After pandemic pause, Boston-area rappie pie gathering resumes
CBC
Growing up in Stoneham, Mass., Michelle Trottier remembers how her father would approach people in the grocery store if he spotted a big bag of potatoes and some chicken in their cart.
This led to a question: You don't happen to be making rappie pie?
"Most of the time, the answer was no, but whenever it was a yes, he instantly had this connection and this excitement," said Trottier.
The staple Acadian dish is made of broth, grated potatoes that have had the moisture removed from them, onions and a protein (usually chicken), although some versions even use clams or corned beef.
Trottier's father — a Bourque — was born in the U.S., but his siblings were born in Nova Scotia, as were his parents.
When Trottier was growing up, rappie pie was a fixture of holiday gatherings, always preferable to a turkey or prime rib.
"[My father] was never a presence in the kitchen, except for the making of rappie pie," said Trottier, who lives in Middleton, Mass., which is near Boston.
On Saturday, she and around 200 people will attend an annual rappie pie gathering in nearby Wakefield, Mass. The event started a decade ago and this year will mark the first gathering since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event is a potluck, allowing people to sample different rappie pies. There will be music, raffles and lots of socializing.
Ann Noyes will be attending.
"We'll say OK, 'Where are all the D'Eons? Where are the d'Entremonts? Where are the Richards? Where are the Maillets?'" said Noyes.
"So, you know, we'll go through and people will raise their hand and say what family they're from."
Noyes is friends with Trottier and also lives in Middleton. Noyes's father spent most of his childhood in West Pubnico, N.S.
In the Boston area, "everybody is either Irish or Italian," said Noyes. So while there are lots of festivals celebrating these heritages, Acadian culture doesn't get the same recognition.
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