342280 Mon Nov 13 12:32:25 -0800 2006 30 12 Boston Area 0 2016812 Any Quebeckers down here that know of a reliable place to purchase good, fresh cretons? With the cold weather here, I have a yen for cretons and toast. I have stolen my mom's recipe to make my own, and I know homemade is best but let's face it...with the holidays and overnight guests I'm going to get lazy. Thwaite's market in Methuen, Mass has long been my standby but in recent months I've found their cretons (which they charmingly spell Gorton....like the fisherman?) fatty and tasteless. Help? Mon Nov 13 12:32:25 -0800 2006 49959 thegolferbitch 1 2016839 I don't know about that particular Canadian style of pork pâté, but you might call some other places known for their charcuterie: the Formaggios (Huron Village and the South End), L'Alouette in Lexington, Savenor's, DeLuca's. Mon Nov 13 13:32:18 -0800 2006 2016812 10143 MC Slim JB 1 2016892 Why hasn't anyone opened a Quebecker restaurant in Boston? A lot of the places MC Slim listed would probably make it for you, especially if you were getting a reasonable quanity. John Dewar's in Newton Center or Wellesley might be able to hook you up. [sorry for the edit, quantity and quality are not the same.] Mon Nov 13 14:28:07 -0800 2006 2016812 20717 sailormouth 2 2854919 It's been about 8 years since I went to Quebec City and Montreal, but even there, I could only find one restaurant that served classic Quebecois cuisine at the time (things like classic Quebec pea soup, meat pies, duck in maple syrup sauce, sugar pie, spruce beer). And I looked hard, too. That place was Aux Anciens Canadiens in the walled Haute-Ville part of Quebec City, and I liked it so much I went a few times. Given how hard it was to find a real Quebecois restaurant in Quebec, I'd guess the chances of one coming to Boston are slim indeed. Fri Aug 17 09:29:53 -0700 2007 2016892 76251 bachslunch 1 2016964 Thank you MCSlim and sailormouth. Sailor, I work just five 10 minutes from Newton center and you can bet I'll check out Dewar's. That's a good question about quebecois food in Boston...especially around the holidays and during the winter, it's such good stuff--real home cooked comfort food. I am guessing it wouldn't fly because of all that meat and spice and maple; health nuts could freak out over tourtiere. But it sure is good stuff. A lot of the dishes are so simple and so delicious--the sugar pies, turnip dishes. Sigh. Mon Nov 13 15:07:00 -0800 2006 2016812 49959 thegolferbitch 1 2017048 I can't say that I've seen cretons in this area. Maybe some of the french-canadian areas such as Fall River, or Somersworth NH, or Lewiston, ME..... but that is a drive. I'd love to see some Quebecois food on a menu in Boston, but so far I haven't. Although the diner in Watertown serves Ployes which is an Acadian specialty. I'd recommend brewing up some good coffee for some inspiration, and working on that recipe. Laziness is how recipes never get passed on and culture is lost. Mon Nov 13 15:44:28 -0800 2006 2016812 25921 uman 2 3236078 Thank you so much, IreneC. Fantastic information for a new Lowell-area resident. Tue Dec 25 11:45:40 -0800 2007 2017048 13818 Kimberley 1 2017332 You don't have to look any farther than Lowell. Fresh-made creton (gorton, corton or pork-scrap, depending on your family's origin) is available at Cote's Market on Salem Street, 978-458-4635. You will also find such Quebecois comfort food as pork pie (toutiere), salmon pie, and habitant-style pea soup (made with yellow peas). Right now Cote's is taking orders for Thanksgiving, which includes French-style meat stuffing (made with ground pork. Also, although not fresh-made, some Market Basket stores in the Lowell area carry creton and pork pies from a company in Maine. I believe the brand is Malliot. They sell them in the meat counter. And a little local restaurant, A Family Affair on Lakeview Ave in Lowell serves, Quebec-style crepes on Sat. and Sun. Vic's Pastry Shop sells pork pies and salmon pies and the adjacent restaurant serves individual pork pies at breakfast. For pork pies and salmon pies, there are also several places in Fall River that sell them, for instance Plourde's Bakery, I believe on North Main St. and Hartley's Pork Pies, the South Main St. location. Of course, you can always make your own creton. I have my Memere's recipe and several others that I've collected over the years. Mon Nov 13 17:24:01 -0800 2006 2016812 20254 IreneC 2 2024914 Irene...You bet I'll go there. I'm about to mapquest it because I'm woefully ignorant about Lowell geography beyond the immediate downtown area. Thank you! Wed Nov 15 22:19:02 -0800 2006 2017332 49959 thegolferbitch 3 2025890 That is a pretty impressive post IreneC (thank you Chowhound!), I'm doing my own Googlemap-Lowell research now for a trip. Not knowing much about Lowell, what else would you recommend (maybe a new post about this might be good?)? Thu Nov 16 04:24:40 -0800 2006 2024914 18264 steinpilz 2 2034250 That's a cool post IreneC -- thanks. Do any of those joints sell poutine? I saw galleygirl's post about cheese curds so I could try making it at home, but I'm not so into cooking the fries in my kitchen, making up the gravy, etc. I'd like to know of a place that serves it to a hungry public. Sun Nov 19 20:41:57 -0800 2006 2017332 10232 yumyum 3 3211461 For poutine, try La Petite Cafe - a new place in Greenfield, MA. 90 west of Boston. A small shop, but good food. Sat Dec 15 18:07:06 -0800 2007 2034250 142769 Polly4 2 2061442 I have been trying to find a creton recipe forever...the ones I have found are made with milk - did your Memere make hers that way - mine in Maine used water I think.... Fri Dec 01 14:50:29 -0800 2006 2017332 56909 jodiemcpowell 2 4926587 My mom's pork scrap was stringy. She used a pork shoulder (I think). Does that sound familiar? Do you have any recipes like that? I wish I had my Memere's recipies. Fri Aug 07 12:44:23 -0700 2009 2017332 1099952 Memere 1 2025717 Do you usually eat cretons for breakfast? My husband and I took a small vaca up in Quebec City (which is a lovely city by the way) and we stayed in a bed & breakfast. Well, for breakfast they served us this meatloaf looking thing. We didn't know what it was and unfortunately, didn't bother asking the waitress. Just from reading the replies and the description of a creton, I'm assuming that was what was served to us. Am I right? Thu Nov 16 03:00:45 -0800 2006 2016812 15860 girlygirl 2 2025956 Cretons are excellent on toast for breakfast. Yes, cretons would have looked like a meatloaf type thing. Thu Nov 16 05:01:14 -0800 2006 2025717 10947 middydd 1 2026937 Middydd is right. Sometimes you'll see people spread it right on toast. Sometimes they add a little mustard. Some add jam. All at breakfast! But I have also used cretons on tea sandwiches, spread thinly. I've used it as an ingredient in stuffing. And my ma (Quebecois to the core) would spread cold cretons on crackers or thinly sliced, toasted baguette rounds when company came, topped by a sliver of cheese, or pimento. Basically, girlygirl, you can do just about anything but brush your teeth with cretons (and god knows, I wish I could) Thu Nov 16 17:03:51 -0800 2006 2016812 49959 thegolferbitch 2 2033885 I'm of the same opinion as thegolferbitch. You can eat cretons (my family calls it "gorton" or "corton") any time with any thing! Since I was a young girl, we've eaten it on soft bread with mustard for lunch or spread it on toast for breakfast or on crackers for an appetizer. It's the all-Canadian-American diverse food! I'm about to make a batch to bring as an appetizer to an all-Italian Thanksgiving feast. We'll see how that goes! Sun Nov 19 16:53:15 -0800 2006 2026937 54214 plumislandgal 1 2854196 Best Corton in my opinion can be purchased at Steves Market in Salem, Ma. I grew up with my family speaking French as my grandfather was from Quebec. There was once a HUGE population of French Canadians in Salem... We ate Corton on toast for breakfast WAY to often as it cant possibly be good for you! All that fat is what makes it taste good! Another good place for Corton is Henry's in Beverly. Good luck! Fri Aug 17 06:08:59 -0700 2007 2016812 119922 Salem Guy 1 3146940 Pork Scrap 1 ½ Pounds of Pork 1 ½ Cups of Bread Crumbs 1 ½ Cups of Milk 1 ¼ Tsp. Salt 1 ¼ Tsp. Pepper 1 ½ Tsp Cinnamon ¾ Tsp Ground Cloves 1 Med Onion (Chopped Fine) Cook On Med Heat for 1 to 1 ½ Hours Refrigerate ……..Enjoy! Wed Nov 21 19:01:14 -0800 2007 2016812 144792 thunderbird533 2 3474504 Thanks for the recipe! Sun Mar 09 05:34:30 -0700 2008 3146940 18264 steinpilz 1 3246558 If you feel like driving a "few more" miles, there is a place in Hudson NH called Bull Run Beef on Route 3A - Yummy. You take exit 2 off route 3 take a left, then it's a couple miles give or take down the road on the right. They also have Pork pie and another place in Hooksett NH. Sun Dec 30 04:56:46 -0800 2007 2016812 53972 umhmmihearu 1 3474287 market basket carries maillot's, which is made in maine. I do think that thwaites is a pretty good product. Sat Mar 08 22:17:49 -0800 2008 2016812 173161 stoe01832 2 3593970 Thanks to all of you for whetting me appetite for cretons (we called them cortons in Salem, MA; in NH, they say gortons....supposed to be always in the plural, like vittles). We'll be meeting a gang of friends for lunch in Salem tomorrow (Bertini's) and methinks we'll stop at Steve's Market for starters. As transplants from there to NH, we've gotten to dine at many places, whether at b'fast, lunch, or dinner. Chez Vachon, on Kelley Street on the west side of Manchester, serves poutine, much liked by me Irish wife. Mon Apr 14 16:03:53 -0700 2008 3474287 183596 JollyRoger 1 3604256 A new find to report in a most unexpected place, a little breakfast/lunch place called Emerald's Eatery in a strip mall in South Windsor, CT at the intersection of Ellington Rd. and Route 30. You can get a side of cretons at breakfast for $1.50. My 87 year-old French-Canadian Mother called it "not bad", which from her is high praise. The owner makes it on the premises. Although it's not on the lunch menu, I was told you can get a large container to go for $5.00. This little spot also serves good homemade soups and generous sandwiches. Thu Apr 17 11:31:17 -0700 2008 2016812 20254 IreneC 1 4193868 I've been making gorton(that'swhat it is called here) all my life, learned it from my French Canadian Mother and Grand Mother. A very simple to make recipe: 2 -3 lbs Ground Pork 1 large onion finely chopped salt & pepper 1 tblsp ground cloves 1 tblsp Bell's poultry seasoning Put all ingredients in large pot and add water to cover simmer and stir to break up pork to a fine consistency untill fully cooked ladle into small covered containers and refridgerate. Some French Canadians use cinnamon instead of the poultry seasoning but my grandmother said those people didn't know what they were doing!! Sat Nov 22 07:22:05 -0800 2008 2016812 242420 denverlev 1 4193877 growing up in southern New Hampshire which has a large French Canadian population we practically grew up on Gorton sandwiches for lunch (on white bread with yellow mustard. I still make it regularly Sat Nov 22 07:26:52 -0800 2008 2016812 242420 denverlev 1 4227398 greetings from south eastern MA! my memere and grand memere used to make Gorton..... grand memere was the youngest of 13 who started out in the Montreal area and eventually ended up in Fall River. lovely fatty clovey pork spreadable goodness came with them. i have been able to find gorton in stop and shop and shaws.... though i haven't looked recently as the product tends to be very fatty and not terribly tasteful.... rather, it tastes terrible.... of course, memere never measured or wrote anything down...... kids! you must VIDEOTAPE these old people cooking!!! it's near impossible to get recipes out of them.... short of waterboarding.... anyway..... using some fairly standard recipes, my mother and i were able to recreate memere's gorton in our own image..... so to speak.... so, yes you can find the stuff in most grocery stores..... you may have to look though, deli section, french section, spreadable meats section.. who knows.... your best bet, is still to make it yourself..... season to taste.... we use less fat, nice lean ground pork and while it's still warm i whizz it up in the food processor to almost a peanut butter consistency.... refridgerate (or freeze) and spread on toast as needed..... my wife isn't a big fan.... more for me!! muuahahhahaa!!! Sun Dec 07 12:54:35 -0800 2008 2016812 246473 inerlogic 2 5105877 FYI - Market Basket has it sometime (althought the quality is questionable). Steve's Quality Market in Salem, MA has great Corton (that is how my french canadian Mother in Law spells it). There used to be a huge frech/french canadian population in Salem, and Steve's still lives up to the tradition! - yum. Thu Oct 15 12:27:52 -0700 2009 4227398 1116383 ccsw 3 5158010 hey all you CRETONS lovers! i just made a fresh batch here, this is my mom's recipe, she was born and raised in quebec city....we used to eat this along with tourtiere, sugar pies, sucre a creme, with soooo many more goodies, for our reveillons, Christmas eve feast. i looked for other recipes, but my mom's is the only one that used all spice in place of all the other spices. so here it is...i dont know where to buy it, since i live in NC, i just would rather make it fresh. Cretons 1 lb ground pork 1/2 of onion, minced 1 clove of garlic, minced 1/2 cup of water 1/4 tsp of all spice 1/8 tsp of cloves 1/4 cup bread crumbs brown the meat until no longer pink. add onions, garlic, spices, and water. cook on low for about 1 hour. add the bread crumbs. cook 10 min more. put in small bowls. good for about a week, if it lasts that long! i like to make extra and freeze it, so then you have it whenever you want without all the work. serve it on toast with a little mustard, or on crackers for a snack. you really cant mess this up! enjoy! Thu Nov 05 08:41:05 -0800 2009 5105877 1121962 joirishrose 1 5159233 this is a recipe that my mom made for us when we were young, and i continued the tradition with my family. she is from quebec city and this is how they made it where she lived. this CRETONS recipe is similar to what you would find online...only my mom used allspice instead of the other different individual spices. hope you enjoy it, i just made a fresh batch....i dont live up north, so i have to make all my french goodies from scratch. i also have recipes for tourtiere, ragout au boullettes, sucre a creme, and a few others if anyone is interested. CRETONS 2 lbs ground pork 1/2 onion, minced 2 small cloves of garlic, minced 1/4 tsp allspice 1/8 tsp ground cloves salt to taste pepper to taste 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water 1/4 cup of bread crumbs cook the ground pork with onions and garlic until no longer pink. then add the spices and water. cook for about 1 hour 30 min. add the bread crumbs, cook another 10 minutes. i like to take and blend it a little so the meat is very very fine. pour into small bowls and refrigerate overnight. you can also freeze it. serve on toast with a nice mustard, or just serve on crackers. (this is an ammended recipe i submitted before.) Thu Nov 05 14:56:40 -0800 2009 2016812 1121962 joirishrose