Conference turris::cooks

    I remember my grandmother making poutins.  I'll try and explain
    it as I remember.  She would take some ground pork, and a little
    bit of diced salt pork for the filling.  For the dumpling part,
    she would use a mixture of 50% grated raw potatoe, and 50% boiled
    and mashed potatoe. Squeeze out the moisture from the raw potatoe.
    Mix the two together and in one hand, form half the poutin, put
    in some filling, and form the other half over it.  Make sur it is
    in some what of a ball form.  Wrap it in cheesecloth and tie it
    so it won"t fall out.  This is important, otherwise when you boil
    them they may fall apart before they are ready. Then you boil them
    for what seemed liked days, but probably wasn't.  I guess until
    they take on that familiar gray coloring, I'm not sure exactly how
    long.  I hope this works for you.

    As the basenoter, I can tell you that making poutines is not easy
    without a handson guide.  I had never even come close to learning
    how to make them.  Tourtiere (meat pie) and Fricot are pretty close
    to things I've made since I've been a teenager, and I actually spent
    time in my memere's kitchen learning them... I just needed help with
    recipes.  
    
    The noter in reply .2 says she's found some poutin short cuts.  I'm 
    looking forward to seeing her recipes.  I'll post all of them when I
    get the chance ... sorry I didn't do it with the first batch!
    
    dm

    Here is the recipe for French Poutins. I deleted .6 because this recipe
    is better. As before, I advise that you make them with someone who has 
    experience, especially if you've never ate them before. If you've never 
    seen them before  you might end up thinking this recipe is some sort of
    a joke. It's not. This is a French Acadian tradition which goes back
    to Europe.

You can cut the portions down if you like. Just adjust accordingly.

50 LB potatoes. 2/3 grated. 1/3 mashed.
5-6 LB. ground pork.
1-2 LB. salt pork.
flour
Salt to taste
Cheese Cloth.

First peel, then divide the amount of potatoes into thirds. Grate 2/3 of the 
    potatoes and squeeze the juice out of them. All the juice must be out. 
    I usually put the grated potatoes into a pillow case, place them into a 
    washing machine and put the machine on a full rinse cycle. Otherwise you 
    can squeeze out the juice by hand.  

    Cook and mash the remaining 1/3 potatoes.

    Next cut the heel off the salt pork divide it and add it to the pot or pots
    of water, that are large enough to accommodate the Poutins your going to 
    make.  For 50 LB of potatoes use two 16 quart pots. Bring the water to a 
    boil.

    Dice the remainder of the salt pork into small pieces. 

    Mix the diced salt pork into the ground pork. 

Mix the grated potatoes with the mashed potatoes and add salt to taste.

Next take a portion of the pork and form about a 2"  ball. 

Take the potatoes and form a snow ball around the pork ball to form 
about a 4 - 5 inch poutin.

Roll each poutin in flour, and wrap and tie them with cheese cloth.

Put the Poutins into boiling water and keep at a covered slow boil for about 
4.5 hrs. It's approximately 1 hr per ten pounds.

	  In answer to the note asking where you can buy Poutines
	  (the note is set nowrite).

	  Kay's on Route 2A in Gardner has them. I'm not sure if
	  Kay's is open all winter, as it is a take out place. I
	  haven't driven up there for a few months, but I buy them
	  there all summer.  They sell for about $2.00 each.

          Also, Victory Market at the Twin City Plaza on the
	  Fitchburg/Leominster line has them in cans. I can't 
	  remember the brand name, but they are made in Canada.

	  kits

    I live right next door to Kays.  They are closed for the winter.

    
    There was an ad in the Telegram and Gazette for a place called Desilets
    Market at 172 Spruce Street Leominster 537-0076. 
    
    Ad said:
    
    		Fresh Poutines Everyday
    		Pork Pies
    		Lean Ground Pork
    		Filled Rolls
    		Prepared Poutine Meat
    
    

    Did Memere make Rappe' also?
    
    Makes my mouth just water thinking of it.

    
    Of course!  What memere doesn't make Rappe'?
    My favorite was fricot though.  Still haven't
    found a recipe that tastes like hers!

    Re-1
    
    Is Memere's "Fricot" recipe listed in here?