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Whoopie pies could be the Maine state dessert soon if lawmakers in Augusta decide to follow through with a recent proposal.
On Jan. 12, Rep. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, proposed LD-71, “An Act to Designate the Whoopie Pie as the State Dessert,” to a legislative committee. The bill read simply, “The whoopie pie, a baked good made of two chocolate cakes with creamy frosting between them, is the official state dessert.”
The proposal has not gone without its detractors. Rep. Donald Pilon, D-Saco, feels a state with an obesity problem should not have the whoopie pie as a state dessert.
Commenters on a recent article in the Bangor Daily News expressed disbelief that lawmakers would consider such a “frivolous” piece of legislation.
Statements such as “How about a bipartisan effort to tell our state legislature to get to work? Anyone on board?” were frequent, while many comments were less polite.
The origin of the cake has also caused some debate. Proponents of the bill say Pennsylvania may move similar legislation through if Maine does not. Some claim the cake originated with the Pennsylvania Dutch; others contend it started in Bangor.
Although seemingly trivial, the dessert is no small matter here in Maine. In Dover-Foxcroft, the whoopie pie has its own festival, which drew more than 3,500 people last year. The snack also holds the honor of having its own day, Maine Whoopie Pie Day, held June 26.
Davis believes opponents of the bill do not recognize larger motives.
Bernard LaBree, owner and president of LaBree’s Bakery in Old Town, owns one of those businesses, though “small” may be an inaccurate description. His factory employs over 300 people and, on days when they manufacture whoopie pies, they make over 100,000 at a time.
“We’ve been making whoopie pies since 1960,” he said.
LaBree’s Bakery, which first started operations in 1948, sends its whoopie pies to numerous locations around the globe. LaBree himself feels the legislation will be good for Maine businesses that make money from the treat.
“I think it will help all the people that make whoopie pies in Maine,” he said.
“It’s economics,” Davis said, who claimed the bill was proposed with the idea of helping Maine businesses producing the small cake. “There’s small bakeries all over the state.”
“Approximately 500 people make their living from this cake,” said Davis. “The people that earn their living from whoopie pies don’t think it’s frivolous.”
Davis feels that those who bake and support the whoopie pie are similar to any other special interest group and should be taken seriously.
“They have a right to be represented like anybody else,” he said.
Sen. Doug Thomas, R-Ripley, recently published an editorial about the legislation in the Bangor Daily News (“Boosting whoopie pies not as frivolous as you think,” Feb. 6) discussing the economic motives behind the bill.
“In June, almost 4,000 people came to Dover-Foxcroft and paid $6 each to attend the second annual Whoopie Pie Festival,” Thomas wrote. “Even though this bill seems frivolous, it’s about more and better jobs and a stronger economy, something we both promised when we asked for your vote last fall.”
On the University of Maine campus, it would be hard to deny the popularity of the cake and frosting dessert. Kathy Kittridge, director of Black Bear Dining, said a full-time staff of four working from the Wells Commons is responsible for all of the bakery items around campus — including the 4,159 whoopie pies churned out in January alone.
That number is even more impressive considering more than one week at the beginning of the month was dedicated to winter break, leaving campus nearly empty of the student population.
The bill is currently moving through legislature and has not made it to the House floor.
Rob Stigile contributed to this report.
