'Twinkie Chefs, Start Your Ovens'

Headline of Jennifer Mann's story in last week's Kansas City Star about the upcoming festivities surrounding the 75th anniversary next year of the venerable Twinkie.

Even though Interstate Bakeries, the maker of the iconic treat, is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, nothing's getting in the way of this once-in-75 years celebration.

To mark the great day, Interstate is compiling a "Best of Twinkie" recipe cookbook.

A national search is ongoing - as you lick the cream off your sticky, gooey, Twinkie-covered fingers - for recipes using Twinkies.

The Twinkie, as you may recall, was created in 1930 by one Jimmy Dewar, a Chicago bakery manager.

He was looking for a way to use the shortcake pans that sat unused except during the six-week strawberry season.

The name?

It was inspired by a St. Louis billboard advertising Twinkle Toes shoes.

Of such things is genius composed of.

Anyway, read the story, then go out and buy a pack for old-time's sake.

I did.

And they're just as irresistible as they were when I was little and, on special days, found them in my lunch bag.

Twinkie Chefs, Start Your Ovens

As the ubiquitous Twinkie prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary next year, the snack cake's owner is compiling a 75 best-of Twinkie recipe cookbook.

Toward that end, a national search is under way for recipes using the cream-filled, bright yellow sponge cake cylinders that have been a lunch box staple for decades.

Beth Barden, owner of Succotash restaurant in the River Market and known for her creative twists on traditional foods, has already concocted a recipe using Twinkies.

Her "Twinkies Foster" is a rendition of the classic "Bananas Foster" flambé dessert using coconut-covered, split Twinkies in lieu of the traditional vanilla ice cream.

Barden made the dessert for a private dinner party, which she termed a "funky, Americana one."

"We were just coming up with a menu using funny things from our childhood like little Smokies and 'Ambrosia Salad,'" Barden said.

Originally, she was thinking of serving deep-fried Twinkies for dessert, but that was too been-there, done-that.

That's when she hit on "Twinkies Foster," which she plans to submit for consideration in the cookbook to be released next year.

That's just the sort of creativity that Kansas City-based Interstate Bakeries is looking for when it comes to compiling the anniversary cookbook.

Having filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in September, the company is looking for all the help it can get to boost its products.

The Twinkie was created in 1930 by Jimmy Dewar, a bakery manager in Chicago.

He was looking for a way to use the shortcake pans that sat unused except during the six-week strawberry season.

The name was inspired by a St. Louis billboard advertising "Twinkle Toes" shoes.

Go figure.

To feed the project, Interstate's marketing department has suggested recipes like "Twinkie-misu" and "Twinkie Toffee Treat."

Megan Garrelts, co-owner of the highly regarded newcomer restaurant Bluestem, sounded dubious about concocting a recipe for submission.

But that doesn't mean she can't appreciate Twinkies for what they are.

"They're an easy, fast-food pastry," Garrelts said.

"When you want a sweet, cake-like dessert, it sort of satisfies that craving. Personally, I preferred the Hostess cupcakes in my lunch box."

Submit recipes for next year's best-of Twinkie 75th anniversary cookbook at [email protected], or by mail to Twinkies' 75th Anniversary Recipe Search, 12 East Armour Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111.

Recipe entries should include a list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions, as well as the creator's name, address and telephone number.

The deadline is March 31.