Cheesecake: The Morey and Dorey Story

“I know this sounds crazy,” says Dorey Baldasare, “but this really happened. My boyfriend Morey’s ex-New Yorker friends would call and beg, ‘MOR--ey, send us the S & S cheesecake; MOR--ey send us the S & S cheesecake.’ ” Morey and Dorey finally gave in and decided to do just that.

S & S is a company in the Bronx that has been famous for cheesecake for 35 years. No frills, no glitz, the 5-pound old-fashioned cheesecake is a smooth, rich wheel of good cheesy flavor. Until last year, when Morey and Dorey became the authorized distributors for S & S Bakery, the cheesecake was available only at the factory--or by the slice at top New York restaurants and delis.

There are lots of cheesecakes, but this is one worth sending for. The all-natural filling is mainly cream cheese, eggs, sugar, butter, heavy cream and flavoring. The cake is best served at room temperature, so the lemon and vanilla flavorings offset the slight tartness of the cream cheese.

Normally you pay a premium for the convenience of shopping by telephone. But Morey & Dorey’s is an exception. The hefty cheesecake, which serves 16 to 20 generously, costs $26 (and that includes postage). And it ships amazingly well. The cakes are sent by second-day air, wedged into a round of Styrofoam. The cake will keep in the freezer for up to a year--provided you have sufficient willpower.

Morey & Dorey’s 3733 Riverdale Ave. Riverdale, N.Y. 10463 (800) 822-5369 Check or money order .