there is a place in New Jersey on the shore called Cheesequake, NJ? Not Cheese-cake, or Earth-quake, but Cheesequake! Why would they name a place Cheesequake? And how come when people say to you “I went to Cheesequake this weekend,” they say it with a straight face and never say “why is it named Cheesequake?” Was there like a Velveeta earthquake there once?
Update: One reader has written:
Dear Pansy,
After intensive research (well, Yahoo searching anyway), I can tell you that “Cheesquake” is apparently derived from a Lenni Lenape word “chiskhaki”, which means “land that has been cleared”.
Now you can sleep at night.
Cordially,
Robert Wenson
Lower Nazareth, PA (but born & raised in NJ)
Now we know!
I know this may be hard to believe, but, apparently, there literally was some kind of Velveeta earthquake there at one time.
Yes, but as we all know, Velveeta isn’t actually cheese. Look at the side of the package sometime, and you’ll see that it’s a ‘cheese food product.’
My theory is that it’s meant to be fed to cheese, but it’s not okay for human consumption.
The funny thing is that yesterday my friend and I just concocted the mythical English village of Cheddar on Trout. Perhaps we should move it up the river from Cheesequake.
This is coming from a person who lives in a town called Stone Arabia. 😛
How does Stone Arabia sound as bizarre as Cheesequake?
It’s funny because that’s where my sister lives and it’s fun to make fun of my sister! 😛
That is a very strange name for a town. The strangest name we have encountered is a town in Iowa called WhatCheer. Huh?
It is off the highway…but I really want to go there just once!
WhatCheer Iowa…Is this heaven? no it’s WhatCheer!
When I was in high school, driving to school I would always pass by a cemetery on the way called “Graceland Cemetery.” I rival cemetery on the other side of town was having a an anti-litter campaign in which they hung signs asking people to clean up after themselves by saying “help bring this place back to life.”
Now again, you are having a conversation with someone.
You: Where are you from?
Someone: WhatCheer
You: What did you say?
Someone:WhatCheer…WhatCheer Iowa
You: Did you say “WhatCheer Iowa”? What are yoou cheering for? You don’t know.
And like the other person totally thinks a town named “WhatCheer” is normal.
As for the cemetery campaign, that sounds like the makings of a bad movie or video game.
Pansy, my husband’s grandparents live *in* Cheesequake. The park there is simply beautiful. I used to pass it all the time on the Parkway to and from the Shore, but never went there until after marrying my wonderful guy. Cheesequake. Funny!
Congrats on the incoming. I have one on the way, too, as does Shelley Rose. (This is Sandy from Trad Moms)
Cheesequake!
Sandy,
I have never been but I know it was a place people used to like to go. But why is it named that?
Congrats on the new one. I knew Shelley was expecting, and I figured you must be due for another one as well…
I can’t get on the Trad Mom’s board, btw, unless I reregister with another screen name or something…
Cheesquake ROCKS! I’ve actually been there (hmmm, does stopping at the rest area on the turnpike count?) once. And I had the same theory about the processed cheese product seismic activity…
John,
so can I use Velveeta as bait to catch a real piece of cheese — some premium Stilton, perhaps?
I know that my sister is going to yell at me for posting this, but the image that I have of a cheesequake is one of giant mutant pieces of cheese stomping around, and some guy standing there with a glass of water going “Look! Look at the water!!!!!”
And yes, what I just posted there was very cheesy…. 😛
Peony – yes, I think you could do that. At least then you’d get real cheese out of the deal.
Of course, the best place to try that is in Boring, Oregon… there’s nothing else to do there.