The inspiration for Dee's Delite first came six years ago when I lived in Bloomington, Indiana. My dear neighbor, Eva was a very cheerful woman who at the age of 90 spent her days untangling partially used yarn and donating it to charity. One day, I wanted to treat her with one of my homemade cherry cheesecakes to honor her charity service and supplement her dessert-less Meals on Wheels.  Her genuine appreciation of the pie led me to continue honoring her as often as possible with afternoon coffee chats accompanied with my home-baked pies. One day, she asked me to bake one for her to share at a Sunday potluck at her church and the tradition of passing along my baked love began...

Paired with Eva’s thoughtfulness, the recipe I use is inspired by another extraordinary woman, my mother, who first taught me how to prepare a pie from scratch. The recipe is our special secret, though I have developed her version over the years, making my cakes truly unique with thicker crusts and creamier interiors. I foresee our secret recipe being handed down through generations to share this legacy of love, faith and hope one creamy bite at a time.