On a gorgeous late spring day, I ventured to Westbrook to find out what was so great about this new take on a classic. My first experience five years ago eating a Maine whoopie pie was, I admit, just OK. Perhaps I’m not a true Mainer for expressing this, but I wasn’t sure what all of the hubbub was about. I acquired that particular pie at a popular lobster shack and, in my opinion, the dessert just did not hold up to the amazing fresh lobster roll I devoured. It was sweet and reminiscent of a childhood dessert, but that was about it.
How exactly would Corsetti’s whoopie pie bring this famous Maine treat up to Switch readers’ gourmet standards?
Corsetti’s ranch-style Westbrook home isn’t too far from the bakery and overlooks an expansive backyard and winding stream. Tall tulips lined the front of the house, and her modern furnishings inside seem out of a movie set. The kitchen’s turquoise walls and black and white floors hint “art deco,” and its white cabinets are adorned with silver star knobs. The smell of banana and vanilla wafted on a slight breeze that fluttered through a sheer blue curtain above the sink.
Corsetti’s versatile recipe represents her own approach to life — a Renaissance woman’s dictum to follow all of your passions. She chose this recipe because it was inspired by her grandmother’s banana bread recipe. For Corsetti, baking and cooking are synonymous with enjoying family.
As she began to mush the bananas, Corsetti discussed the joys of being part of a large Italian family that knows what good cooking’s all about. Her father opened Corsetti’s Variety in 1974, and she and her five sisters grew up around authentic, tasty food. Corsetti’s first and primary focus was Italian sandwiches and pizzas, and it has since expanded to include many other lunch favorites that continue to please its customers. Eight years ago, Tayla and three of her sisters decided to delight customers even further by opening the bakery.
Corsetti said that when she and her sisters first opened the bakery, they asked their grandmother, “Nonie, will you please come and help us?” Her grandmother obliged and influenced several of the bakery’s staples, including this banana bread recipe. Corsetti said it’s definitely a customer favorite. In particular, she loves its simplicity and multipurpose flair. “It’s so adaptable — it’s a great recipe to work with.”
Corsetti’s says not to be afraid to experiment when baking. “Learning by trial and error is key.” She’s entirely self-taught and takes cues from her family’s Italian tradition. She and her sisters are such pros now, though, that they fall naturally into the rhythm of baking. When friends and family witness them whip up their sweet delights, Corsetti and her sisters usually “eyeball the ingredients.” She says people are always asking, “But what’s the recipe?”
To answer this question, Corsetti has compiled the bakery’s recipes in a cookbook, “Bring Home the Bakery,” and is currently looking for a publisher.
Corsetti’s not only excited about baking, but she has also followed several other passions. Touched with wanderlust in her mid-20s, she moved to New York City and worked for the Screen Actors Guild. As an aspiring actress working for this union, she appeared as an extra in shows such as “Law and Order” and “Sex in the City.” Corsetti is still active locally in the union, and recently worked in Boston on a film featuring Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey.
Corsetti also owns Coco Magoo, a designer T-shirt company (www.cocomagoo.com). She had a hard time finding fashion T-shirts that were stylish and fitting for a woman, and decided to create her own brand. These quality shirts aim to say something “important and cool.” Her most popular shirt reads, “My Body, My Laws.” Her latest tee came out of a dream where she envisioned a silhouette of her sister. The tee reads, “Love My Body.”
Corsetti has found a new role, too, as a Cookie Lee consultant, where she holds parties and displays a line of fine jewelry. Moreover, she manages to find time to be a loving mother to her young son.
When I asked how she had time for all her loves, Corsetti said calmly, “I’m not really sure, I just seem to have time.” Similarly, her approach to eating and enjoying food is, “a little bit of everything everyday.”
Switch readers will be particularly glad that this includes expert baking. This recipe is so delicious that you’ll never believe that it has only seven ingredients. “It’s all about the taste. There’s no added fluff,” she says.
These pies are great to bring to a party. Corsetti also said that the recipe is easy to prepare a day in advance — wrap well or freeze. “You can focus on dressing up for the party without having to worry about baking,” she adds.
This recipe also includes banana bread loaves to enjoy along with the whoopies. This bread is great to have on hand to serve to your family and summer visitors morning, afternoon or after dinner.
Watch out for other whoopee-pie-influenced treats. Corsetti’s sometimes features such variations as pumpkin or peanut butter pies. The twists will definitely inspire you to enjoy this classic during a summer picnic or party. And you don’t have to skimp on any pure flavor enjoyment. I know what I’m having with my next lobster roll.
Talya’s Tips
• The older the bananas, the better the bread.
• Mix the batter even more than you think you should. This will create the best texture for the final product.
• A potato masher works best for mashing. However, if you don’t have a masher, a fork or an electric mixer works well.
• Walnuts make a nice addition to the banana bread. Sprinkle nuts over the top of loaves or mix directly into batter.
• Feel free to vary the size of the whoopie pies. Use an ice cream scoop to dollop the batter for a traditionalwhoopie size.
• Spread batter in a sheet cake pan or use 10-inch rounds for a layer cake. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
• For delicious morning muffins, fill muffin tins with batter and bake. Spread frosting on top for a tasty topping.
• For easy, semi-homemade frosting, mix cream cheese, store-bought frosting and marshmallow fluff in an electric mixer.
• Taste and add any other ingredient you think it needs.