The history of some dishes
Flacatoune
The most popular of all the old drinks was "bagosse". The years of prohibition in the United States stimulated the production and distribution of this illegal brandy. Farmers would put their potatoes in a barrel, ferment, run through the still and voila, its dozen liters of "bagosse". Flavored with a sweet Port-like wine, bottled in a ¨flacon¨ probably by the women, it became the basis of "La Flacatoune".
Ployes et cretons
A dish for the poor; how to appease the appetites of the men who came home from the fields hungry? - It was time for LA PLOYE!
This pancake made of wheat and buckwheat flour whose rather strange name, it is said, comes from the fact that ployes "plogent" quickly a stomach (plug). In the past, it was generally made from yeast that was kept from one meal to the next. Made on the wood stove, it was mainly used as a substitute for bread. A real "ploye" does not need to be turned during cooking. A dish for the poor before it became a dish for tourists, the "pile de ployes" used to have pride of place on the table of large families. Accompanied by fresh greaves, maple syrup, molasses or simply country butter ... what a delight!
Woman's bread and country butter: What other explanation can be given than that this home-made bread was made daily by the "woman" of the house and accompanied by country butter which you will have the chance to taste tonight.
Fèves au lard
La portion de la rivière St-Jean qui restait à parcourir pour arriver à celle du Madawaska, était la partie la plus avancée et la plus florissante de la rivière. Les terres y sont belles et fertiles, le foin, le grain, les pommes de terre (« la patate ») y viennent en abondance. De là, proviennent nos fameuses fèves au lard, mets communément servi le samedi soir avec la « pile de ployes ».
Fricot
As an agricultural land, poultry farming was a common practice. This dish, synonymous with a complete meal, was composed of potatoes and poultry rich in calories to provide energy to the workers in the fields. When inviting people to a meal or a vigil, we would say: "You are invited to the fricot".
Six pâtes
The term used in the past was "sea pie". The origin of this dish is of Quebecois influence. Early recipes featured groundfish alternating with rows of onions and pasta. The Brayons modified this dish by replacing the fish with wood meat and interpreted the name as "six pasta".
Mouchetée et accompagnements
The main fish caught in the area were speckled trout and salmon. The Indians were the pioneers in this daily fishing. The Brayons adopted buckwheat flour cooking "à la meunière" rather than "à l'eau salée".
The vegetables of the day were the local corn and the fern picked near our rivers. The mioche was made in the form of a puree of leftover cooked vegetables, i.e. carrots, turnips and "la patate".
It is assumed that Bernard's potatoes come from a lumberjack (perhaps a man named Bernard) who composed this recipe of potatoes simmered with grilled salt bacon. This meal of the poor ensured the survival of the lumberjacks in winter.
Galettes à la mélasse
No holiday meal was complete without "molasses cakes". The molasses cakes that were served at the end of the meal as a sweet were always accompanied by a good bowl of tea. In ordinary times, the sweet was a slice of bread with bacon and molasses.
Pets de Soeurs: originating from France, known as "pet-de-nonne", these doughnuts made of cabbage dough, as big as a walnut, cooked in a not too hot frying, gave a light and very puffy dumpling (also called the "windy" doughnut). The Brayons, it is supposed, modified this recipe by using leftover pie dough, sprinkled with brown sugar that was probably said: "was a fart to make"!
Enjoy your meal!
