The Turgeon Bros. Cheesecake

Mary Kunz Goldman

Buffalo, NY, US

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The Turgeon Brothers restaurants were famous in Buffalo, N.Y., in the 1970s. Among them were the Boardwalk Cafe, the Crouching Lion, the Sign of the Steer and the famous Roycroft Inn, restored now and revered nationwide as home of the Arts and Crafts movement. Buffalonians loved the restaurants for their magnificent Sunday brunch. This is the recipe for the great Turgeon Brothers cheesecake, passed down to me by the daughter-in-law of the chef who used to prepare it.

I worked at "The Library", a Turgeon restaurant/bar in Niagara Falls. I was paid less than minimum wage on the theory that I'd receive a share of the tips. On a good night a server could collect $100 in tips, which was good money in 1980. Once in the three-ish months I worked there they shared tips with me. Two whole dollars from the lot of them. And they made a big production of it.