Fluffernutter Bill Reaches Massachusetts Senate: Sweet News

Marshmallow Fluff was invented in Somerville, Massachusetts, and a bill pending in the State House would make the Fluffernutter, a Marshmallow Fluff-peanut butter combo, the official Massachusetts state sandwich. The Fluffernutter bill will be heard Thursday by the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. Joining the Fluffernutter petition in the Massachusetts legislature, Necco wafers seek the official state candy designation and Charleston Chews the state candy bar status.

Necco wafers were invented in Boston in 1847. Necco wafers traveled with explorer Donald MacMillan to the Arctic in 1913 where he used them both for nutrition and to reward eskimo children.

Charleston Chews are native to Emeryville, California, but Brownie Scouts lobbied to have them made the official Massachusetts state candy bars because they were manufactured in Everett, Massachusetts for many years. Born in 1922, Charleston Chews borrowed their name from the popular Charleston dance and piggybacked on its popularity. In support of their petition to have Charleston Chews named the state candy bar, the Wakefield Brownies danced the Charleston for legislators.

Not many states designate official state candies or candy bars. Massachusetts natives must have an inbred propensity to consume sugar; the proposed state candy and candy bar, if made official, will join the state cookie (chocolate chip), state dessert (Boston cream pie) and state doughnut (Boston crème).

Few states have designated a state sandwich, and if Massachusetts gives the honor to the Fluffernutter, it will become the only state with a sweet official sandwich. The Fluffernutter failed to gain official state status as the sandwich of Massachusetts in 2006 when Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein of Revere first proposed it. Reinstein took up the cause of the Fluffernutter after then state senator Jarrett Barrios tried to get the Fluffernutter banned from the state lunch menu, a sacrilege to Fluffernutter fans.

While few states adopt as many official sweet treats as Massachusetts, several states have given a local sweet confection official state status.

Official State Pies

Indiana, Florida and Vermont boast state pies, Hoosier, Key lime, and apple, respectively. In Oklahoma, pecan pie is an official state menu item.

Official State Desserts

Maryland designated Smith Island Cake the official state dessert, South Dakota kuchen. .

Official State Cookies

New Mexico has the bizcochito as its state cookie while Pennsylvania has chosen the sugar cookie.

Official State Pastries

Texas has two state pastries, sopaipilla and strudel.

Official State Muffin

Virgina has designated the blueberry muffin its official state muffin.

Sources: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/09/gooey_treat_flu.html; http://www.necco.com/AboutUs/History.asp; http://www.oldtimecandy.com/charleston-chews.htm; http://www.wickedlocal.com/wakefield/news/education/x124602978/Wakefield-Brownies-successfully-lobby-for-bill-to-make-Charleston-Chew-official-state-candy; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_foods.