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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Regional, um…Delectables?!


This should come with a foodie post warning. But maybe not.

Read on at your own risk!

In just the last few months I’ve had conch fritters in Nassau, Bahamas, caviar in Cordova, Reindeer sausage on a bun in Moose Pass --- I’m usually up for EVERYTHING. At least once. More if I like it!

So when I was asked by the Maine Quilters at Quilt Camp if I’d ever had a MOXIE….I agreed to give it a go!

Of course, I never thought anyone would actually LEAVE their sewing space to run to town to go get me one, but I was wrong!

Just what IS a Moxie? Everyone had their own definition for what it tastes like.

“It’s kind of like a root beer. But not really.”

“It’s like a cola, sort of…..that is if you mixed it with medicine.”

“Oh, I love Moxie! We grew up on the stuff….”

“You can gargle with Moxie and it’ll cure what ails ya”

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So here I am on a dare. It doesn’t look THAT bad does it? I mean, it’s brown…smells KINDA like root beer, kinda not.

“You gotta put it over ice, it goes down better!!”

((!!!))

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One little sip…..surely, it can’t be all THAT bad?? I mean, they’ve got to sell enough of the stuff to at least keep bottling it and keeping the stores stocked, right?

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OOOoooooooooooooh! Do I swallow or not? LOL!!! I guess they ARE right. Moxie is an acquired taste! If I had to describe it, it reminds me of those “suicide” drinks my kids used to make at the soda station at Burger King. You start at one end of the machine and put in some Sprite, Some Fanta Orange, Some Root Beer, some Mountain Dew, some Grape, some Coke, and throw in a bit of Hawaiian Punch. And Robitussin! I think the only thing this drink has going for it is fizz and caffeine…LOL!! Nope, I think I’ll stay a Diet Dr Pepper girl, thank you very much!

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Another Maine Must Have! Whoopie Pies! I’ve only had these in Lancaster, PA before…but evidently they are a big thing up here as well.

I picked up the peanut butter one, and did well to leave it alone for quite a while, but on my last night in Rangeley, my curiosity got the best of me. That peanut butter filling just needed..well..I had to….

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Ooooooh! It’s like whipped marshmallow cream with peanut butter in it. I know I said I was just going to just reach in a finger and give the cream a taste, but….

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And on the score board: Whoopie Pie gets a 10.0!! Moxie? Uuummmm…..better luck next time, Moxie! ((Not even gonna go there!!))

As for me….time to hit the GYM!

18 comments:

  1. Our family tries out the regional delicacies when we go on a trip as well. Some are wonderful...crab cakes with fresh fruit salsa in Key West, lobster rolls in Maine...Some are not so good...deep fried Okra in Plains GA and boiled peanuts in SC. It is still fun to give new things a try!

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  2. Anonymous8:53 AM EDT

    I don't care what my pastor says, Moxie is just plain nasty!! You were a good sport to even try it. Of course the Whoopie Pies on the other hand are a must have! Glad you enjoyed it.
    Faye

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  3. I personally love the Moxie -which I always tell people is like a cross between root beer and Robitussin - but I am also a black licorice, sarsaparilla, ginger beer kind of gal. The peanut butter whoopie pie looks divine -we get plain and pumpkin from our Mennonite friends at the farmers market here in western NY - my 6 year old LOVES them!!!!

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  4. Anonymous9:18 AM EDT

    I just taste-tested Moxie last week myself. My hosts found a bottle in the fridge and no one knew who had put it there... so "of course" we decide to drink it. I agree with the first taste being like rootbeer, but it has that weird delay and then the second flavor is YUCK! Robitussin is a great description... but why is it desirable? I think I know why it got abandoned in their fridge :)

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  5. Medicinal cola that may or may not taste like root beer? I think I can safely skip that experience -- thanks for the warning! :-)

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  6. Bonnie, now we can truthfully say you've got moxie!! The color looks sorta like grape flavored root beer. Now whoopie pies? I love em!

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  7. too funny! I was wondering the same thing about Moxie... if it's that bad, how do they keep selling the stuff? LOL

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  8. It is great to try foods as you travel. When we were in Alaska or maybe Canada I acquired a taste for ketchup potato chips. Now I rejoice every time they show up on the shelf at KMart here. There are lots of other things - boudin balls from LA, real salas from CA,razzleberry pie from Montana ( not the same as the one sold by Mrs Smiths. I can't remember the rest, but it is fun.

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  9. I grew up in Maine, so I can relate to this post. I'm with you - Dr. Pepper is the way to go and whoopie pies are awesome! Moxie - ick!

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  10. Anonymous10:57 AM EDT

    Sounds like you are feeling better.GOOD! Still, get lots of rest until you have to go again

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  11. I tried Moxie when my husband's grandparents brought if from Maine during one of their winters in Florida. I'm with you on that one! Yuk!! But the folks in Maine seem to love it!!

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  12. Anonymous12:36 PM EDT

    I just knew you were a Diet Dr Pepper kind of gal! Just reading the descriptions of Moxie's taste are enough to make me gag. Back to my Diet Dr Pepper (DDP at my house) and my machine. Glad you are feeling better!
    Joy in Wasilla, AK

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  13. Anonymous1:27 PM EDT

    Hey Bonnie,
    Glad you're getting back to normal feeling.
    I'm with you on the Moxie. I did love it when I was a kid and my grandfather would share his with me. Now I don't like it but my grandson loves it. I just had to make sure you tried it. You're such a good sport.
    Maryella in Maine

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  14. Reminds me of the time I ate fried alligator bites in FL. Later that night I went home and thought about eating 'gator and barfed it up!

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  15. I'm a Diet Dr Pepper girl but several of my friends think that is terrible tasting. My son made those mix it all together drinks but he called them "graveyards." I thought they tasted gross.

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  16. I have never tried either. On a trip to the US I tried root beer. That tasted like medicine/mouth wash to me, so I don't think I would give Moxie a go. Whoopee pies look interesting. Are they cake filled with whipped flavoured cream?

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  17. I have lived in Maine all my life; but Moxie isn't on my list of things I enjoy. Hubby likes it though. I really think it is nasty!!
    I wasn't surprised that you ate the whole whoopie pie though. Those are irresistable, and there are so many recipes out there for them. I make a few flavors of them myself.
    My friend and I are hoping to see you in 2015. Wow, I will be turning 61 that year!!! lol

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  18. For about 2 years we had a whoopie pie store near my office. I mourned when it went out of business. My favorite was the one with cherry filling. I've never heard of Moxie, though.

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