Ihave a new best friend in town. Dubbed “The Cheesecake Lady,” she’s otherwise known as Ann Miller-Tobin of Diva Desserts. The charming baker welcomed me into her home to partake in a veritable dessert feast and to mine her amazing ability to create one-of-a-kind cheesecake. I left arms overflowing with desserts and a belly full of the best cheesecake I’ve ever had. Now I’m happily sharing her delectable creations with everyone in Columbus who hasn’t yet snagged a little piece of cheesecake heaven.

Diva Desserts got its start years ago when Miller-Tobin was whipping up treats for Shadowbox’s sister company 2Co’s in the Short North. After a marriage and a move to Chicago, Miller-Tobin found herself wowing coworkers with her desserts during “Friday Food Fests” at her temp job. People began placing orders for cakes and soon her baking revenues surpassed her paychecks. Life brought the cheesecake maven back to Columbus, and Diva Desserts was born.

Her rendition of the classic New York cheesecake has proven to be a bestseller with its perfect blend of tangy lemon, mascarpone and silky cream cheese. The decadent turtle variety is also a favorite – the caramel-based cheesecake is loaded with chocolate chips and pecans both inside and out. The frequently requested Oreo cookies ’n cream cheesecake makes a great childhood throwback. For grown-up palates, the blackberry-swirled cheesecake is baked in an espresso chocolate crust and drizzled with sinful dark chocolate. Not to be forgotten, the rich Kahlua cake enveloped in chocolate provides a delightfully boozy treat.

If you’re in the mood for something to get your blood moving, the cinnamon and Mexican-spiced chocolate cheesecake is calling your name. The spices intensify the chocolate while adding complexity and a pleasant warming sensation. If you want to go all the way spicy without the sweet, snag a savory cheesecake – of which Diva offers three different varieties. Roasted tomatoes, peppers and chilies combine in a rich cheesecake spread that’s sure to impress guests, exuding infinitely more class than the de facto cheese ball. This, my friends, is why you don’t get your cheesecake from a factory.

By now, you’re likely drooling, so you probably want to know where to go to get your hands on some Diva Desserts. You can find the Oreo cheesecake at Shadowbox Cabaret; Bexley Pizza Plus also stocks the Oreo, along with the famous New York variety. I highly recommend going straight to the source by checking out the Diva’s website – 35 different kinds of cheesecake are available to tempt your taste buds, and if that’s not enough, you can even create your own flavor. If you really want to score points with loved ones, order some mini dark chocolate cheesecakes in a truffle box. Stay tuned to the website, because a little bird told me there might just be some new surprises released for Valentine’s Day. By all means though, you don’t need to wait for a special occasion – your dream cheesecake awaits.

Diva Desserts
(614) 946-6147
www.dish-on-divadesserts.com