The Dessert Stephen King Loves (But Only If It's Creamy)

Stephen King, master of scares and author of nightmare fuel, is a man of basic and homey pleasures. He loves the way his wife cooked fish when they were first married, and the scent of baking bread brings him joy. He's the main cook in the household since his wife lost her sense of smell, but he sheepishly admits to less-than-stellar cooking and eating habits. His favorite restaurant is Waffle House, despite all the wild things that have gone down there. However, he isn't ashamed to boast about his favorite dessert. According to King, his ideal "monster" meal ends with a monster slice of cheesecake. Perhaps even two, if they're too small.

As far as his favorite flavor of cheesecake, the world is left guessing. Rumor has it that he likes to buy it from Fogarty's in South Berwick, Maine, but their cheesecake menu is massive. He also mentions blueberry cheesecake pie in "The Body," his book eventually adapted into the movie "Stand By Me." What we do know, from the man's own words, is that it absolutely must be creamy. He also doesn't like slimy foods, so we at least have an idea of the texture the cheesecake should be.

It's worth noting that he probably isn't always whipping it up himself. For one thing, he's been quoted as saying that he doesn't do recipes, and he likes things that just work. King would even regularly cook salmon in the microwave rather than in the oven. Given that cheesecakes aren't exactly a microwave staple, it seems likely that he's sometimes buying them from shops.

Stephen King is such a lover of this sweet treat that he would eat it often, not just after dinner for dessert. In fact, he likes to sit down to write a fresh novel with a slice, and it's become a tradition for him. He told Bon Appétit, "I have a son who swears by creme brulee and always eats it before he writes. For me, it's cheesecake." He then referred to creamy cheesecake as a "brain food," implying it helps him get those writing juices flowing.

Another factor in his enjoyment of this confection is that he loves basic sweets, especially those popular in Maine. He loves strawberry shortcake and blueberry pancakes as well. In the book "Man with a Pan," he says in his segment that he prefers things straightforward, including for desserts like cake, urging people to "keep it simple, stupid." Cheesecake can be made in only an hour, and it is certainly a simple delight, so it suits his palate perfectly.

If you're interested in trying to make a King-inspired cheesecake, a book titled "Castle Rock Kitchen" contains a wealth of recipes inspired by the man and his works. One such recipe is a blueberry cheesecake, and by all accounts, it tastes pretty amazing and is very creamy. One can only hope that it's creamy enough for King himself to approve.