So mad

Mail order delicious genuine UP pasties - handmade by grandparents - just heat and eat!


I just read a news article that made me incredibly angry. Apparently, 3 years ago, Albie's Foods, a small catering and grocery company, was sued by Smucker's for an alleged patent violation.

Among other things, Albie's makes pasties (pronounce pass-tees, not paste-ees). These are potpie-like things, pastries filled with meat and potato. Very delicious. These things have been a staple of Northern Michigan diets since the old mining days. (Here and here are a couple of recipies).

Smucker Co. holds patent #6004596 on "sealed crustless sandwiches." Apparently, they make a crustless, PB&J sandwich. Pasties are not sandwiches, as you can see from the picture above; they are pastries, like pies. Albie's presented no threat to Smucker. I can't figure out why Smucker chose to do this; maybe they're looking for another revenue source, or are hoping that if they destroy this cultural tradition, they will sell more of their less-unique products.

Of course, this STUPID patent, like the majority of patents, should never have been granted. And the courts should be more friendly to defenses like the one Albie's tried to put up. The federal government really is unfriendly to small businesses in countless ways. I'm sure this has absolutely nothing at all to do with the fact that the big businesses and the "pro-business"* lobbying groups give massive sums of cash to members of Congress in both parties.

In conclusion, boycott Smuckers and buy from small businesses. They generally make better products, anyway. And vote to elect sane politicians to Congress and other offices. Support patent reform. And if you ever have the opportunity to visit northern Michigan, take it. Not only is it beautiful, but they have good hearty food.

*"Pro-business" is almost always used to mean pro-big business, as if small businesses didn't employ over half of all workers in the US.