"Pangs of dissent as Maine reaches for the whoopie pie" by Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff / February 4, 2011
PORTLAND, Maine — The kitchen kerfuffle....
Efforts to anoint the traditional Maine sweet as the official state dessert have divided Down Easters and raised ire among the nutrition-conscious, who say that the state is beset with obesity as it is without venerating two mounds of chocolate cake bound by a sugary, creamy filling. And now another renowned Maine treat — the blueberry pie — has been dragged into the fray....
Fourth graders from a Maine elementary school are also challenging whoopie pies on several grounds. In a letter to the legislative committee, they maintained that the whoopie is a snack, not a dessert. They also recommended using Maine’s native blueberries (a $250 million industry) in an official state dessert because they are more nutritious.
This is what the kids are being mobilized around, 'eh?
Not ending the illegal and immoral wars they will likely serve -- if not die -- in, or taking on the fraudulent foreclosure scandal and looting of the nation by Wall Street thieves?
Suddenly, the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine finds itself in a food fight....
Related: Food Fight
Amos Orcutt, president of the Maine Whoopie Pie Association, feels it is urgent to move ahead on the whoopie pie bill in order to fend off a possible bid by Pennsylvania to take ownership of the whoopie pie.
This is what your new Legislature is working on, Maine?
Related: What is Your State Legislature Doing Today?
Sigh.
(There are some who say the Amish created the confection.)
Related: Amish Invade Maine
And they brought the whoopie pie with them?
The designation as official dessert has a certain cachet, the association says, and offers unique marketing opportunities to draw more tourists to Maine.
“I want to make sure we claim our rightful heritage,’’ said Orcutt, who traces the state’s whoopie pies to Labadie’s Bakery in Lewiston, a third-generation bakery that has been making them since 1925. “Pennsylvania feels threatened.’’
Indeed, the editorial board of the Patriot-News in Central Pennsylvania recently urged the state’s new governor, Tom Corbett, to take up the issue as one of his first causes.
What, NOTHING BETTER to DO?
Then again, maybe we should be grateful they are not working on more important matters. Less harm done that way.
“Few foods are considered more Pennsylvania-centric than whoopie pies and yet Maine is moving forward with plans to make our cakey, sugary treat the official state dessert,’’ the Patriot-News said. “This makes no sense since [Maine] already has the market cornered on lobster pie and blueberry pie.’’
They spent print space editorializing on this?
No wonder the newspaper industry (and AmeriKan media in general) are going down the toilet -- which is where you are headed after eating a whoopie pie.
Maine whoopie pie aficionados are standing their ground. Not only do they lay claim to invention of the treat; some bakers, like Carol Ford of Cranberry Island Kitchen, are even taking credit for increasing the popularity of the gourmet whoopie nationwide....
Without an immediate resolution in sight, Maine lawmakers agreed to resume debate Wednesday at the state capital in Augusta, and a vote may take place....
You are PAYING THEM for this, Maine taxpayers?
--more--"
I'm glad I never eat the disgusting PoS.
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Flipping fast through my Globes now, readers.
