The Madonna Inn is a California icon for many reasons, most famous of which might be its embrace of the color pink: pink walls, pink goblets, pink carpet—even pink tennis courts and pink lamp posts. Who made the decision to go pink? That would be Mrs. Phyllis Madonna, who co-founded the hotel and restaurant with her late husband Alex Madonna, a successful businessman, developer and contractor. Their over-the-top aesthetic and unique interpretation of luxury turned the inn into a destination for travelers driving Highway 101 through San Luis Obispo—and over the years, a whole new generation has adopted the Madonna Inn as its own. (Just search up “Madonna Inn” on Instagram and brace for impact.) But it isn’t just tourists who love the inn: we locals love it too, and have been known to argue about which is better: the Pink Champagne Cake or the Black Forest Cake. Interestingly, when I sat down with Marketing Director and longtime assistant to Mrs. Madonna, Amanda Rich, she spoke mostly about Mrs. Madonna’s Cheese Pie (whose recipe I share below) and her own favorite dessert, which I guarantee isn’t one you would guess.
Website: madonnainn.com
Instagram: @madonnainn1958
Madonna Inn Cheese Pie
(courtesy of Madonna Inn)
12-14 graham crackers
1/4 cup melted butter
4 3-ounce packages cream cheese (whipped)
2 eggs (whites beaten stiff)
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup sour cream
3 1/2 tablspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Crust: Crush graham crackers until fine, then mix with melted butter. Press and shape into a pie plate. Bake in 350-degree F oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove and cool.
Filling: Combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, 2 teaspoons vanilla and lemon juice. Beat until light. Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Bake in 350-degree F oven 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool for five minutes.
Topping: Blend 1 cup sour cream, 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour over pie filling. Bake 10 minutes more. Refrigerate for 5 hours.
Oddette Augustus, chef and caterer, Miss Oddette’s Creole Kitchen, Paso Robles
Janine Stone, food entrepreneur, A Bitch-In Kitchen, San Luis Obispo, CA
Brittany App, water activist and filmmaker, ”Where There Once Was Water,” Carrizo Plain, CA
Jim Clendenen, winemaker, Au Bon Climat Winery, Santa Maria, CA
Jack + Michelle Rudolph, farmers and cheesemakers, Stepladder Creamery, Cambria, CA
Kendra Aronson, cookbook author and creative, San Luis Obispo, CA
Matt Cross, owner, Broad Street Public House, San Luis Obispo, CA
Max Montgomery, brewer and owner, There Does Not Exist, San Luis Obispo, CA
Larry Kandarian, grain farmer, Kandarian Organic Farms, Los Osos, CA
Erin Primer, Food Services Director, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, San Luis Obispo, CA
Tim Veatch, chef and baker, Wayward Baking, Los Osos, CA
Sara + Jon Peterson, owners, Scout Coffee and HoneyCo Coffee Roasters, San Luis Obispo
Neal Maloney, owner and farmer, Morro Bay Oyster Company, Morro Bay
Erin Holden, beekeeper, Central Coast Beekeepers Alliance, Atascadero
Julien + Courtney Asseo, resturateurs, Les Petites Canailles, Paso Robles
Greg Clarke, author and illustrator, A Sidecar Named Desire, Thousand Oaks
Chris Dillow + Evan Toohey, chef and employee, Fig at Courtney’s House, Templeton
Mike Sinor, winemaker, Sinor-LaValle Wines, Avila Beach, + Ancient Peaks Winery, Santa Margarita
Chef Daisy Ryan + Greg Ryan, restaurateurs, Bell’s, Los Alamos
Jenn Harris, senior food writer, The Los Angeles Times
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