Mainers are searching online for one Thanksgiving recipe more than any other

Chocolate cream and pumpkin pies. (BDN file photo)

Chocolate cream and pumpkin pies. (BDN file photo)

You may recall that last week, the New York Times released its state-by-state list of signature Thanksgiving dishes, with Maine being asked to bring its lobster mac and cheese to the nationwide pot luck. If you missed it, click here to read all about it.

That list of dishes was pretty subjective — the Times came up with foods their staffers thought made sense for each state based on what ingredients are local or prominent. Hence, we were tapped to make something with lobster in it.

Well, this week the New York Times is back with a state-by-state holiday food piece based on something a little bit more scientific.

The newspaper turned to Internet giant Google and asked what Thanksgiving recipe people from each state have been most searching for online. To prevent every state from just ending up with the result of “turkey,” the Times and Google narrowed down their research to most distinct results — specifically, what recipes are people in each state searching for more than people in other states.

Pumpkin whoopie pies (Kansas City Star photo distributed by TNS)

Pumpkin whoopie pies (Kansas City Star photo distributed by TNS)

Despite last week’s Times piece, Mainers were not found to be frantically Googling lobster mac and cheese recipes leading into Thanksgiving.

So what recipe came out on top for Maine meal preppers? Not stuffing, not mashed potato, not cranberry sauce…

Pumpkin whoopie pies.

(And in that, we were tied with New Hampshire, where their residents are also apparently more concerned about the dessert than the main course.)

The Google results shouldn’t come as a complete shock, considering whoopie pies are the official Maine state treat.

For comparison, Californians have been searching online for recipes to make persimmon bread for the big holiday meal, while Texans have been Googling sopapilla cheesecake. People in a full five whole states — Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado — have been furiously looking up how to make frog eye salad (which, despite the name, does not actually include frog eyes).

After pumpkin whoopie pies, Mainers’ next most distinct dish on their Internet search list was chocolate cream pie, followed in order by squash soup and the state dessert, blueberry pie. Then came creamed onions and monkey bread (which, if you don’t know, contains no monkeys), if you’re curious. Click here to see the New York Times piece on Maine and a link to the larger nationwide map.

So what about you? Are you looking any recipes up online at the last minute?