Surratt Conference

[Linda Anderson]

Sorry for starting this mess with the Moon Pies, Roger. I've never had one so I'm real excited about it. (Moon Pie even sounds funny.)

There is an article on moon pies in Wikipedia for those of us who have no idea of what a moon pie is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_pie

"A moon pie or MoonPie[1] is a pastry which consists of two round graham cracker cookies, with marshmallow filling in the center, dipped in chocolate, banana, vanilla, strawberry, lemon or orange coatings. The traditional pie is about four inches (100 mm) in diameter. A smaller version exists (mini MoonPie) that is about half the size, and a Double-Decker MoonPie of the traditional diameter features a third cookie and attendant layer of marshmallow."

[Jim Garrett]

From Surratt conference to moon pies in three easy steps.

[L Verge]

P.S. Generally eaten with RC Cola, but also good with Dr. Pepper. You want to start on Pecan Logs or Rolls next?

[BettyO]

OMG - the Pecan logs at Horne's (formerly Stuckey's !!!!) We used to LIVE for these things, going down to Buckroe Beach every summer when we were kids - always stopped at Stuckey's!

[L Verge]

We stop at one of the few remaining Horne's at the end of the Booth Escape Route Tours. There's always a big run on the Pecan Logs, Goo Goo Clusters, and Hershey ice cream (even though the latter is Yankee).

[J. Beckert]

Wow. I've derailed threads before, but never of this magnitude. You Rebels are serious about these Moon Pies. I gotta get me some. We have to stop at a Winn-Dixie after we get back from dinner, Laurie & Betty.

[L Verge]

No Winn-Dixie store within a hundred miles of Clinton. I'll put out an APB for a nearby source. They used to have them in our Giant grocery stores, but they've closed the Clinton Giant.

P.S. If you stop and think about it, Moon Pies are basically round S'mores.

---

Another spin-off on the conference without the mention of food: If I remember correctly, Herb made mention of the writings of Ambrose Bierce in the beginning days of this great forum. I must admit that I know nothing about Bierce other than he wrote about life during the Civil War as well as other things during the late-19th century.

I found out two things about him today. My tour coordinator is arranging information to be given to those participating in our Friday tour during the conference. We will start at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, have lunch at Blair Mansion Inn (a former home of the famous Blair family), and then proceed downtown to the African American Civil War Museum. On the way, we will pass the Logan Circle home of Mr. Bierce - a wonderful post-Civil War town home. I never knew that he resided in D.C. for awhile.

The second thing I learned about him was that he disappeared off the face of the earth sometime after 1913. He ventured into the West and into Mexico and may have gone along with Pancho Villa as an observer. There, the trail supposedly ends. Does anyone know something that we don't know/can't find?

[Jim Page]

Those Stuckey pecan logs are likely the sweetest-tasting things on earth. I'd always get one when we stopped at Stuckey's and would gnaw on it on the rest of the trip.

I can still remember that taste!

I guess they, like holiday fruit cakes, are something one either loves or hates. When my wife and I drove through Claxton, Georgia, one summer, I insisted we stop at the fruit cake factory to take a tour. They didn't offer an actual tour, but the elderly manager, who was there by himself in their slack season, took me through the place and gave me a couple of mini-fruit cakes as souvenirs. My wife waited in the car!!!

--Jim, lover of sweets

[Tom Bogar]

Actually, Laurie, I just finished an excellent book on Ambrose Bierce: Ambrose Bierce : Alone in Bad Company, Crown Publ., 1995. Pretty wild character. And the book goes into considerable length about the various theories about his death out in the desert of Mexico, tending toward its being suicidal. I recommend it highly (the book, not being suicidal!) Best part about Bierce was his wicked sense of dark, satiric humor (his Devil's Dictionary is still a classic).

[Rsmyth]

Ok, back on topic. I plan on being there. Looking forward to putting a face to the mails.

[L Verge]

Thanks for the info on Bierce, Tom. From what I have learned in the past few days, he is a very interesting character. I'm going to have to read his Devil's Dictionary. BTW: I tend to lean towards homicidal more than suicidal -- just kidding, of course.

[Craig Hipkins]

I am hoping to be there! I will know for sure when my schedule for 2013 comes out in December. I look forward to meeting all you Boothies and Lincoln buffs on this forum.

Craig