We love whoopie pies, but maybe not as much as the state of Maine does; lawmakers there are planning on making the whoopie pie the official state dessert. While this seems like an easy choice to us — we always vote "yes" on dessert — there are complications.
Some say the whoopie pie was actually invented in Pennsylvania, and others question the wisdom of putting the state seal of approval on a calorie-rich dessert when over 30% of students in the state are overweight. The legislators listened to 90 minutes of whoopie-pie-related testimony (a fact which tickles us to no end) and will most likely be voting in favor of the treats.
The story on NPR's website includes a list of official desserts and snacks from other states, like Massachusetts's Boston cream pie, Maryland's Smith Island cake and Indiana's Hoosier pie.
• Read more: Food Fight: Maine Legislature Takes Up Whoopie Pies - NPR
Does your state have an official dessert or snack?
Related: Whoopie Pies! 9 Recipes You'll Absolutely Love
(Image: Faith Durand)
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Comments (10)
Yes, it's a PA thing, mainly found in Amish country. I grew up in PA and when my mom was a little kid she used to eat these there. Maine is just some Johnny-come-lately about them.
Whoopie pies are definitely a Pennsylvania, specifically Amish, dessert. No way, Maine.
The NPR piece doesn't list a State Dessert for Ohio, but as a native, my vote goes to the Buckeye! Creamy balls of peanut butter dipped in chocolate to resembe those little Buckeye nuts from the State Tree we all adore.
I Googled "state foods" and New York has a state fruit (the apple, of course) but that's it. No state vegetable. No state dessert. No state cocktail. I'm so sad.
haters gotta hate-- Whoopie pies are from MAINE!!!! Yay Maine!
The state of Oklahoma has an entire state meal... and by meal, I mean what you might find on a buffet line at Golden Corral. It consists of the following: fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas. I think there is a dessert in there somewhere! It's really no wonder that we have a problem with obesity in this state!
My mom grew up in Maine and used to eat Whoopie Pies as a kid, as did I while I was growing up there. DCarl1, our mom's have to fight now.
I'm totally buying tickets to the great Whoopie Pie Mom Showdown of 2011.
Maine is nice, but sorry, just can't accept whoopie pies as from Maine! They're from my Mom and Grandmother's kitchens.
Do you think there's a transcript of the 90-minutes of whoopie pie-related testimony?
And I'm also having an instant flashback to last night's Parks and Rec episode!