devarim

It's nice to have a variety of deserts. I think you can pass on the cheesecake. Maybe someone else will bring one anyway. :)

Yes, you're halakhically OK without cheesecake.

Sure your yotzeh, but without cheesecake what's the point! See my blog for delicious details!

You should know that you're not yotzei cheesecake with most store-bought cheesecake, since the 'cheese' in it is usually cream, cottage, or ricotta cheese, which aren't halakhically 'cheese' as all (hence they're easy to find kosher; they're not included in the gezeirah of gevinas aku"m). So while it may be tasty, it doesn't have a 'chalos shem' cheese, and therefore must be supplemented.

let me know if there's any other way i can help.

Oh please, ADDeRabbi. As if I would ever buy (and serve!) store-bought cheesecake. Although...the cheese in cheesecake is cream cheese. What in the world do you put in yours?

I note from your post above that commentary is unnecessary at this point. But I think you made the right decision: it is clearly torat imecha to have cheesecake. At least, my mother -- who is, conveniently, sorta-kinda-South-Beaching -- says so. :)

From DovBear, a comment: That woman is just ahead of her times, that's all. Wait a couple of centuries, and there will be shelves full of seforim by future gedolei hador, expounding on why using low fat ricotta cheese is not acceptable for being mekayem the mitzvah of eating dairy on Shavuos.
Enigma_4u | 06.10.05 - 5:26 pm | #

So the best choice is to invite Shifra, & you can try hers.

I made a baked rice casserole with ricotta and mozzarella in the middle and a lokshen kugel with cream cheese. I believe these satisfied the dairy requirement. We had leftover store-bought cake from the week before. Please see Joyce Goldstein's Cucina ebraica for the rice recipe--bomba di riso. One can also put mozzarella, raisins, and lemon zest in the middle.