Food - Drink
The Unique Berry That Makes Up Oregon's Official State Pie
By NICO DANILOVICH
America loves pies, and some states even have their own official or unofficial pies — Florida has key lime pie, Texas has pecan, Illinois has pumpkins, Vermont has apple, and Indiana has the sugary Hoosier pie. Oregon's most beloved pie uses a very unique berry that was cultivated solely in its home state, until a few years ago.
The Marionberry is a type of blackberry from Marion County, Oregon, created in 1956 by Oregon State University researchers who bred Chehalem and Olallie blackberries together. Marionberries are purple-black with a long, conical shape, and the taste is described as earthy sweet-tart with a super juicy texture.
Marionberry pie became Oregon's official state pie in 2017, even though cultivators of Kotata blackberries tried to prevent Marionberries from becoming a state icon. Marionberries star in ice cream, cobblers, tarts, jams, marinades, and more all over Oregon, which is still the state to travel to if you want to taste this extraordinary fruit.