I learned the basic recipe for this great cheesecake—one that I am forced to make and bring to every family function—from the late Lonnie Knisley. One of the best pastry chefs who ever worked in New Orleans, Lonnie made all the desserts at Andrea’s for years. The orange aspect is my wrinkle on it; I have a personal passion for that flavor, and I think it’s especially good in this.

The most time-consuming part of making a ch