After pandemic pause, Boston-area rappie pie gathering resumes

Growing up in Stoneham, Mass., Michelle Trottier re‐ members how her father would approach people in the grocery store if he spot‐ ted 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 an‐ swer was no, but whenever it was a yes, he instantly had this connection and this ex‐ citement," said Trottier.

The staple Acadian dish is made of broth, grated pota‐ toes 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 grow‐ ing up, rappie pie was a fix‐ ture of holiday gatherings, al‐ ways preferable to a turkey or prime rib.

"[My father] was never a presence in the kitchen, ex‐ cept 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 at‐ tend an annual rappie pie gathering in nearby Wake‐ field, 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, al‐ lowing people to sample dif‐ ferent rappie pies. There will be music, raffles and lots of socializing.

Ann Noyes will be attend‐ ing.

"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 Trot‐ tier and also lives in Middle‐ ton. Noyes's father spent most of his childhood in West Pubnico, N.S.

In the Boston area, "every‐ body is either Irish or Italian,"

said Noyes. So while there are lots of festivals celebrat‐ ing these heritages, Acadian culture doesn't get the same recognition.

"When you're Acadian, no‐ body really knows in this area what that means," she said.

The New England area is home to many people whose ancestors left Nova Scotia for better economic opportuni‐ ties. Acadian names like d'En‐ tremont and Pothier became anglicized, sounding more like don-tre-mont and pothe-er.

But one thing some peo‐ ple never gave up was eating rappie pie, or la râpure in French.

Trottier remembers that rappie pie was such a staple in her household for holidays that she didn't realize it was‐ n't actually a common food for the area.

A family affair

She remembers making rappie pie as a two-day affair, with the broth being made on day one and family mem‐ bers having specific responsi‐ bilities. Her job was to use a muslin bag to squeeze the starch and moisture out of the grated potatoes, which was a day-two task.

Making rappie pie from scratch is a laborious pro‐ cess. Trottier's dad, who was a Mr. Fix It type, concocted a grater to speed up the pro‐ cess. The grater's motor came from a washing mach‐ ine and the base it sat on used the legs of a TV stand. It's a device her brother still has.

Meanwhile, she has the metal basin her father would use for storing the peeled, pre-grated potatoes.

Trottier, who has two kids, said her 25-year-old son re‐ cently told her that he wan‐ ted to learn how to make rappie pie.

"That was a nice mo‐ ment," she said.

Making new friends

At the first rappie pie gathering, which was held in a person's home, Noyes and Trottier met and became friends.

The event has since grown too large and a space is rented for it.

And it's likely new friend‐ ships will be formed today.

"Rappie pie definitely brings people together. It re‐ ally does," said Noyes.

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