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8. Return the cheesecake, still on the baking sheet, to the middle oven shelf and bake for 10 minutes—no longer.

9. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the baking sheet. Set on a wire rack and cool for 45 minutes, then place in the coldest part of the refrigerator and slide a large round tray on top (a pizza pan is perfect). Cool for at least 12 hours or better yet, overnight.

10. To serve, release the springform clamp and lift off the sides of the pan. Leave the cheesecake on the pan bottom and cut into slim wedges.

BANANAS FOSTER CHEESECAKE

MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS

I’ve breakfasted on Bananas Foster at Brennan’s, the New Orleans restaurant where chef Paul Blangé created the recipe more than fifty years ago. Named for Richard Foster, a local merchant and Brennan’s regular, this classic (bananas caramelized, flamed with rum, and served over vanilla ice cream) has appeared in countless cookbooks and is now all over the Web. But few know this elegant variation, which I had the good sense to order at Café Vermillionville in Lafayette while researching a Louisiana article for Gourmet. Bananas Foster Cheesecake is a make-ahead and about all it has in common with the Brennan’s classic are bananas, butter, brown sugar, and rum.

Crust

Nine 5 × 2½-inch graham crackers

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted

12 to 13 ladyfingers, halved crosswise

Banana Filling

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons banana liqueur

2 tablespoons dark rum

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 medium firm-ripe bananas, peeled, halved crosswise, then each half cut lengthwise into slices ¼ inch thick

¼ cup lightly toasted sliced almonds (about 5 minutes in a 350° F. oven)

Cream Cheese Layer

Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

5 large eggs, lightly whisked

2 tablespoons banana liqueur

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Praline Topping

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1½ tablespoons water

1½ cups very lightly toasted pecans (5 to 8 minutes in a 350° F. oven)

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TIME LINE: the people and events that shaped Southern Cuisine

1969

Dan Evins opens the first of a string of Cracker Barrel restaurants in Lebanon, Tennessee.

The Captain D’s seafood chain (originally called Mr. D’s) debuts in Donelson, Tennessee. Its quickly served seasonal seafood is so popular that by the turn of the twenty-first century, there are more than 550 Captain D’s scattered across 22 states.

The original Long John Silver’s begins serving fish and chips in Lexington, Kentucky.

1970

The U.S. Department of Agriculture relocates its Georgia peach and pecan research stations to Byron, Georgia, and establishes the USDA Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Laboratory. This new research facility not only seeks ways to control the pests and diseases attacking peaches and pecans but also those affecting Asian pears, apples, blueberries, Chinese chestnuts, nectarines, and plums, all important southern crops.

1970s

Switching to European varietals, Virginia vintners begin producing cabernets, chardonnays, and rieslings. By 1982, the majority of Virginia wines are varietals.

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1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan well, then waterproof it by wrapping the outside with a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil; set aside.

2. For the crust: Place the graham crackers and sugar in a food processor or electric blender, then grind to fine crumbs. With the motor running, drizzle in the melted butter. Press the crumb mixture firmly over the bottom of the springform pan, then stand the ladyfingers, rounded ends up and “shoulder to shoulder,” around the side of the pan; press lightly into the crumbs to anchor.

3. For the banana filling: Place the butter and brown sugar in a large nonstick skillet, set over moderate heat, and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 8 minutes