Moon pie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A moon pie or MoonPie[1] is a pastry which consists of two round graham cracker cookies, with marshmallow filling in the center, dipped in chocolate or other flavors. The traditional pie is about the diameter of a hockey puck; a smaller version exists (mini MoonPie) that is about half the size. The four main flavors are chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and banana. Three newer flavors, lemon, orange, and peanut butter are also available.
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[edit] History and origin
The moon pie was invented circa 1917 by the Chattanooga Bakery, USA.[2] According to the producer's web site, the product's origin is undocumented. Earl Mitchell, Sr. was identified as the possible creator by his son. Mr. Mitchell reportedly conceived the moon pie as a snack for coal miners in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.[3]. "RC Cola and a Moon Pie" is a common phrase in the southern United States.[4][5] It is uncertain whence the tradition of eating moon pies with RC Cola derived.[6]
Beginning on New Year's 2008, the city of Mobile, AL now has a lighted plastic moon pie which it raises at midnight in downtown. Also the city had for the 2008 New Year's celebration the worlds largest moon pie baked for the occasion.[citation needed]
[edit] The Moon Pie Song
ABC-TV's Good Morning America featured "The Moon Pie Song" by Charles Ghigna (Father Goose) during its tour of the Chattanooga Bakery Company in 1991.
[edit] Nutrition facts
A MoonPie is made with marshmallow, which is a low-fat but high-sugar food. The nutritional content of a chocolate full-size or Mini MoonPie® (from 2004) is detailed below, showing (full-size) 226 calories, [7] saturated fat 3.5g, carbohydrate 40g, protein 4g, iron 5%, of a total weight of 57 grams (2 ounces). The nutritional data for a chocolate Mini MoonPie is about 65% the amount of full-size. [8] [9]
The ingredients are as follows: [7] Enriched wheat flour (Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic acid), Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Vegetable Shortening (Contains Partially hydrogenated Soybean Oil and/or Cottonseed Oil and/or Coconut Oil and/or Palm kernel oil and/or Palm Oil), Soy Flour, Dutched Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Cocoa, Gelatin, Baking Soda, Lecithin, Salt, Artificial Flavoring, Sodium sulfite.[7]
Nutrition facts for chocolate MoonPie® (full-size): [7]
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- Serving size 1 (57g or 2 oz)
- Calories: 226 Calories from fat: 51
- Total fat: 5.7g (saturated fat 3.5g) Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 188mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 40g (dietary fiber 0g, sugars 12.5g)
- Protein: 4g Vitamin A: 0% Vitamin C: 0% Iron: 5%.[7]
Nutrition facts for chocolate Mini MoonPie®: [8]
-
- Serving size 1 (34g or 1.2 oz)
- Calories: 152 (or 130[9]) Calories from fat: 40 (or 30)
- Total fat: 4.5g (saturated fat 3g) Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 120mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 26g (dietary fiber 0g, sugars 8g)
- Protein: 2.5g.[8]
Note that the nutrition data is for a chocolate MoonPie® or Mini MoonPie®, while other flavors (such as banana, vanilla, strawberry, or orange) might have different nutritional content.
[edit] Similar products
In the northern regions of the United States, a MoonPie is called a "scooter pie." Also, compare with Mallomars, a single-cracker marshmallow cookie. In the UK, Australia and Canada there are Wagon Wheels, introduced under the Weston name in the 1940s but since divested to other companies in the UK and Australia.[10] The Korean company Orion and the Korean conglomerate Lotte produce Choco Pies and in Mexico is a similar cookie pie called Mamut.
[edit] Mardi Gras tradition
The Moon Pie became a traditional "throw" (an item thrown from a parade float into the crowd) of Carnival krewes in Mobile, Alabama during 1956,[2][11] followed by other communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but not as much in New Orleans. The westernmost outpost of the Moon Pie as an important Carnival throw is Slidell, Louisiana, which has a parade by "The Krewe of Mona Lisa and Moon Pie." Also, in the town of Oneonta, Alabama, there is a moon pie eating contest started by Wal-Mart employee John Love when he inadvertently ordered too many. This anecdote was featured in Sam Walton's autobiography, Made in America.[12]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ MoonPie products
- ^ a b "Carnival/Mobile Mardi Gras Timeline" (list of events by year), Museum of Mobile, 2001, webpage:MoM: states: 1917 - The Chattanooga Bakery company introduces the popular marshmallow cookie "moon pie"; and, 1956 - The first "moon pies" are thrown from a Mobile Mardi Gras float.
- ^ "MoonPie: MoonPie History". Chattanooga Bakery. http://www.moonpie.com/hist_text.asp. Retrieved on 2008-09-01.
- ^ Schemmel, William (2007). Georgia Curiosities. Globe Pequot. pp. 16. ISBN 9780762741106. http://books.google.com/books?id=UxvjJqyzL1cC.
- ^ Egerton, John; Ann Bleidt Egerton, Al Clayton (1993). Southern Food. UNC Press. pp. 40. ISBN 9780807844175. http://books.google.com/books?id=m2MDbbzwXaQC.
- ^ NPR: The Heavenly Appeal of Moon Pies
- ^ a b c d e "Chocolate MoonPie nutrition information" (label), DietFacts.com, 2004-09-07 (letter from bakery), webpage: DF-MoonPie (nutrition facts of full-size chocolate MoonPie).
- ^ a b c "Chocolate Mini MoonPie nutrition information" (label), DietFacts.com, 2004-09-07 (letter from bakery), webpage: DF-choc-Mini-MoonPie (nutrition facts of chocolate Mini MoonPie).
- ^ a b Labels in 2007 on a chocolate Mini MoonPie have listed 130 calories (30 from fat), with 2.5g saturated fat (Trans fat 0g), but the same weight, 34g (1.2 oz).
- ^ "Burton's Foods". http://www.burtonsfoods.com. Retrieved on 2008-09-01.
- ^ "Mobile's Moonpies made their debute in 1974!". Mardi Gras Digest .Com. http://www.mardigrasdigest.com/html/history_of/history_of_the_moon_pies.htm. Retrieved on 2008-09-01.
- ^ Walton, Sam; John Huey (1992). Made in America. Doubleday. ISBN 9780385468602.
