Of these potato-based dishes, chiard (also called rdpure) is 
     
     by far the most popular in the Evangeline Region. It used to 
     
     be reserved for special occasions. Nowadays people often serve 
     
     it, and since 1971 it has been available in local restaurants. 
     
     The other dish, poutines rapées (potato dumplings), is not as 
     
     popular because it is more complicated to make and takes 
     
     longer to cook. However, some families still make these 
     
     potato dumplings, especially around Shrove Tuesday. The 
     
     third dish, beignets ra4pés or potato pancakes, still constitutes 
     
     a family meal from time to time. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Fricot is typically Acadian and is served regularly. It is a 
     
     type of potato soup, usually containing chicken, but some- 
     
     times with bar clams or soft-shelled clams used instead. If it is 
     
     made without meat or shellfish, it is called fricot a la bezette 
     
     (nincompoop fricot). Sometimes dumplings are added and 
     
     most cooks season their fricot with summer savory, the Acadian 
     
     spice par excellence. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Pot-en-pot is similar to fricot. The ingredients are the same 
     
     but the preparation is different. The texture of a pot-en-pot is 
     
     more like a stew than a soup. In the Evangeline Region, it is 
     
     usually made with poultry or beef and it always contains 
     
     dumplings. Unfortunately, this delicious dish is not served as 
     
     often as it used to be. 
     
    
   
   
    
     P€té is a typical dish for the holiday season. It is a meat pie, 
     
     usually made with a mixture of pork and chicken or pork and 
     
     rabbit. Depending on the family, it is seasoned with one or 
     
     all of the following spices: summer savory, coriander and 
     
     allspice. The pie crust in the Evangeline Region is usually 
     
     made with raised dough. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Traditional Foods 41 
     
    
   
   
    
     Butchering in Mont- 
     
     Carmel. This photo was 
     
     taken around 1925 at 
     
     John J. Gallant’s (also 
     
     known as “Jack Paneau”). 
     
     The pig was usually 
     
     slaughtered in December 
     
     so the meat could be 
     
     kept easily. However, 
     
     most of the meat was put 
     
     in the salting tub. Noth- 
     
     ing was wasted. The 
     
     blood, liver, heart, lungs, 
     
     throat and offal were 
     
     used to prepare boudin 
     
     (blood pudding). The 
     
     pig’s head was used to 
     
     make head cheese and 
     
     any fat that was not 
     
     saved for cooking pur- 
     
     poses was used to make 
     
     soap. Even the pig’s blad- 
     
     der was blown up and 
     
     dried to be used as a 
     
     balloon for children and 
     
     sometimes as a Christmas 
     
     tree decoration. (Alice 
     
     Poirier Collection)