Amy Dickman from Owings Mills, Md., was hoping someone would have the recipe for the garlic herb cheese that was served with the breadsticks at Harvey’s restaurant, which used to be located at Green Spring Station in Baltimore County. The restaurant and its adjacent gourmet shop closed some years ago, and since then she has attempted to re-create the spread time and time again, but it never tasted exactly right.

Barbra Rosenberg from Baltimore also was a big fan of the Harvey’s cheese spread, and when the restaurant closed she launched her own search for a recipe. In one of her favorite cookbooks, she came across a recipe for a “boursin substitute.” She said she tweaked the recipe a bit and came up with a spread she thinks is as good as the one served at Harvey’s and is always a hit when she entertains. She said she usually doubles the recipe and freezes half so she always has some on hand for snacking or unexpected guests.

I whipped up a batch quickly and served it before dinner with some melba toast and raw vegetables. It was a huge hit with everyone in my house, and I certainly think it is company-worthy. My son liked it so much that he even put a big dollop on his baked potato. No need to buy those expensive cheese spreads from the store anymore. This is as good, if not better, then any of them.

Requests

Bernie Moran from Baltimore is looking for the recipe for the butter cake that was sold at Brown’s bakery on Belnord Avenue in East Baltimore in the late ’50s. He said it was made as a sheet cake.

Becky Holborn from Castle Rock, Wash., is searching for the recipe for the cream of broccoli soup that was served at the Spaghetti Works & Deli in Longview, Wash. Since the restaurant closed, Holborn said, she misses the cream of broccoli soup as well as the freshly made rolls and breadsticks.