Moon pie

Moon pie
Confectionery
Alternative name(s):
MoonPie
Main ingredient(s):
Graham cracker cookies, marshmallow
Recipes at Wikibooks:
Moon pie
Media at Wikimedia Commons:
Moon pie

A moon pie or MoonPie^[1] is a popular confection in the United States which consists of two round graham cracker cookies, with marshmallow filling in the center, dipped in a flavored coating. The traditional pie is approximately four inches (100 mm) in diameter. A smaller version exists (mini MoonPie) that is approximately half the size, and a Double-Decker MoonPie of the traditional diameter features a third cookie and attendant layer of marshmallow. The four main flavors are chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and banana. Double Decker MoonPies also come in lemon and orange; MoonPie Crunch comes only in peanut butter or mint. The snack is often associated with the cuisine of the American South where they are traditionally accompanied by an RC Cola. Today, MoonPies are made by the Chattanooga Bakery in Chattanooga, TN.

History

A double-decker Moon Pie split in half.

Precisely how and when people began the custom of eating Moon Pies with RC Cola is unknown,^[2] although it is likely that their inexpensive prices, combined with their larger serving sizes, contributed to establishing this combination as the "working man's lunch". The popularity of this combination was celebrated in a popular song of the 1950s, by Big Bill Lister, "Gimmee an RC Cola and a Moon Pie.".^[3] In 1973, NRBQ had a minor hit with the song, "An RC Cola and a Moon Pie."

Since New Year's Eve 2008, the city of Mobile, Alabama raises a 12-foot-tall (3.7 m) lighted mechanical moon pie to celebrate the coming of the new year. The giant banana colored MoonPie is raised by a crane to a height of 200 feet (61 m) as the clock strikes midnight.^[4] Also, the city had for the 2008 New Year's celebration the world's largest moon pie baked for the occasion. It weighed 55 pounds (25 kg) and contained 45,000 calories.^[5]

An annual RC & Moon Pie Festival^[6] is celebrated in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and a Moon Pie Eating Contest is held in Bessemer, Alabama.

On October 16, 2010, Sonya Thomas, a competitive eater known as the "Black Widow," ate 38 MoonPies in eight minutes in Caruthersville, Missouri.

Newport, Tennessee held its first annual Moon Pie Festival in May, 2012.

Mardi Gras tradition

The Moon Pie became a traditional "throw" (an item thrown from a parade float into the crowd) of Mardi Gras "krewes" (parade participants) in Mobile, Alabama during 1956,^[7][8] followed by other communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 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.^[9]

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,^[10] 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.^[11][12]

The ingredients are as follows:^[10] Enriched wheat flour (Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic acid), 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, Kosher Gelatin, Baking Soda, Lecithin, Salt, Artificial Flavoring, Sodium sulfite.^[10]

Nutrition facts for chocolate MoonPie (full-size):^[10]

• 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%.^[10]

Nutrition facts for chocolate Mini MoonPie:^[11]

• Serving size 1 (34g or 1.2 oz)
• Calories: 152 (or 130^[12]) 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.^[11]

Note that the nutrition data is for a chocolate MoonPie or chocolate Mini MoonPie, while other flavors (such as banana, vanilla, strawberry, or orange) might have different nutritional content.

Similar products

In the northern areas of the U.S. a similar product is called a "Scooter Pie" and there is also a single-cracker marshmallow cookie called "Mallomars". Little Debbie also makes what they call "Marshmallow Pies" which are nearly identical to the Moonpies. In the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada a similar product is called "Wagon Wheels" and in Japan, "Angel Pies".

Some South Korean companies produce "Choco Pies", and in Mexico there are similar cookie pies called "Mamut" (sold by Gamesa), and "Rocko" (marketed by Marinela); there are several other minor brands as well. In Turkey, a similar pie is called "Halley".

See also

• Alfajor
• Chocolate-coated marshmallow treats
• Choco Pie
• Fluffernutter, another kind of marshmallow creme based sandwich
• S'more
• Wagon Wheels
• Whoopie pie

References

External links

• Official Chattanooga Bakery website
• Pictures
• Chattanooga Bakery Company article at the Tennessee Encyclopedia Online
• Moon Pie Drop New Year's Eve in Mobile, AL

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