Moon Pies and Goo Goo Clusters

Shhhhh. Be quiet, be vewy vewy quiet. As a daughter of the "South", I am committing a sacrilege for even admitting that I do not like Moon Pies, or Goo Goo Clusters.

To be honest, in the Lone Star State, these two culinary delights are not that well praised. Maybe it's because Texas does not fit entirely into the definition of "Southern", nor do we totally assume the moniker of "Western". Kind of a hybrid of the two.

A brief history of the Moon Pie:

"A Moon Pie is a miniature full-moon-shaped, edible, sticky, somewhat crunchy concoction of graham cracker cookie dough and marshmellows which is covered with chocolate. Born in Tennessee in the early nineteen hundreds, Moon Pies were originally made for coal miners as a special treat to brighten their black days under ground. Legend has it that the name Moon Pie originated with a miner who once said, "I'd like a cookie as big as the moon." Well, the Moon Pie is not as big as the moon but it is big on flavor. After the first bite into a Moon Pie the flavor explodes, filling the mouth with a delectible taste that is pure bliss. It is no wonder that Moon Pies have held their popularity since their genesis in the early nineteen hundreds. Country folk swear that after the first bite into a Moon Pie, an image of the Man-in-the-Moon appears on the surface of the pie - and winks. It is true that since Moon Pies hit their zenith in 1950, in excess of 125 million of these sweet treats are bought yearly. The two Carolinas eat more Moon Pies than all of the other states combined. Moon Pies are a Southern phenomenon. In days past, the four-inch in diameter Moon Pies were nearly always eaten with an RC Cola--Royal Crown Cola*. Today, it is hard to find an RC Cola, though Moon Pies are still strong on the shelves."

*Every native Texan knows that Dr. Pepper is THE proper breakfast beverage (and no, it does not contain prune juice!).

And as an added treat, I found this little jewel while doing some Goo Goo Cluster research, and a fine tall Southern tale it is: Horror In Dixie! To enhance your reading pleasure, you might want to have some Moon Pies and Goo Goo's on hand with a tall ice-cold bottle of Dr. Pepper. Or, not.