"The Cheesecake Bible" by George Geary (Robert Rose, $24.95).

Add cheesecake to your list of indispensable and versatile meals, somewhere between meatloaf and quiche. In "The Cheesecake Bible," George Geary makes a strong case for indulging morning, noon and night in what many have never considered more than a dreamy dessert.

Geary, a prolific cookbook author — "The Complete Baking Cookbook," among others — and cooking teacher (he teaches at more than 100 schools across the continent), piles the pan high with every imaginable dessert variation as well as plenty of seductive savory pies as well. Therefore, before you even consider dessert, you may be padding your recipe box with tempters like this:

— A Creamy Seafood Cheesecake that combines cream cheese and mascarpone cheese, shrimp, crabmeat, garlic and white and green onions.

— A Blue Cheese Pistachio Cheesecake flavored with Madeira wine.

— A Triple Pepper (jalapenos, chipotle and pepper Jack cheese) Cheesecake that rests on a buttery bagel-chip crumb crust.

— A Taco Cheddar Cheesecake with a tortilla-chip crumb crust.

— An Artichoke Cheesecake where the vegetable hearts bubble in a rich Swiss cheese melange.

Still got room for dessert? If so, Geary is a master from which to learn. First, he'll tell you the basic equipment to stock (particular sizes of cheesecake pans and good decorating tools to have on hand), talk about the specific qualities of many cheeses, chocolates, flavorings and spices, and describe the "basic techniques for perfect cheesecakes," such as thorough blending technique, whipping technique and many additional tips.

Once you're up to speed, there's really no stopping you. Dessert chapters are full of recipes for delicious, simple, easy-to-follow cheesecakes in varieties such as chocolate, fresh fruit, nut, international, no-bake and bars. Flavors run the gamut with choices like Creamy Amaretto, Italian Ricotta, Lavender-Honey, Rocky Road and Blood Orange.

There are also full chapters on cheesecakes designed for holidays as well as toppings/sauces in a loaded book Geary made sure lived up to its "Bible" billing.

RICOTTA CITRUS CHEESECAKE

2 pounds ricotta cheese, drained (see Note)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

6 eggs

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Yields 10 to 12 servings.

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Using parchment paper, line a 9-inch cheesecake pan or springform pan with 3-inch sides.

In a large bowl, stir ricotta cheese with a rubber spatula until creamy. Stir in sugar and flour until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition. Stir in orange zest, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon and vanilla.

Pour into prepared pan, smoothing out to sides of pan. Bake in preheated oven until tip of knife inserted in center comes out clean, 75 to 90 minutes. (This cheesecake's texture is different from ordinary cheesecakes. Don't look for doneness by browning or a jiggly center.)

Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Great served with fresh fruit on the side.

Note: To drain ricotta, place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl, place the cheese in the strainer and let stand in the refrigerator overnight — otherwise there will be too much liquid.

CREAMY SEAFOOD CHEESECAKE

2 (8-ounces-each) packages cream cheese, softened

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

3 eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 ounces cooked crabmeat pieces (see Note)

4 ounces cooked shrimp, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup diced green onions (about 4)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Yields 12 to 14 servings.

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Using parchment paper, line a 6-inch cheesecake pan or springform pan with 3-inch sides.

In a mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and mascarpone cheese on medium-high speed until very smooth, for 3 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in flour. Fold in crabmeat, shrimp, garlic, onion, green onions, salt and pepper by hand.

Pour into prepared pan, smoothing out to sides of pan. Bake in preheated oven until top is light brown and center has a slight jiggle to it, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.

Note: Cooked lobster or scallop pieces work well in place of the crabmeat.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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