Jul

Des Moines Best Kept Secrets: Cheesecake Edition

There was a movie a couple years back in which people where able to have a premonition of their deaths. I think I may have had that moment tonight, and the cause will be low density lipoproteins. The harbinger of this ominous day was one Jess Goodale of Unc’s Cheesecakes. Tonight I picked up my first dose. I feel like they should make PSA’s or after school specials warning people about this stuff.

A little bit about Jess- if the A Team had been into cheesecakes instead of championing the causes of disenfranchised farmers being run off their land by oil tycoons…they would have been Jess. If you need cheesecake and you can find her maybe you can hire Jessica Goodale.

Jess is something of a legend at our Cigar Club, so much so that there is an ongoing investigation into the mysterious disappearance of half of her famous Bannana Cream Cheese cake. The cheesecaske was there the night before and sometime between midnight and the next morning it disappeared. The proposed culprit is now only known as “Donny Cheesecake”.

Russ Goodale and his daughter Jessica own and operated Unc’s Cheesecakes. Russ (Unc) created his famous cheesecakes during his many years in the restaurant business. Eventually, Russ and Jess decided to take this hobby and grow it into one of Iowa’s best kept secret (but not for long). Unc’s is now featured in some of Des Moines best restaurants with more being added every day. Some of Unc’s More interesting cheesecakes include the following:

1.) Peanut Butter Jelly Cheesecake- I know, I know, but you really have to try it. Jess swears that it is one of her best sellers.

Peanut Butter Jelly Cheesecake

2.) Mango Jalepeno Cheesecake- Soon to be featured at Copa Cavana down on Ingersoll (when it opens in July 2010)

3.) Blueberry Cheesecake and Rhubarb Cheesecakes

4.) The afore mentioned Bananna Cream Pie Cheesecake

5.) Pumpkin Pecan

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

6.) And for all you traditionalists she also makes Plain NY Style, Turtle, White Chocolate Rasberry, etc.

Oh yeah, and just in case that wasn’t enough…Unc’s is apparently this summer’s version of the impromptu dance routine as what all the cool kids are doing for their weddings. Check out this craziness.