Maine is considering some serious legislation regarding whoopie pies. They are considering making the whoopie pie the official state dessert. Whoopie pies consist of two cake-like cookies sandwiching a creamy, frosting-like filling, rather like an inside-out cupcake. They’re a new England tradition and their origin is not credited to Maine, but they’re extremely popular in the state, which has several large commercial bakeries that produce hundreds of thousands of whoopie pies daily. The legislation may not sound serious, but this bill is actually causing quite a ruckus whoopie pie fans in another state: Pennsylvania.
In Pennsylvania Dutch country, they contend that whoopie pies were originally an Amish treat and that Maine is trying to steal the tradition of the pies from Pennsylvania. Some proponents of the Pennsylvania whoopie are trying to convince legislators in the state to adopt the whoopie pie as the state dessert before Maine is able to. It seems like a silly thing to get worked up about, especially because a state dessert is really a small nod to a product or dish, and wouldn’t necessarily have an impact on sales, but there is a lot of pride involved in making and eating these classic American treats.
For me, whoopie pies are an enjoyable treat no matter where they originally came from. No matter which state ends up adopting it, it won’t make the cakes any less tasty to people outside of that state, nor will it stop them from being an American classic for the rest of us.
Pam
February 15, 2011Way to go for Maine! I can’t think of anything better than whoopie pies for an official dessert. Love them and these look awesome!
Esther x3baking
February 15, 2011Wow, I didn’t know there were official state desserts. I have yet to eat a whoppie pie, but I really want to try making them.
Becca@bakingmonster
February 15, 2011Whoopie Pies are worth the arguement! I love these little cakelets!
rainey
February 15, 2011My dad is from Maine and, tho Whoopie Pies have become very trendy, it was back in the early 50s when I was a kid that I remember him remembering very fondly the ones his aunt made for him as a boy.
All this is to say that, tho the state legislature may just be getting around to it, Whoopie Pies have a long tradition in Maine.
marie
March 16, 2011WOOPIE PIES ARE GREAT <3
blah blah
March 28, 2011I lived in Pa. and presently live in Maine. This is SO stupid on Maine’s part. First, why are we giving SUGAR so much attention, it is the worst thing we can eat, with all of this obesity. The other reason is even more annoying. I have lived in Amish country, Pa. and this dessert is CLEARLY Pennslvania’s. You run into whoopie pies everywhere you go. I don’t see whoppie pies in Maine all that often. In Pa., they have every kind and flavor that humans can conceive of. For Maine to claim the whoopie pie is like Pa. to claim a rocky coast. Pa. IDENTIFIES with this image. Maine? Every great once in awile I see whoopie pies sitting next to the Little Debbies, etc. Sorry, but this is clearly a Pa. dessert. So much so that I am wondering what the heck Mainers who are pushing this are thinking. Snap out of it!