ON A DRIVE.
AND IT IS A LONG ONE.
JUST HOW BIG IS THE STATE OF MAINE?
MANY BASE STATORS HAVE MADE THE DAYS DRIVE UP TO ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, 300 HARD MILES UP THE COAST.
BUT PULL OUT A MAP AND YOU WILL SEE THAT IS NOT THE HALF OF IT.
IF YOUR DESTINATION IS THE REMOTE NORTHERN READERS OF AROOSTOOK COUNTY.
WE ARE TO MAINE AS MAINE IS TO THE REST OF NEW ENGLAND.
KIND OF THAT BACK BEDROOM UPSTAIRS.
>> THEY CA IT THE CROWN OF MAINE.
AS FAR NORTH AS ONE CAN GO WITHOUT A PASSPORT.
AROOSTOOK KNOWN SIMPLY AND REFERENTIALLY AS THE COUNTY.
IN THE BORDER TOWN OF FORT KENT, YOU WILL FIND THE VERY START OF ROUTE ONE.
AND FORT KENT IS FAR FROM OUR STATION AS ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.
>> A LOT OF FARMLAND.
>> THE NORTHERNMOST TOWNS IN THE COUNTY LIE IN THE ST. JOHN RIVER VALLEY.
THE HEART OF AKKADIAN CULTURE.
>> THIS AREA HAS A REGIONAL IDENTITY WHICH IS UNIQUE IN THE COUNTRY.
>> DON IS ON A ONE-MAN MISSION TO CREATE A CENTER FOR AKKADI CULTURE.
HE HAS BEEN COLLECTING ARTIFACTS AND RESTORING THIS OLD CHURCH.
500 FEET FROM THE CANADIAN BORDER.
IT BECOMES AN OBSESSION FOR SURE.
STUBBORNNESS IS SOMETHING I HAVE IN GREAT SUPPLY.
THE FRENCH ACADIANS CAME TO THE ST. JOHN VALLEY IN THE LATE 1700S.
EXPELLED FROM THE CANADIAN MARITIMES BY THE BRITISH.
ANOTHER GROUP FLED TO LOUISIANA.
>> WE ARE COUSINS, BUT WE ARE STILL A DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
>> THE AKKADIAN FLAG IS EVERYWHERE UP HERE.
ABOUT HALF THE HOMES SPEAK FRENCH AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE.
>> EVERYBODY UP HERE SPEAKS FRENCH.
WE ARE KNOWN FOR THE AKKADIAN HERITAGE.
>> WHEN IT COMES TO AKKADIAN FOOD, EVERYONE KNOWS THE PLACE TO GO IS DOLLY’S IN FRENCHVILLE.
THE CLASSIC DISH, CHICKEN STEW AND PLOYES.
>> IT IS OUR SUBSTITUTE FOR DINNER ROLLS.
>> SMALL BUCKWHE PANCAKES COOKED BY THE WAITRESS ON A SMALL GRIDDLE, SO THEY ARE PIPING HOT WHEN SERVED.
LARRY IS HERE FR CALIFORNIA VISITING FAMILY.
>> THEY TALK ABOUT PLOYES AS SOME SORT OF MANNA FROM HEAVEN, BUT THEY ARE VER GOOD AND THEY ARE A GREAT MEDIUM FOR TRANSFORMING BUTTER.
EVERY YEAR, THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD ARE COOKED UP ON A 12 FO GRIDDLE AT THE ANNUAL PLOYE FESTIVAL IN FORT KENT.
>> THAT IS A FRENCH AKKADIAN FLATBREAD.
WE AND OUR ANCESTORS GREW UP ON THAT.
THEY BROUGHT IT WITH THEM FROM NOVA SCOTIA.
TRADITIONALLY, RECIPES CAME DOWN THROUGH FAMILIES.
BUT JOE AND HIS FAMILY FELT THERE’S WERE TOO GOOD NOT TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD.
NOW, BOUCHARD’S PLOYES IS THE ONLY COMMERCIAL MIX ON THE MARKET.
>> SEE HOW SMALL THE GRAIN IS?
>> RIGHT HERE.
>> NOT SURPRISINGLY, WE ARE NOT SAYING IT QUITE RIGHT.
>> IT IS A PLOYE.
>> WHEN JOEY NELSO MOVED TO FORT KENT FROM ARROGANT -- OREGON, HE HAD A STEEP LEARNING CURVE.
HE AND NICOLE WERE TAKING OVER DORIS’S CAFE.
I WAS LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO MAKE THAT.
OR PRONOUNCE IT.
HE STILL CAN’T PRONOUNCE THEM.
>> THINGS LIKE PORK SPREAD THAT GOES ON PLOYS.
>> IT IS QUITE DELICIOUS.
EASIER TO WARM UP TO, THE DESSERTS.
I NEVER HAD ONE IN MY LIFE AND THEN WE MADE ONE AND I TASTED IT.
IT IS ONE OF THE BETTER PIES I’VE EVER HAD.
>> THE NELSONS SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN THE SEAL OF APPROVAL FROM THE REGULARS.
IN RETURN, THIS LITTLE HANG OUT LIVES ON.
>> WE APPEALED TO THE FARMERS, THE MECHANICS NEARBY, THE GUYS WORKING IN T WOODS, GET EVERYONE TO STILL COME HERE, E A HEARTY MEAL, AND STILL HAVE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS WHEN THEY
GO BACK OUT TO THE FIELD.
>> PLOYES ARE MOST OFTEN SERVED ALONGSIDE MAIN DISHES AT LUNCH AND DINNER, BUT SOME PEOPLE HAVE THEM WITH BREAKFAST.
STILL OTHERS FOR DESSERT.
BUCKWHEAT IS NOT A GRAIN, BUT CLOSELY RELATED TO WILD RHUBARB.
BUCKWHEAT FLOUR IS BY DEFINITION GLUTEN-FREE.
MORE LATER IN OUR SHOW.
NEXT, AT THIS S