In what might be the most appetizing part of the 2020 presidential election, Oakmont Bakery is producing patriotic cookies emblazoned with portraits of candidates Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.
A dozen runs $24. The sugar cookies are iced with an image of either Biden surrounded by blue stars or Trump standing in a sea of red stripes. The bakery keeps a running count of who’s leading the cookie poll.
The confectionery cookies are not to meant to endorse either candidate, bakery owner Marc Serrao said, but are just a fun way to capitalize on current events.
Oakmont Bakery, which relocated last year to a larger location near the foot of the Hulton Bridge, has run the unofficial tally for more than two decades. “We were a little concerned this year because everybody’s a little tense,” said Serrao.
Already, the heated race between Biden and Trump is keeping cookie decorators as busy as poll workers on Election Day. This year’s political cookies are flying off the shelves compared to the last presidential election. More than 3,000 cookies have been sold, compared with 174 at this time in 2016.
“We had to buy a couple of new printers for the icing discs,” Serrao said, with a laugh.
The staff has found that so far, two weeks ahead of the big day, customers are in it for the taste rather than the attack.
“They’re being really, really good about it,” Serrao said. “We have a few that might say they want a dozen of a certain candidate to feed to their dog, or something similar, and that’s OK as long as it doesn’t take a turn.
“We always say, ‘We’d like your comments to be as tasteful as our cookies.’ ”
The bakery plans to keep interests piqued with a weekly poll on its social media sites. As of Monday morning, just a week into the first batches emerging from the ovens, Trump cookies were outselling Biden’s by a wide margin — 6,241 to 1,610.
And there were nearly as many comments from Facebook users.
Updates Cookie Poll Results! 🍪
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Oakmont Bakery has no political opinion. We have been making presidential election cookies for 20+ years. The cookie poll is a fun way of encouraging our customers to enjoy the season. Our intention is never to offend anyone or cause division. pic.twitter.com/1iqHjQPQql— Oakmont Bakery (@OakmontBakery) October 19, 2020
Serrao said the bake-off is all in fun and ensured his neutrality.
Each social media post comes with the statement, “Oakmont Bakery has no political opinion. The cookie poll is a fun way of encouraging our customers to enjoy the season. Our intention is never to offend anyone or cause division.”
The bakery staff has learned to not put too much worth in which cookies are selling the quickest.
In 2016, treats with Trump and Hillary Clinton’s face both sold well. And in 2012, cookies with Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s face outsold the real-life victor, President Barack Obama.
“There’s obviously no science to it,” Serrao said. “It is a little more tense this year, but we try to keep it lighthearted.”
For those who are still undecided heading into Nov. 3, the bakery is selling cookies to represent the “Sweet Party.” Those red, white and blue cookies come with a smiley face and are half the price of the presidential variety.
Tawnya Panizzi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tawnya at 412-782-2121 x1512, tpanizzi@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Categories: Editor's Picks | Local | Politics Election | Top Stories | Valley News Dispatch
October 20, 2020 at 03:49AM
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