James Beard 2010 Best Pastry Chef nominee Deanie Hickox-Fox Cheese Pie Recipe

James Beard 2010 semi-finalist, Ubuntu Pastry Chef, Deanie Hickox-Fox Cheese Pie

The James Beard semi-finalist nominations were announced today and among the  list of culinary geniuses everywhere from Santa Fe to Chicago, my favorite Pastry Chef, Deanie Hickox-Fox was named for her work at Ubuntu Restaurant in Napa Valley, (alongside with her husband, Jeremy Fox, for Best Chef).

Ubuntu boasts a menu that highlights all the gorgeous produce that the Bay Area and Napa Valley have to offer, which is endless.  Although the specialization is vegetables, the menu does contain certain dishes with eggs and butter, and also offers Vegan preparations of dishes.  Dishes that are created from the restaurants own biodynamic garden, making Ubuntu just as fresh and delicious as it is versatile...right down to its "roots".  Ubuntu also offers an on-site Yoga studio for added wellness.

Learning to master her craft partially from instruction at San Francisco Culinary Academy; partially from a patient, "worked one-day a week" climb to Pastry Chef at very-well known, Manresa, under mentor, David Kinch in Los Gatos, CA;  and partially from the love of her great-Grandmother's classic recipes for Snickerdoodles and Chocolate Chip cookies, Deanie Hickox-Fox congures up sweet creations that are half heart-warming and half healthy.

Ubuntu boasts such desserts as, a vegan Fall Fruit Float with Hibiscus; palette cleansers like, Cranberry Sorbet, Fuyu Persimmon and Citrus Ice; a Meyer Lemon Rice Pudding served with huckleberry, whipped thyme and Kettle corn, a Sweet Potato Cake with candied "Lady" apple served with toasted oat ice cream and sunflower seed granola;  Tcho Bittersweet Chocolate Terrine with pear, bitter caramel-lavendar ice cream and pinenut; and my favorite, Vanilla Bean “cheesecake“ in a jar with sour cherry with Verbena, teeccino-nut crumble.  Hungry yet?

Because Deanie and Ubuntu are so cool, Deanie Hickox-Fox shared a family recipe with me last Christmas that is sure to make a wonderful, creative and delicious dessert anytime a year, and if you are at my house, once a week.    Deanie's recipe,  Nana Ryerson's Cheese Pie is an easy cheesecake that uses both cream cheese and sour cream, creating a simply wonderful smooth texture and equally smooth taste.   Nana Ryerson's Cheese Pie is a sourcream-cheesecake pie that is just as yummy as it is simple, while still offering up what James Beard Semi-finalist, Deanie Hickox-Fox does best: which is combining taste, creativity and simplicity. 

Deanie Hickox-Fox:  This recipe come from my great-grandmother (Nana Ryerson) who passed away in 2003.  She happened to be a phenomenal baker--most notably for her snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies.  While this isn't necessarily a holiday recipe per se, it is something my mother makes every Christmas...and in my mind a great holiday recipe is one that honors your family traditions and reminds you of those you love.   

 Nana’s Cheese Pie

by Deanie Hickox-Fox

Crust

• 16 graham cracker squares – crushed
• 2 T powdered sugar
• 4oz melted butter

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sized bowl mix together all crust ingredients and pat into a short-rimmed pie plate. 

Filling

• 11oz cream cheese, softened
• ¾ c sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment whip together all ingredients until smooth .
2. Fill pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
3. Cool for 5 minutes.

Topping 

• 1 c sour cream
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. 
2. Pour topping over cooled filling.
3. Return pie to oven and bake 10 minutes. 
4. Cool completely and refrigerate pie at least 6 hours before serving.

James Beard winners will be announced on May 3rd at the James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception held at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. The awards, formally called the Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America were begun in 1984 by Cook’s Magazine and taken over by the Beard Foundation in 1990.

More about Deanie Hickox-Fox:

Meyer Lemon Parfait Recipe by Deanie Hickox-Fox at StarChefs.com

Ubantu Restaurant information