Last week, Representative Sheri Malstrom (D-Beaverton) introduced a potentially tasty resolution to the Oregon House of Representatives. House Concurrent Resolution 19 would designate Marionberry pie as the official state pie of Oregon.
So, do you support this choice for our fine state?
Well, there are definitely plenty of arguments for. The Marionberry is a very Oregon berry. It’s a blackberry hybrid, created at Oregon State University in Corvallis, from a cross between the Chehalem blackberry and the Olallieberry blackberry.
It gets its name from Marion County, which is where our state capitol, Salem, is located.
Also: it’s an extra tasty variety of an already tasty berry. And in terms of berry pies, a blackberry pie is really the best type of pie.
Still, there are some that might ask, what about pear pie? Pear is our state fruit, after all, and pear pie sounds kind of amazing and definitely different.
Others (me) might also suggest we make any kind of blackberry pie our state pie. Blackberries are everywhere. When I was a kid, my brother and I collected buckets of blackberries from an alley near our house and then my dad turned them into magical pies. If blackberry pie were our state pie, everyone would have access to the experience of making a delicious pie and also feeling a feeling we just invented in this newsroom: state-riotic.
If you feel strongly about the state pie flavor, now would be the time to call your representatives. The resolution still must be passed by the senate and the house.
— Lizzy Acker
503-221-8052
lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
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