MMMM....PIE. Actual church supper pies via deadrichmond @ Flickr.
Today’s Wall Street Journal brings us an alarming article about a new scourge of government-sponsored, anti-woman repression.
The oppressed? Pennsylvania church ladies!
The Journal sets the scene:
On the first Friday of Lent, an elderly female parishioner of St. Cecilia Catholic Church began unwrapping pies at the church. That’s when the trouble started. A state inspector, there for an annual checkup on the church’s kitchen, spied the desserts. After it was determined that the pies were home-baked, the inspector decreed they couldn’t be sold. “Everyone was devastated,” says Josie Reed, a 69-year-old former teacher known for her pumpkin and berry pies.
I bet. I’m devastated for them. I am Jewish, but half my family is devout Southern Methodist, and I have eaten more than my fair share of church supper pies.
The disappearance of Mary Pratte’s coconut-cream pie, Louise Humbert’s raisin pie and Marge Murtha’s “farm apple” pie from the fish-fry fund-raisers sparked an uproar that spread far beyond the small parish. The local paper dubbed it “piegate,” and…there are reports of other churches continuing to sell contraband pastries.
Apparently the crackdown has even led to church lady-on-church lady violence. Says the state health inspector:
“I’ve gotten a lot of letters from churches that are tattletaling on churches down the street that aren’t licensed and don’t meet standards for food service.”
Fortunately, an end to the madness is in sight:
The ruckus at St. Cecilia’s could lead to changes in Pennsylvania state law. State Sen. Elder Vogel Jr. has drafted legislation aimed at allowing nonprofits, including churches, to serve food prepared at home.”Once again, you’ve got the heavy hand of government coming in,” he says. “These ladies bake pies, out of the goodness of their hearts.”
Sen. Vogel, who sits on the state legislature’s agriculture committee, says state officials seem willing to change the law. “They have more work on their hands than going after little old ladies baking pies.”
I’m no libertarian, but when The Man tries to come between me and a delicious home-baked pie made by the loving, age-spotted hands of a local church lady, well, that just makes me MAD. Fight the power!
I am a pie-baker, and I will not stand for this pie-sogyny.
When pies are outlawed, only outlaws will have pies.
mmm…. pie….
Dammit, now I am seriously jonesing for some pie.
I was wanting to bake this weekend: cake or pie. You’ve settled that for me nicely, Ms. Sharper! Thank you!
Take my love, take my land, take me where I cannot stand, I don’t care, I’m still free, you can’t take my pie from me . . .
. . . I’ve been watching my Firefly DVDs all day, this was the first thing that came to mind.
I really hope someone else gets this . . .
Between this and the cake my residents were eating tonight, I think the Powers that Be want me to break passover.
STOP TEMPTING ME.
Where were these state inspectors when the peanut factories were operating in diabolically unhealthy circumstances?
The fiancé and I often bemoan the lack of pie availability on restaurant menus. Sounds like we need to start going to church. I wonder if we can skip the sermons and just show up to the food events…
I hate pie. True story.
@PSoul: Troll! Where’s that delete button??
No wonder PS hates pie. Do they even have pie in Canada?
I’ve got a carrot cake baking in my oven right now, but dammit if you guys don’t have me wanting some pie. (I was recently introduced to a new person by a friend. He said, “This is funnyface, she makes the best apple pie in the world.” I beamed.)
My Scranton friend’s dad makes the best pie I’ve ever tasted. Apple with amazing, crispy crust sprinkled with brown sugar and complemented with a side of vanilla ice cream is my favorite.
Every year we count down the days to Thanksgiving, when we sit in her parents’ kitchen and eat our hearts out. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
@ funnyface: We do have pie in Canada! And now I really want some
Perhaps I’ll do some baking tomorrow . . .
Same thing at public schools in California–no sale of home-baked goods–they have to be store bought.
GAH.
Really, do we have to fucking legislate EVERYTHING?
@Grant42… didn’t want you to feel alone, even if I am only seeing this today, but I TOTALLY got your reference from the first three words.
I totally, unapoogetically, love Firefly and watch my DVDs frequently
I, however, rarely eat pie. *shame*
I’m Pro Choice for Homemade Pie–as long as it’s high quality, AND I know the baker keeps both a clean kitchen and washes their hands