• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Bainbridge Island
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Food
  • Life
  • The Wedding Cookbook Project
  • Writing
  • Nav Widget Area

A Mom's Year

Creating a comfortable life one moment at a time

July 5, 2012

Country of the Week: USA / Whoopie Pies

This week we’re exploring the USA and our first stop is New England. Since I always like to start with food, a quick search revealed that the region is known for brown bread, baked beans, clam chowder, lobster, and apple pie. These all seemed promising, but then I read that whoopie pies are the official state treat of Maine and that was that.

Whoopie pies seem very similar to the Suzy-Qs that were sold in my high school’s cafeteria. Both desserts feature two slabs of chocolate cake filled with a big gob of cream filling. And we’re talking serious, shortening-based cream filling.

There are dozens and dozens of recipes out there for whoopie pies, but I wanted to use the most authentic one possible. I found this recipe for real Maine whoopie pies on designer Katy Elliott’s blog. Katy spent an afternoon learning the ropes from her Grammy and her Great-Aunt Rita (the “Queen of Whoopie Pies”) and now she’s sharing their method with all of us.

The whoopie pies were easy to make and so delicious!

While you’re munching on your whoopie pies, you can get a little learning in:

  • Ask your kids to name the New England states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island). You can have them fill in a map like this.
  • Ask them to name each state’s capital (Augusta, Concord, Montpelier, Boston, Hartford, and Providence).
  • See if they can think of any famous landmarks in New England (like Plymouth Rock and the Freedom Trail).
  • Ask if they can name something for which each state is known. This could be anything from Vermont maple syrup to sports teams.
  • Have the kids research and talk about famous politicians, artists, poets, writers, and athletes from the area. You can read a Dr. Seuss story to younger kids (his hometown is Springfield, Massachusetts) or if your kids can handle a bigger challenge, pick a poem to read and discuss. (Lexie read Robert Frost’s “The Road Less Traveled” to us.)
Next up: the mid-Atlantic states and homemade Philadelphia cheese steak sandwiches.

 

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cooking, Country of the Week, Kid Activities Shannon Leave a Comment

Reader Interactions

Happy Independence Day!
Country of the Week: USA / Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hello! My name is Shannon Taylor. I'm a long-time writer and editor from Minnesota surprised to find myself on an island in the Pacific Northwest. I'm sharing this adventure with my husband, four kids, and two dogs. I “published” my first newsletter when I was nine, and I’ve loved sharing ideas, stories, and information ever since. I hope you find something here to inspire you and help you create a comfortable, cozy life.
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Instagram

I dug through some old photos and found these shot I dug through some old photos and found these shots from the 1992 Presidential Inaugural Parade. Special Olympics athletes and staff had the honor of marching. Such an exciting day, and I got to meet actor Chris Burke who played Corky Thatcher on “Life Goes On.”

Featured Posts

  • How to Host a Chinese New Year Party
  • Make: Double Happiness Symbol for Chinese New Year
  • Chinese New Year / Fortune Cookies
  • Chinese New Year Cookies
  • Make: Snowflake Garland
  • Kids’ Craft: Smelly Christmas Ornaments
  • Breathing Room
  • The Boredom Is Not Allowed List
  • The Only Parenting Advice We Need
  • Country of the Week: Japan / Roasted Seaweed and Mochi

Fiction

Fiction

Comforting as a big mug of cocoa in front of a warm fire, this cozy family novel is about the connections we make and the traditions that keep us together.

Archives

© 2021 Happy Crow Enterprises, LLC
About    Privacy Policy    Copyright
Pretty Happy WordPress Theme · By: Pretty Darn Cute Design