Revisited: Cheesecake Machismo – Albany, NY

If you follow them closely on facebook, you might have seen Cheesecake Machismo offer something a little crazier than usual. [CRAZY in an AWESOME way!]

Ron Mexico Dip

Like all of their other flavors, it comes and goes at various points. It’s also priced like everything else at $5 with your choice of coffee, tea or hot cider.

But it’s unlike every other flavor in almost every way.

If you stop in and flip through the books on the counter that have fun hand drawn images of the different cheesecakes that have been offered over the years, every one is sweet, including the one that I had for my birthday last year.

Ron Mexico dip is the first savory cheesecake offered by Cheesecake Machismo.

The dip is constructed on a base of polenta with pepper jack cheese mixed in. In the dip, there is cream cheese, Mexican queso fresco and salsa from El Mariachi (right next door).

There’s one other thing that sets it apart from its kin: you have to bake it at home. It takes twenty minutes in a 350 °F oven.

I wanted to have a big dipping fiesta, so I picked up some quinoa and black bean infused tortilla chips and 5 layer fiesta dip from Trader Joe. (You can’t have a fiesta without 5 layer fiesta dip.).

(When you buy your slice, Kevin, the young man who you’ll normally find working at Cheesecake Machismo, will urge you to stop in next door to El Mariachi to get some chips to enjoy with the cheesecake. It’s another completely acceptable option.)

The first bite I took of the dip was actually with a fork. I wanted to taste the flavors of the dip without the chips. The contrast between the texture of the bulk of the dip and the cheese-laced polenta crust is really interesting. As you eat through it, it’s all really creamy, but some of the structure from queso fresco breaks up the creaminess. The flavors of salsa and jalapeno (from the pepper-jack cheese) mix as you eat it. With tortilla chips, this warm and cheesy delight is just awesome.

The name is pretty notable too. All of the cakes at Cheesecake Machismo are named something funny and creative. This one follows with creativity; that “Ron Mexico” was a crazy guy.

[You’ll have to check facebook or their website to find out when Ron Mexico dip is available, but I heard a rumor that they’re making some for Super Bowl Weekend.]