November 13

Caryn Elaine Johnson's Birthday
 

 

Better known as Whoopi Goldberg, Caryn Elaine Johnson took her stage name from the whoopee cushion. She once explained that "If you get a little gassy, you've got to let it go. So people used to say to me, 'You're like a whoopee cushion.' And that's where the name came from." She chose the surname "Goldberg" after Jewish ancestors of hers who bore the surname, having said that "Goldberg's a part of my family somewhere."

In 1983, Whoopi created The Spook Show, a one-woman show devised of different character monologues. After Mike Nichols saw the show, he offered to bring the show to Broadway. The self-titled show ran from October 24, 1984 to March 10, 1985 for a total of 156 sold-out performances. While on Broadway, Whoopi's performance caught the eye of  Steven Spielberg. He was about to direct the The Color Purple and offered her  a lead role in her first motion picture.. The Color Purple was released in the late autumn of 1985,and subsequently nominated for 11 Academy Awards including a nomination for Whoopi s Best Actress.

Whoopi is one of only thirteen people who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards. In 1990, for her performance in the film Ghost, she became the second African American female, after Hattie McDaniel, to win an Academy Award. She has also won two Golden Globes awards.

After an extensive film, theatrical, and television career,  Whoopi became the new moderator and co-host of The View On September 4, 2007, replacing Rosie O'Donnell.  After two weeks, however, The View was averaging 3.5 million total viewers under Whoop , a 7% increase from 3.3 million under O'Donnell the previous season.

So there is only one recipe appropriate for Whoopee's birthday - Whoopie pies  Whoopie pies are a popular dessert which is like a sandwich made with two soft cookies with a  marshmallow fluff filling. Commercial whoopie pies can be purchased wrapped in plastic at Amish farmers' markets throughout Pennsylvania, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio and are an indigenous staple found in restaurants and gift shops throughout Pennsylvania Dutch Country. According to Amish legend, the name of this popular treat was based on the shouts of "Whoopie!" when children would find these treats in their lunch bags.

 

Whoopie Pies

 

 

Cookie Ingredients
 
Filling Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 TB vanilla extract
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 TB baking powder
1&1/2 TB baking soda
1 TB salt
3 cups milk
 
2 large egg whites
1&1/2 cups granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1
tsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
5 TB cold water
1
tsp vanilla


 

 

Cookie Instructions
 
  1. Preheat oven to 350º F
  2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, and eggs together until well combined.
  3. Add the oil and vanilla and beat again.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Add half of the dry mixture to the egg mixture
    and beat or stir to blend. Add 1&1/2 cups milk and beat again. Add the remaining dry mixture and
    beat until incorporated. Add the remaining 1&1/2 cups milk and beat until blended.
    With a large spoon, scoop out 32 circles of batter onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.
    Spread filling onto 16 circles and place remaining circles on top, to make 16 Whoopie Pies
Filling Instructions
 
  1. Place the eggs, sugar, salt, corn syrup, cream of tartar and cold water in a medium heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler.
  2. Beat with a handheld electric mixer just until combined.
  3. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water, being very careful to make certain that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
  4. Beat with the mixer on high speed for 7 minutes. Remove from the pan and add the vanilla. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of ice and water. Continue to beat until the filling is cool.
 
Assembly Instructions
 
  1. Spread cooled filling, about 2 TB per cookie, on the bottom of half of the cookies. Top each with the remaining cookies.
  2. If storing, wrap individually with plastic wrap or waxed paper, then place in storage bags. Store in the refrigerator for several days, or freeze in freezer bags for several months.
 

© 2011 Gordon Nary and Tyler Stokes