Cheesecake was featured prominently on The Golden Girls, but did you know that Bea Arthur hated the
dessert? So, why did The Golden Girls have so many cheesecake scenes? The answer may surprise you.
Few shows boast a theme song that so aptly defines it as The Golden Girls. After all,
this lovable foursome did more than provide viewers with half an hour of laughs each week.
They welcomed fans into their home, shared their deepest thoughts and secrets, and made everyone
feel like they, too, could grab a chair and join in the conversation. Yes, when the first notes
of "Thank You For Being A Friend" echoed through living rooms across the nation, the audience truly
felt that they were among friends named Blanche, Sophia, Dorothy, and Rose. And, everyone secretly
wanted to join the "girls" for a late-night chat over their go-to snack – cheesecake.
"Oh, do you know how many problems we have solved over a cheesecake at this kitchen table?"
Their freezer seemed to contain an endless supply of this decadent dessert as there
was always one on hand. And nothing solved a problem like a midnight helping of cake.
Whether someone was battling a bout of sleeplessness, missing a lost love,
or fretting over work, it seems the cheesecake provided both solace and a moment of clarity.
But mostly, it gave these friends a chance to bond with one another — and viewers,
too. Yet, through the many episodes, you may have wondered on occasion,
why only cheesecake? Mort Nathan, a producer and screenwriter of The Golden Girls, claimed,
"Eating cheesecake at one in the morning is
stranger, it’s a little more decadent [...] It just seemed a little funnier."
And the fact that the first introduction to the cheesecake
habit involved a chocolate version made it all the more outrageous.
Screenwriter and producer Barry Fanaro says they were looking for comfort food, and asks:
"Can you think of something more comforting?"
As much cheesecake as these gals ate, you might be surprised to learn that one of the
actresses actually loathed the dessert. Despite Dorothy's unabashed appreciation for a generous
slab of cheesecake, IMDb states that Bea Arthur actually hated it. She hid it well.
Most fans failed to notice that during the consumption of over 100 of these rich desserts,
she is rarely seen taking a bite. Now those are some supreme acting skills.
So what flavor of cheesecake did the four bosom buddies prefer? While they never confessed
to favoring a specific type, they did make mention of three varieties. And, of course,
they all sound decadently delicious. The very first time the quartet engaged in
their cheesecake ritual, Rose presented a chocolate cheesecake. In a later episode,
she shared that she had a double fudge chocolate one in her possession. Finally, when Sophia
became obsessed with her need to regain a lost pound, she whipped up a family recipe,
double fudge amaretto ricotta cheesecake. Clearly, they possessed a penchant for the cocoa bean.
But you may have noticed that the cheesecake typically perched upon their table didn't contain
a single drop of chocolate. George Geary managed the baking department at a grocery store near
Paramount studios and made seven cheesecakes for each Friday night taping of the series.
In his recipe for "Golden Girls Cheesecake'' on his website,
Geary describes that a more plain version with a sour cream,
lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla extract topping was their go-to variety. Now you can make your
own copycat cheesecake a la Golden Girls and re-enact your favorite scene with some friends.
It seems that everyone loved the girls' late-night cheesecake chats — even the Queen. One of these
huddled-around-a-dairy-based-dessert scenes became part of the show's skit for Her Majesty
at the 1988 Royal Variety Performance. Apparently, Queen Elizabeth II is a huge
fan of The Golden Girls and asked them to perform, although they did dial back some
of the more racy jokes for their seven-minute presentation. After all, they didn't want to
offend Her Majesty at her own annual charity fundraising event. Still, the performance went
off smashingly with even the then-88-year-old Queen Mum having lots of big laughs.
Clearly, Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia have some fans in high places. But no matter
where their devotees come from, they will forever associate the cheesecake with The Golden Girls.
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