This cheesecake, served at Continental Bistro, was advertised as "German Chocolate Cheesecake," after a popular American cake. Well, that popular American cake's called "German's Sweet Chocolate Cake," and I think that the reason for its name is that its recipe has long been printed on packages of "German's Brand Sweet Chocolate Bar." Interestingly enough, many people mistakenly call the cake, "German Chocolate Cake," having dropped the "'s" as well as the "Sweet."

Thus, when the waiter or waitress brought me this cake, I told him/her, "It's not German; it's German's!"

By the way, the "Sweet" in the cake's name is a modifier for the chocolate, not for the cake. So perhaps a more correct way to spell the cake's name would be, "German's-Sweet-Chocolate Cake!" Now if you were to bake something like that cake but were to use, say, Ghirardelli's semi-sweet chocolate, then your cake could be called, "Ghirardelli-Semi-Sweet-Chocolate Cake in the style of German's-Sweet-Chocolate Cake!!!"

For the recipes of the original cake and a couple of variations see bakerschocolate.com .

News - September, 2007. I was thanked by a Continental Bistro person for pointing out the mistake. Continental Bistro's staff members have now been trained to say "German's!"

Sad News - May, 2008. Earlier this month, The Continental Bistro closed its doors, presumably forever. Many businesses here have been hit by the current slump in the economy! No more waiters and waitresses who would show a big dessert tray to their customers, including "It's not German; it's German's!."

HISTORY, continued. (added on 2 Aug. 2021 -- how time flew!! As Theodor Storm wrote, "Leben und Liebe – wie flog es vorbei!") That prime restaurant space became occupied with the first Thai restaurant in town, owned and operated by Laotians. In time, more Thai restaurants opened in town. As a Thai, I love good Thai restaurants, but there remains a lack of understanding of European foods in the United States.