Nov-2017
Momo’s Cheesecakes sold by-the-slice from home

ELLSWORTH – If you’re cruising up Main Street, the garage opposite Woodbine Cemetery offers a sale you won’t want to miss.
From 6 a.m. until dark, the garage door of the grey-paneled house is framed by twinkle lights and a colorful sign that reads “Momo’s Cheesecakes, By The Slice.” Motorists can stop in, sign the visitor’s book, leave $5 in the red, tin box and take their favorite flavor from the fridge.
However, even when the garage door is closed, the shop is still open. Passersby can stop in through the side door at anytime for a cheesecake fix.
“People love the honor system,” owner and operator Brenda Ledezma said. “No one has ever questioned the money; no one has ever ripped me off. Everyone has been really nice.”
Ledezma used to bake her cheesecakes out of China Hill restaurant, where she has been a full-time bartender for 19 years. Last fall, she set up shop in her garage when the demand for baked goodness became too high. She obtained the proper licenses and constructed a commercial kitchen in her own home.
“People have been calling me like crazy,” she said. “It’s just been going, going, going.”
She sells cheesecakes to six restaurants and will make eight to 12 cheesecakes in a day. She doesn’t run the operation alone, though. Her husband, Andres, is a “great supporter” and picks up supplies, goes on deliveries and even sells slices at nearby RV parks.
Using a large dish rack laden with cheesecake, Andres visits KOA and Narrows Too campgrounds during the summer season where the slices sell like hotcakes on busy days.