Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

But First a Whoopie Pie

Sunday September 8, 2013
Moosehead Lake Family Campground
Greenville, Maine

 

 

Yesterday was our last day at Moosehead Lake.

We spent most of the day hiking up and around Mount Kineo.  That was yesterday’s post.  If you’d like to read it here is the link.  But that wasn’t all we did yesterday.  We got back to Greenville from Rockwood about 3:30 and stopped in to see what was up on a busy day at the Seaplane Fly-In.

 

Mount Kineo 169A

 

We went back down to Thoreau Park so named because of Henry’s three canoe trips around Moosehead Lake in 1853 and 1857.  He wrote about these trips and immortalized Moosehead Lake in his book The Maine Woods.  

 

Thoreau’s 1853 route is now part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail where paddlers start from Greenville and paddle 40 miles north to Mount Kineo and cross North Bay before  arriving at ancient  Native American portage routes to the west branch of the Penobscot River where they begin a journey to Chesnucook Lake.  Must be some really hardy people who do this given strong winds on Moosehead which can quickly build to large waves.  Paddle close to the shore is no doubt the rule.

 

I got some ice cream at Moose Scoops and we watched a few planes take off and land.   That’s a nearly empty cup of Moose Scoops Maine Blueberry Ice Cream I’m looking out over.

Mount Kineo 168

 

 

 

And now we come to the Whoopie Pie.

 

 

Mount Kineo 191

 

 

By then the craft fair was closing for the day so we hurried over to see what sorts of things they had.   Apparently someone must have had a head’s up about rain coming.  We didn’t know anything about it but they were packing up early so we missed a number of the booths.  But we did see the usual wood working, knitted sweaters etc, candles, art works of all kinds, and maple syrup for sale.   But the hit for us was finally finding out what in the world is a Whoopie Pie.  We’ve seen them around Maine even more frequently than Moxie.   But they just look like a big twinkie kind of thing or a giant oreo of which I am not really a big fan. 

 

Mount Kineo 194

 

But here at this little craft fair was the Maine Whoopie Pie champion baker.  Apparently there is a state taste test contest for Whoopies.   Bakers enter in two categories, Traditional Whoopie Pie and Non Traditional.  The traditional is two round mound shaped pieces of chocolate cake with a sweet creamy filling between them. 

Cupcakes Etc has won THE BEST both of the past two years.  And here they are.  How can we not try THE BEST Whoopie Pie?  After all the whoopie pie is the “official state treat of Maine”.  Not to be confused with “The Official State Dessert” which is,  of course, blueberry Pie.

 

Mount Kineo 192

 

Anyway, Cupcakes Etc owner Jim Chastenay is not closing up and has even set out samples of his non-traditional strawberry whoopie.  We both take a taste.  Well this is not a dry cake with a sugary frosting in the middle.  I think I might well like the traditional chocolate whoopie which was the 2013 winner, but I’ve already spent my $3.00 on ice cream.  Forget to get a picture of the traditional pie.  Hope you’ve already seen one.  It looks like these except it isn’t mint or orange or strawberry, it’s chocolate.   David decides to use his $3 dessert money on last year’s non traditional winner the Paul Bunyan Whoopie Pie.

This Whoopie Pie is at least half again or more larger than the regular whoopies.  It has buttermilk cake, maple frosting with candied brown sugar and BACON.  This is not a vegan dessert!  But then again neither is ice cream.

 

Mount Kineo 193A

 

David has great self control.  He does not eat the Paul Bunyan right here and now.  He saves it for …….  I have no idea.  

That is the end of our very last day in Greenville, Maine.  We would definitely return here again.

 

 

SUNDAY

On the road again.  Heading South.

 

This morning we are turning around.  We pack up and head south in the direction of Cape Cod.  It’s 350 miles from here to there and since I am not afflicted with PDD, we’ll only go half way there today.  And that will be a BIG day for us.  170 miles.   Our goal is Old Orchard Beach Maine south of Portland.

The trip is happily uneventful and costs only $7 in tolls to travel down I 95 for just over 100 miles.

 

 

Ne'er Campground Old Orchard Beach 005

 

We are staying at Ne’er Family Campground.  Not a destination spot unless you happen to like the traditional beach with amusement park.

I haven’t seen one in years so I thought I’d take the opportunity during the off season at what I hoped would be smaller than the well known ones like Coney Island or Atlantic City.

 

 

Ne'er Campground Old Orchard Beach 002

 

The park is right off the main road into town.  It’s about a mile from I 95 and a mile from the beach.  So the location is perfect.   The campground consists of one lane with small sites on the left and bigger sites on the right.  We pull into site 42 and are set up in minimal mode  by 3:00.   We’ll be here for two nights and pay $25 a night for FHU with our Passport American discount.

 

Ne'er Campground Old Orchard Beach 001

 

The Duckie’s view is of the smaller sites on the other side but they are happier looking at themselves.

We spend a leisurely rest of the day doing some of those regular life chores.  In retrospect, I make a mistake in not going down to the beach in the afternoon right after we get set up, but more about that tomorrow.

 

And now for that Whoopie Pie!

 

Ne'er Campground Old Orchard Beach 009

 

David unveils the Paul Bunyan Whoopie Pie for dessert after dinner and gives me a bite. 

I have to say it is really good.

  I was surprised that the strawberry one I sampled was as good as it was given my expectations.  But this Paul Bunyan is even better.  No wonder it was a winner!   And look at the size of it!   I have to hold it with two hands to get my bite and it was already half gone by that time.  :-))

 

Ne'er Campground Old Orchard Beach 016

 

 

By the way, you can eat all the great Whoopie Pies you would like AND see the Whoopie contest your very own self.  It all happens at The Maine Whoopie Pie Festival held around the 3rd Saturday in June in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine.  

Mark your calendar.

22 comments:

  1. As always, the two of you having fun. So great to read of your adventures. I'm still catching up on reading--usually just through Feedy. Making head way getting the trailer ready five minutes at a time. I read about everyone traveling, and I want to hitch up and GO!

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  2. My bet is that anything with bacon in it is delicious *shakes tiny fist at my veganism*

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  3. Oh my! When you left us hanging about the Bunyan Whoopie...thank goodness it is as good as it sounds. Safe travels south, we'll be following in another month. Now, back to sorting through hundreds of pictures of Nova Scotia....I highly recommend you make the trip up there one day, the views and hiking are marvelous.

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  4. A co-worker from Boston makes traditional chocolate whoopie pies which are quite delicious. They definitely aren't the size of the John Bunyan though. Whoopie pies must be a New England thing. Can't wait to hear about Cape Cod . . .

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  5. BTW, there was no BACON in that whoopie pie, rather a hint of bacon flavor. I'm not a big fan of sweets, but I do enjoy something different every now & then just for fun.

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    1. We'll have to agree to disagree here. My bite definitely had bacon in it and I'm pretty sure I saw it between the bottom cake and the filling. Guess we'll have to go back and get another one to make sure.

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  6. I've heard of whoopie pies but never had one. Oh my! MUST try the Paul Bunyan whoopie pie!! With bacon??? Be still my heart.

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  7. well yum. . .I never tried a whoopie pie, 'cause I thought they would be like moon pies which have marshmallow in the middle. . .yuck. . .perhaps I'll revise my thinking and give one a try. . .but like you, I want a homemade one. . .hmmm. . .I'll hafta check out sources. . .maybe a cupcake shop in Boston when we are there next week. . .

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  8. I don't know whoopie pies, either. I don't know bacon whoopies more.

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  9. bacon whoopie pies? naw ~ that's terrible ~ sacrilege to pie/cookies... might as well have a donut with a burger... that has got to be awful... a donut burger. guess you never found the wild rice burgers... HAhaaaaa

    Oh, joy you and David disagree on stuff? yay... you're not perfect... I feel better now

    ... that festival is next summer... now that's my kind of festival. Down heah... we call them Moon Pies... grew up with RC Cola and moon pies... good stuff that will kill you.

    how do you spell r a ... R had two syllables. I was too sophisticated for such. I had a Valomilk with 7Up and Fritos. gooood school lunch

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  10. How fun that you are sampling Whoopie Pies. I have never been a fan but after reading your description of these, I find myself wondering if I have ever had one that "rates."

    I love the joie de vivre that is present in your posts. You and David have a childlike appreciation for life that is inspiring.

    Happy travels to Cape Cod--a place I have never been.

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  11. Great way to end your wondertime at Moosehead Lake!! Bacon Whoopie Pies really does sound unique...Bill would love that sweet treat;o)))

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  12. I've never had a Whoopie Pie, and now I think I have missed out! Next trip to Maine for sure! Don't men with will power drive you nuts? I would have had that pie out of the bag before my change was in my pocket. haha!!

    Keep having fun!

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  13. Think it must be a northeast thing, at Thanksgiving I make a pumpkin with maple cream version and for Christmas I make red velvet Whoopie pies. Safe travels to the cape.

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  14. They have so many festivals up there!! Guess they live it up in summer and buckle down in winter. Those pies must be all sugar.
    Yum! But with bacon? Unique. Now you can say you know how they are. Glad you had an easy ride to your next locale for adventure. Such fun :)

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  15. Maybe the bacon makes it a breakfast pie? In any event, it looks good.

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  16. That Whoopie Pie was so big I thought it was a Whoopie Cushion... :cD

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  17. That's not very fair, showing me these delicious Whoopie Pies and then I can't even eat them unless one of those stalls are making gluten free ones! ;) They sure do look yummy!

    I hope that the traffic will be good for your visit to Cape Cod. It is a place that I would love to visit one day but when we went close to that area in March of 2011 it certainly wasn't the weather for a visit there and when we came back in July of the same year we stayed north, knowing that there would be far too much tourists and traffic for our liking. I was at Old Orchard Beach when I was real little and can only really remember a bit of the beach.

    Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  18. Oh, my gosh, Sherry - don't have your cholesterol checked anytime soon! I had to laugh at the size of that Whoopie Pie! My Grandkids would love them. Looks like you're having fun - I enjoyed the photos of Maine. I hear from my friend that it's been wet there. (I'm visiting from Gaelyn's blog)

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  19. I have never had a Whoopie Pie, but if I ever do it will have to be chocolate. I didn't realize that they are the Maine Dessert.

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  20. Those Whoopies look a whole lot better than the packaged (Twinkie) kind.

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  21. Whoopie pies are big in PA too. The Amish community make them to sell at farmers' markets. That one looks fabulous!

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