Moon Pies
Moon Pies are the south’s favorite snack food. They have 3 graham-like crackers sandwiching layers of marshmallow with a covered of chocolate, vanilla or banana. Then all you will need is a RC Cola. From the north? Try Scooter Pies.
Moon Pies History
Chattanooga Bakery was founded in 1902 and in the early years had as many as 150 different products such as fig bars, ginger snaps, graham crackers and vanilla wafers.
The Moon Pie brand was born in 1917 when a bakery salesman, Earl Mitchell, Sr., visited a company store that catered to coal miners. The miners said they wanted something solid and filling because they often didn't get time to break for lunch. "About how big?" Mitchell asked.
A miner held out his hands, framing the moon, and said, "About that big!" When he returned to the bakery he noticed some of the workers dipping graham cookies into marshmallow and laying them on the window sill to harden. The idea of adding another cookie and a generous coating of chocolate was tried and samples of the new "Moon Pie" were distributed. The response was enormous and it became a regular product of the bakery.
During the 1930's the Moon Pie found its place in Southern folklore as part of the "working man's lunch." Coal miners and laborers of all kinds could enjoy the biggest snack on the rack, a Moon Pie and a 10 oz. RC Cola, each for a nickel. The pair eventually inspired the country music hit "Give me a RC and a Moon Pie" in the 1950's.