Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – Hart Dowd

June 28, 2006

A Joint American/Canadian Tradition

Welcome - Bienvenue
There is a festival on Canada’s East Coast that is of historical significance.  In fact, this celebration takes place in Madawaska, Maine, but it also involves Acadians, who live in the Edmunston area of New Brunswick, on the Maine border.

The Madawaska Territory at one time ran along the Canadian border and was settled by a group of thirteen families, farmers who were chased out of Acadia by the English in the late eighteenth century.  As these settlements expanded, they eventually separated into Canadian and American communities, with Edmunston in New Brunswick and Madawaska and St. David on the American side of the St. John River.

Welcome!!  To The Most Northeasterly Town In The United States MADAWASKA

The Town that was incorporated twice.

Records of Maine show two separate acts of incorporation of the town of Madawaska. The first was on March 15, 1831, and the second on February 24, 1869. The first, including territory south of the St. John River and disputed territory north of that river incorporated a tract of 4,272 square miles known as the Madawaska Settlement. It was more than 118 times the size of the ordinary Maine or United States township (6x6 miles); no other town of such magnitude has ever been created in Maine or in any other state.

OUR GREATEST ASSET

Our People! The people of Madawaska are genuine, family oriented, honest, hardworking people who are always there to greet a stranger with a smile. Our town is a great place to visit and an even easier place to live and work!

ACADIAN FESTIVAL

May of 1978, the Madawaska Historical Society submitted to the town of Madawaska, the proclamation designating June 28 as Acadian Day in the State of Maine. Since that time, Madawaska has been the site of an French Canadian Acadian Festival, lasting anywhere from one day to a week of festivities celebrating the Acadian spirit.  There is also a parade, with bands and marching groups from Maine and New Brunswick.  Following an Acadian Mass, there is a procession to the white marble cross that identifies the site of the Acadian settlement.

Although festival events may vary from year to year, several have become traditional crowd pleasers. The Acadian Supper, a gourmet's delight in Acadian cuisine, offering such delicacies as pot en pot, ployes and fougere; the Acadian Festival parade with bands and marching units from throughout the state of Maine and Canada and the Arts and Crafts Fair.  Lest we forget the reasons for this time of celebration, the opening ceremonies, the Acadian mass, bean hole bean supper, the reenactment of the Acadian landing and the closing ceremonies imbue one and all with a sense of pride and appreciation of our Acadian heritage.  Our Family Reunions attract families from throughout the U.S. and Canada, to discover their roots.  Once the Acadian spirit has captured their hearts, they return year after year to celebrate their heritage.  Acadia, never will we forget her. We will continue speak her language, sing her songs and forever hold dear her traditions; for the spirit of those first Acadians and her descendants.   June 28fh to July 4th.

June 29 – July 2, 2006

Acadian Festival - Madawaska
The State of Maine's Largest Cultural Festival. Events include a re-enactment of the first Acadian landing in northern Maine, traditional Acadian supper, Golf Scramble, a softball tournament, Fishing Derby on Long Lake, Historic Valley Bus Tours, Live Entertainment, Cultural displays, a Festival parade, "Danse du Main Street" and much more. The Festival is held each year in conjunction with a huge family reunion, honoring one of the Acadian pioneer families. The Family for this year the Caron Family.  For more information on the Caron Reunion go to www.caronreunion.com

ACADIAN BUTTERMILK PIE

1 baked pie shell
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
3 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
2 egg yolks
Salt
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

Bring 1 cup buttermilk to a boil. Mix together the sugar, cornstarch and 1 /2 cup buttermilk. Add to the boiling buttermilk and cook while stirring, until of a smooth cream consistency. Beat the egg yolks and add the salt, grated lemon rind and the lemon juice. Pour into the hot cream. Add the butter. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring vigorously. Cool. Pour into a baked pie shell. Top with 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten with the 1 /4 cup sugar.
Brown in a 350°F oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Note: Another example of the thriftiness and ingenuity of the early Acadians.
 

Rappie Pie

Preparation time: 2 hours (with food processor)
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours 10-12 servings

6 lbs. stewing chicken or fowl
5-6 onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
12 lbs. potatoes, peeled and finally grated (or frozen 'rappie pie potatoes)
1/4 lb. salt pork, diced
2 tbsp. butter or lard
6 strips bacon

1.  Cut chicken into pieces and place in saucepan; add chopped onions, last and pepper.  Cover with water and simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until tender. Reserve the broth.  Remove meat from bones and cut into pieces. (Pork, beef or venison may be substituted for chicken.)
2.  While chicken is cooking, peel and finely grate raw potatoes.  Keep peeled potatoes in cold water and, if using a food processor, grate about 10 potatoes at a time.  Place grated potato in a cloth bag (or tea towel) and squeeze until all water and starch is removed and potatoes are quite dry.  (The liquid extracted must be measured so the exact amount can be replaced later with chicken broth.)
3.  Place diced salt pork in skillet and fry until fat is rendered out and 'scrunchions' are crisp.
4.  Place potatoes in a large bowl or pot and stir to loosen.  Measure chicken broth to replace water taken out of potatoes.  Heat chicken broth to boiling then add potatoes, a little at a time, mixing well.  The potatoes will begin to cook in the broth and take on a 'jelly-like' appearance.  (Some potatoes will have darkened slightly but this is unavoidable and will not affect the taste of the pie.)
5.  Preheat oven to 400deg. F.  Grease 12X17X2-inch pan.  Spread 'scrunchions' and pork fat over the base. Spread half the potatoes mixture over pork scraps.  Layer meat and chopped onions over potato.  Finally, layer remaining potatoes mixture over meat.
6.  Dot butter or lard over top of pie.  Spread bacon strips over top--this will help crust to brown and crisp.  Place pie in 400deg oven for 1-2 hours or until a brown crust is formed.  Serve piping hot.

The most popular of all traditional Acadian recipes is Pate a la rapure...or, as it is more commonly known, rappie pie.  This delectable dish remains a favourite main course for festive occasions and Sunday dinners.  And, in later summer, many families prepare fresh apple or cranberry sauce as a accompaniment....making rappie pie even more a taste sensation for every member of the family.

Hartson Dowd

hsdowd@telus.net