I will sell my case of Lafite for one miiiillion dollars....

[JimHow]

I have a mixed case of Lafite-- five bottles of 1996, three bottles of 2002, two bottles of 2004, one bottle of 1998, and one bottle of 2001, all sitting in a 1996 Lafite wood case at the bottom of a stack of wood cases. I also have a half bottle of 1996 Lafite.

I will sell all twelve and a half bottles for one miillion dollars.

That's one miiiillion dollars, and these thirteen beauties are all yours.....

I will even pay for shipping..... If I had some Carruades I would throw in a bottle or two as well....

[rjsussex]

Nice one Jim - actually i'm selling my case of 02 Duhart for serious money - China is now dictating prices: I gather Carruades and Duhart have been joined by Lynch, Beychevelle and even Talbot as China-friendly brands.

What have we come to

Richard

[JimHow]

Oh, no, they've discovered Lynch?

Man, I drank all my bottles of Carruades, who'd have ever thunk I'd have been kicking myself for not saving my $25 bottles of wine?

[rjsussex]

I posted some months ago about China and Lynch - seemed like a joke but Cazes had launched it as a China-friendly re-name (Lan-Si-Pat or something) to massive success. Beychevelle they apparently like as the label looks 'like' their dragon-ship icons - the Lafite craze in China looks like incorporating Smith H-L if 09 prices are anything to go by - and I think I made a silly joke about China and SHL ages ago on this site which has now come (er) true

R

[JonB]

I've been waiting for you to post this on the Squires site, or Commerce Corner.

I'm sure you've been thinking about what you'd do with the $1 Million, such as :

- downpayment on a case of 2009 Lafite;

- a Whoopie Pie bakery

- impartial officiating in the next Lakers-Celtics series

- a Lincoln Continental PLUS gas money for 2 years

- a barometric bubble

-

[JimHow]

I was just reading in the Sunday edition of the Lewiston Sun-Journal, June 26th is "Whoopie Pie Day" in Maine:

Honoring the Whoopie! June 26 is officially Maine Whoopie Pie Day ... like you need a special day to devour this home-grown treat.
By Molly F. McGill, Special to the Sun Journal
Jun 20, 2010 12:00 am

Andrew Marshall at the Whoopie Pie Festival.
- Patrick Myers - Organizer of the

Whoopie Pie Festival
- Patrick Myers - Organizer of the

Whoopie Pie Festival
- Patrick Myers - Organizer of the

Whoopie Pie Festival
- Patrick Myers

Whoopie Pie Festival
- Patrick Myers - Organizer of the

Whoopie Pie Festival

- Patrick Myers - Organizer of the

Andrew Marshall at the Whoopie Pie Festival.
- Patrick Myers - Organizer of the

Andrew Marshall at the Whoopie Pie Festival.
- Patrick Myers - Organizer of the

Andrew Marshall at the Whoopie Pie Festival.
- Patrick Myers - Organizer of the
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Save They are piled high at gas station checkouts, available at both humble markets and boutiques, and often found at family gatherings. They're whoopie pies, of course, and with their potential Lewiston origins, Dover-Foxcroft festival and special blessing from the governor, they are about as Maine as you can get.

“I grew up in Maine and whoopie pies have always been one of those sweet treats that you just love,” says Patrick Myers, executive director of the Center Theater in Dover-Foxcroft and organizer of the state’s own Whoopie Pie Festival. “You’d go into a convenient store with your folks to pick up a gallon of milk or something you need and there’d be whoopie pies sitting on the counter. You’d bug your parents for it and on a lucky day you might actually get one. It’s just one of those childhood memories that evoke a lot of nostalgia.”

While not exactly a pie, per se, they aren’t really a cake either … or a cookie for that matter. They are an entity all their own. Two mounded, cake-like sides (about the size of the palm of your hand) sandwich a rich, creamy filling. Traditionally, whoopie pies are chocolate with a white frosting center made with either vegetable shortening or Marshmallow Fluff. However, there’s been an explosion of variants in flavor over the past decade, such as red velvet, pumpkin, vanilla, banana, maple and chocolate chip cakes with expanded fillings like cream cheese frosting, French vanilla, peppermint, chocolate, peanut butter and more.

A whoopie pie perfect storm has been brewing ever since a 2009 New York Times article named whoopie pies as the next big dessert item, and Oprah Winfrey featured Wicked Whoopies made by Gardiner, Maine-based Isamax Snacks. Swanky bakeries in big cities across the nation started carrying them in their display cases, and the craze even jumped across “the big pond” with the London Evening Standard newspaper raving about the dessert in February.

But this is one trend that Mainers were surely ahead of the game on.

“I grew up eating whoopie pies. My mother made them, my grandmother made them, my neighbor’s mother and grandmother made them — I have a lot of fond memories of them,” says Amos Orcutt, president/CEO of the University of Maine Foundation, who also honeymoons as the president of the Maine Whoopie Pie Association.

Made up of whoopie pie lovers near and far, the association has members numbering in the hundreds and its membership is increasing every day. But they aren’t the only group of banded-together whoopie pie devotees. Numerous Facebook pages dedicated to the oh-so-delicious confection has fans reaching into the tens of thousands.

Many of those fans are Mainers. Ask anyone in the state and they’ll tell you that the hand-held dessert has been a longtime favorite here, but its origin remains a disputed topic among connoisseurs.

Pennsylvania claims Amish settlers invented the dessert as a treat to slip into the lunch pails of children and working husbands who would exclaim “whoopee!” upon discovery of the treat. There and in other places, the treat is also known as a gob, a black-and-white and a bob.

Bostonians say that the Berwick Cake Company was the first to create the pies in the 1920s, but it went out of business in 1977, according to Nancy Griffin, Maine author of “Making Whoopies! The Official Whoopie Pie Book,” so it can’t be validated. Some people even give credit to the makers of Marshmallow Fluff (an ingredient sometimes used in the filling), but the company, Durkee-Mower Inc., denies any ownership of the treat.

Maine appears to be the only state with a true date stamp on the creation of whoopie pies — 1925 — and it’s credited to Labadie’s Bakery right here in Lewiston, although, again, there's no tangible proof of its origins here, only word of mouth through the generations.

“The business started as a small retail shop with whoopie pies, donuts and pastries,” says current owner Fabien Labadie. He’s the third generation of Labadies to run the family business that his grandfather, Odylon, began. Whoopie pies, says Labadie, have always been an integral part of the operation.

“It’s something that, if you go out of Maine, people don’t know what you’re talking about unless they’re from Maine originally,” says Orcutt, in defense the state’s whoopie pie legacy. “A lot of the folks that return to Maine that have been away, one of the first things they ask for besides the red hot dogs are whoopie pies. To me, it’s very Maine.”

So Maine, in fact, that there have been efforts to get it named as the state’s official dessert. Students in the Youth in Government program up north at Ashland High School spearheaded the campaign and Orcutt jumped on board to help. The two saw whoopies as a great way to promote some of Maine’s other food stuffs besides lobsters and blueberries. They hope to introduce legislation in the coming year.

In the meantime, Gov. John Baldacci has proclaimed the fourth Saturday in June as Maine Whoopie Pie Day. The proclamation coincides with the second annual Maine Whoopie Pie Festival on June 26th in Dover-Foxcroft, where thousands of whoopie pie lovers are expected to attend.

“It truly is a uniquely Maine dessert,” says Myers. “I thought we should celebrate them here in Maine and let the rest of the world know that it is truly a Maine delicacy.”

[JimHow]

And of course, you and many a BWEers have tasted the delicious Labadie's whoopie pie:


Eats: Inside Labadie's: Experts in putting the 'pie' in whoopie!
By Molly F. McGill, Special to the Sun Journal
Jun 20, 2010 12:00 am

Labadie's Bakery produces thousands of whoopie pies each week to be distributed in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
- Amber Waterman/Sun Journal
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Dawn Proctor places caps on filled whoopie pies at Labadie's Bakery on Lincoln Street in Lewiston. Labadie's ships their whoopie pies state wide, and also into New Hampshire and Massachusetts. According to one employee, he has even spotted them on the New Jersey turnpike.
- Amber Waterman/Sun Journal
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Save Ditch the bell, Pavlov. The sweet fragrance of baking goodies is enough to make anyone salivate.

Labadie’s Bakery on Lincoln Street in Lewiston releases a sweet aroma from continuously churning out racks and racks of delicious pastries. Creme rolls, a multitude of doughnuts, Bismarcks and, of course, their famous whoopie pies are started in the wee hours of the morning — anywhere from 3 a.m. to midnight the night before — making the air around the iconic bakery laden with craving-inducing smells.

Current owner Fabien Labadie says a paper trail in Lewiston archives he has researched traces Labadie’s Bakery back to 1925, although he says he's been told by family members that it actually dates back to 1918. A fire in the late 1960s destroyed all records, and the third-generation Labadie owner defers to the archived date.

“We go by that date because it is safer,” he jokes.

Although the steady stream of early-morning customers leaving the retail counter with a dizzying array of breakfast goodies may seem to contradict this fact, the bakery is best known for its whoopie pies — delicious cake-like cookies sandwiching a rich, creamy filling.

In 1994, a year after he took over, Fabien tweaked the whoopie pie family recipe to extend the shelf life for shipment. Labadie’s whoopie pies are distributed to vending machines, convenient stores and grocers throughout New England, as well as private customers off the website whoopiepies.com, run by a fellow family member. The bakery also produces whoopie pies for big-name customers such as Sam’s and Amato’s, using different recipes.

Basically, the Labadies are whoopie pie experts.

By eight o’clock on a Wednesday morning, 10 employees are busily folding dough, removing steaming pastries from an oven, injecting flaky rolls with cream or jelly, and wrapping finished products for the day. In the middle of it all, Brandon LeClair is diligently shooting three-and-a-half-ounce balls of chocolate batter onto the lining paper of an industrial-sized sheet pan. He’s already been working for more than five hours, but that’s the breaks when you’re a baker.

“We made about 240 dozen whoopie pies today,” he explains, standing next to several baker’s racks stacked 30 high with sheet pans, each pan holding 20 whoopie pies.

The process begins earlier with mixing the dry ingredients for the batter — sugar, salt, chocolate base — and putting it into an 80-quart mixing machine. He then adds the wet ingredients — water, eggs, etc. — and sets the machine to slowly blend the two together. (Sorry: No official Labadie's recipe here. It's all very proprietary. But look for our accompanying recipe that's sure to please.)

“You don’t want to overmix it,” warns LeClair. “When you overmix it, the batter becomes brittle. Basically with any kind of cake you make at home, if you overmix it, it becomes very tender, brittle. So when you try to cut it, instead of holding together in a nice shape it breaks apart.”

Typically the bakery mixes the batter for about four minutes, but, depending on the weather, that can change. “The weather plays a big factor. If it’s very humid, you’ll have to account for that,” he says. With 10 years of experience, LeClair has become sort of a human hydrometer and is able to gauge exactly what is needed to produce a consistent product.

While the batter is being made, another person makes the 200 pounds of frosting-esque filling, being careful to monitor mixing time with this as well.

“Always follow the recipe,” advises LeClair of baking. “Stick to the basics. It’s the same thing with any other recipe, even box recipes; follow it and it’ll come out right.”

At another station, the Uni-Filler station, batter that is finished mixing is placed in a funnel-topped machine with a hose and “gun” connected to it. LeClair sets the desired amount at 3 ounces and “shoots” little globs of batter onto a sheet pan. The process is almost meditative, with a small click as each squirt comes out in a uniform size.

The sheet pans are then placed in a hulky Baker’s Aid Rack Oven. On this day the whoopie pie cakes are being cooked for about 20 minutes at 395 degrees, but time and temperature can fluctuate, again, due to weather.

“When it’s really cold, it’s dry. So, if you bake something for 20 minutes versus when it’s really humid and hot, 20 minutes may result in something overcooked as opposed to undercooked,” advises LeClair.

After the whoopie pie rounds are removed from the oven and fully cooled, they are peeled from the lining paper. One side is flipped over and filling is piped onto the top. Then comes the “capping,” when the remaining tops are placed on the frosting, completing what we know as that delicious hand-held treat. After wrapping, it’s ready to be shipped off to its destination.

Aside from the traditional chocolate whoopie pie, Labadie’s also makes a white whoopie with vanilla cake and filling, pink whoopies made of vanilla cake and filled with raspberry jelly and coconut on top, pumpkin whoopies with cream cheese filling, and chocolate chip whoopies. Looking for something a little more substantial? You can always order either a 12-inch (six-pound) or 16-inch (eight-pound) whoopie pie cake.

Now, that’s a lot of whoopie.


"Making Whoopie"
Davene's Zucchini Whoopie Pies

Davene Fahy, Thomaston

Differs in texture form the high-fat version.

Cakes

1 cup grated zucchini

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 large egg

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cut chopped nuts (optional)

Filling

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup cottage cheese

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup confectioners' sugar, or more, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

Mix together the zucchini, sugar, oil and egg. Sift dry ingredients together and add to the creamed mixture and mix until smooth. Stir in vanilla and nuts (if using).

Drop the batter by tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. Cool briefly on the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare filling by mixing the cream cheese, cottage cheese, vanilla and sugar in a food processor until smooth.

When the cakes are cool, assemble whoopies. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Classic Whoopie Pies I
From Downeast Books "Making Whoopies," by Nancy Griffin.

This recipe is adapted from a King Arthur Flour Company recipe. "If you've never had a whoopie pie, start here," says Griffin's book.

Cakes

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional

1 teaspoon baking power

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa

2-1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 cup milk

Filling

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar

1-1/3 cups Marshmallow Fluff or marshmallow creme

1/4 teaspoon salt dissolved in

1 tablespoon water

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Add egg, again beating until smooth. Add the cocoa, stirring to combine.

Add the flour to the butter alternately with the milk, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat again briefly to soften and combine any chunky scrapings.

Drop the batter by the quarter-cupful onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between the cakes; they'll spread. A muffin scoop (a 1/4-cup scoop available from bakery suppliers) works well here.

Bake the cakes for 15 to 16 minutes, until they're set and firm to the touch. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the sheets. While still lukewarm, use a spatula to separate them from the pan or parchment; then allow to cool completely.

Make the filling by beating together the shortening, sugar and marshmallow until well combined. Dissolve the salt in the water and add to the marshmallow mixture. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth.

Spread the filling on the flat side of half of the cooled cakes. Top with remaining cakes, flat side toward the filling. Wrap individually until ready to serve.

Next week:

Summer is fruit and berry pie season. We attended Pineland Farm's Strawberry Festival and, next week, we'll bring you the succulent secrets and tips for the best crust ever.

[JimHow]

I could get ten million for my case of Lafite, Jon, and I would never buy another Lincoln, what a piece of crap.
I'm very content with my little Corolla.

I thought the officiating was fine, especially in the last few games when they let them play. The Celts just ran out of steam in the end.

[DavidG]

Mmmm.... Whoopie Pies! I think I'm going to head over to whoopiepies.com and order a dozen of those beauties for the office. And what a bargain: 500x less than a dozen '09 Lafite.

[Claudius2]

Jim
I sold all my 2000 Carrudes lafite end last year for $220 a bottle.
Made a nice little profit on a wine I thnk is not that great.

If you wnat more Lafite I can do you a good deal on 2002, 1988 and 1989...

[JimHow]

Those are three favorite vintages of mine, Claudius, but I'm afraid my days of buying Lafite are over.
I'm transitioning into a semi-retired, novel-writing country lawyer from Maine....
Besides, you could probably get two miiiillion dollars for those '88s and '89s!
I haven't had the '88 Lafite in a long time but I remember really loving it.
And the '89 was showing brilliantly at Ian's event in NYC last year.

[Claudius2]

Jim,
I'm now in Singapore, and am selling off my older wines as they really can't be brought over here easily - I don't have the time to handle every bottle and ensure someone does not damage it or store it as deck cargo.

The days of buying the top wines are over for me.
I'm 53 and why would I buy a wine (Lafite, Latour et al) that takes 25 years or so to mature in a tannic vintage like 09??
Have not bought 1er Crus since the 02 vintage.

I have to say I have splurged a bit on some of the middle ranked wines here - they are much cheaper in SNG than Australia.
Eg Calon Segur cost me $SNG105 (about $US73) and was $150 in Aust ($US130).

And I'm having to plan a bit for retirement in that I have a few serious health problems that won't hlep life expectancy - my spinal problems mean I'll last maybe 5 years more at work and the internal issues (not wine related by the way) are a threat.

By the way, I just bought anohter case of the delicious 03 Pontet Canet - in its original case, all bottles are wrapped in tissue paper and it was in air cond storage.
It cost $SNG115 each (about $US 80) and the current release costs twice that her and 2 1/2 times that in Aust.

[JonoB]

I won't buy the LAfite, but if it is 95, I'd give you $200 for that case of Lafon-rochet underneath...

[JimHow]

If you purchase the case of Lafite for one million dollars, Jono, I will throw in the case of Lafon Rochet as an added bonus....

[Houndsong]

ISO: Asian Daddy to buy my 11 bottles of Lafite 2002. No questions asked. Serious inquiries only.

[Claret]

I recently sold a bottle of 1988 Lafite to an online reseller for $475 w/o any hassles.

Zachy's has a $10k minimum for Hong Kong auctions.

Did I give it away?

Glenn

[DavidG]

Another interesting perspective on the Chinese connection.

[JimHow]

Interesting article indeed.

The Lafite Phenomenon.

This is a nightmare....