Move aside, honey... Hold the sugar, sweetheart...

...this month's mingle is all about the *savory* cake, baby.

For those of you who might have missed Meeta's Monthly Mingle (a nice piece of alliteration, that) it's a casual, virtual pot luck type of affair. And in March, we're asked to set sugary sweets aside and contribute something savory to the menu. Something savory... in the form of a cake.

While I struggled over what to contribute to Peabody's party, I knew immediately what I'd prepare for Meeta's mingle. It's one of the centerpieces on the buffet table whenever we entertain a crowd. It's on my short list when I'm asked to contribute something savory -- but *different* -- to someone else's celebration. An Emeril recipe, it has a lengthy ingredient list and preparation is somewhat labor intensive -- but well worth the effort. It's Emeril Lagasse's Crab and Wild Mushroom Cheesecake.

I've made it a half a dozen times as-published, and more recently experimented with the smoked salmon/sun dried tomato version mentioned in the reader reviews and a smoked halibut/roasted zucchini & carrot version of my own inspiration. Every version is well received.

I do make two modifications to the recipe as published. First, I don't like Emeril's bread-crumb crust. I typically use a combination of crumbled wheat thins and ground pine nuts or almonds instead. And I bake my cheesecake in a water bath to prevent it from drying out.

So that's my take on the savory cake theme. Hungry for more? Keep a browser pointed at Meeta's What's for Lunch Honey for the March round-up!

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