesecakes can collapse easily. Keep in mind that you can re-bake an undercooked cake but you can't undo an over baked one. It is important that you follow the baking time specified in a recipe. You can try one of the many cheesecake recipes that are simple to make with tastes great and cheap too.

If you crave for more elaborate offerings there are also many exotic gourmet cheesecake recipes out there which are more complex to make but are certainly more enticing to the diner. These recipes can be obtained both online or in bookstores. Then again the fastest and easiest way to enjoy a slice of your favorite cheesecake is simply head down to the nearest bakery or cake house and order a portion of cheesecake in the flavor you desire. So go ahead and indulge yourself in a succulent feast of your favorite cheesecake.