JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A duel at high noon, armed with nothing but fruit-based desserts.
It's what the Conch Republic Key Lime Pie Council is proposing if a Florida Senator contests a movement to allow two desserts to share the limelight as Florida's official sweet treat.
Key lime pie is already the official state pie, but legislators are moving closer to designating another as the official state dessert.
Senate Bill 1006 passed last week by unanimous vote, which would designate strawberry shortcake as the official state dessert. The bill is sponsored by Republican Sen. Danny Burgess, who represents parts of Polk, Hillsborough and Pasco Counties.
The proposed bill argues that the state is host to 10,000 acres of strawberry fields that produce 75 percent of the nation's winter strawberry crop.
Additionally, the bill states that in 2000, Guinness World Records recognized Plant City as home of the biggest shortcake in the world.
However, the Conch Republic Key Lime Pie Council argues that the bill is essentially a slap in the face to almighty key lime pie, which has "served proudly as the de facto State Dessert for 16 years."
The council wants the bill to be amended to make strawberry shortcake Florida’s official cake, not dessert. Therefore, effectively sharing the titles of Florida’s official desserts in their own respective category.
A petition started on Change.org has over 6,000 signatures as of Feb. 7.
"Key Lime Pie reminds people of sun, sand, and tropical breezes, and Strawberry Shortcake reminds people of an early 1980s cartoon character owned by a Canadian corporation," reads the petition.
"If Senator Burgess and the residents of Plant City contest this bill, the dispute shall be settled under the official bi-laws of the Conch Republic requiring a duel at high noon between the Vice Mayors of Key West and Plant City, each armed with only their favorite dessert."
In 2006 the Florida Legislature deemed key lime the official state pie, but the honor didn't come without a fight. The Orlando Sentinel reports that despite the Key Lime pie’s wide appreciation, it took years of "legislative wrangling" before it triumphed in the dessert duel.
Now, it appears the dessert wars continue in the sunshine state, this time pitting Strawberry Shortcake against the tart limey dessert that so many Floridians have come to enjoy.
The battle may not be short, but it sure will be sweet.