|
Trahan Family sets 18 October 2003
for Family Gathering.
Ray’s corner
To members of the
“Famille Trahan Association”, cousins and friends: Our next meeting will
be Saturday the 18th of October at the usual place, the Woodmen
of the World Hall in Maurice, Louisiana. The Hall is located off of Hwy
92, ˝ mile west of traffic light in Maurice. The meeting is scheduled to
be from 09:30am till 1:00pm; however, we will take care of business early
so food can be served and that the football fans will be able to get home
in time to watch their favorite teams play.
It is a tradition that when Acadians meet there is always some food to be
had. Our main dish at this meeting will be brisket. There will be side
dishes, water, and punch, and those of you that would like, may bring
dessert. I would add, that you are always welcome to bring your favorite
beverage. The cost of this meal will be $5 per person. For this meeting
we will have a representative from Vermilion Tours to brief on the
proposed trips to Nova Scotia in 2004, and they will answer any and all of
your questions. While we realize that not everyone planning on attending
will be able to write, e-mail, or call, we ask those that can to RSVP to
Loubert (893-2084) or Mitch Conover (989-0319) or e-mail
lgtrahan@cox-internet.com, or Ray Trahan at
beaufile@bellsouth.net , or Mitch at
whiskey6@earthlink.net.
In August Brenda and
I spent a few days in Nova Scotia and participated in the grand opening of
the new Interpretive Center at Grand Pre. It is very impressive and should
be on your “must do” list when you go in 2004. We also visited the site of
the Deportation Cross and I must tell that the gentleman who owns the
property where the cross is located is fixing a road so people can see the
cross from up close when they visit the site. There is still a lot of
planning and obstacles to overcome since the cross is located on private
property or possibly on railroad property. The latest news is that people
will be transported to the site of the cross for a slight fee. As we learn
more, I will pass it on to you.
Naturally we could not go to Nova Scotia and not visit with our cousins.
The Trahan Association there is still working on our reunion, scheduled
for August 6, 7, and 8th of 2004. They currently have 32 paid
members and are looking for more. You do not have to be a paid member to
attend the reunion; however, they would like to get a reasonable head
count so they may prepare accordingly. You may let them know directly, or
tell us and we can relay the information to them.
Eric and Fred Trahan took us to visit the site where we will erect a stone
monument/marker to honor our ancestors and to list our reunion in August
of 2004; the site of this marker/monument, is an area once occupied by
those ancestors, in an old Acadian Cemetery site dating pre 1755, near
Falmouth, Nova Scotia. It is believed to contain the remains of some of
those Trahan Ancestors. The Cemetery is being preserved by The Committee
for the Preservation of Sainte-Famille Cemetery. We will discuss this
project at our meeting, and I will ask for your support in helping our
Nova Scotia cousins make this project a reality. Brenda and I look forward
to seeing you all on the 18th.
by: Ernest Ray
Trahan, President, Trahan Family Assoc.
Bits and pieces
By Loubert Trahan
FRENCH COOKING IN EARLY AMERICA
First came the
fishermen, then the whalers, then the fur traders, and then the settlers.
This
incomparable land did yield to newcomers its bounty -- and also wars,
famine, expulsion from homes, sickness, and disease. As in any chivalrous
adventure, there was triumph and tragedy. The French influence is still
strong in select areas of North America: significant portions of Canada
retain a strong French character, and southern Louisiana proudly
demonstrates its delicious triple dose of Frenchness.
Needless to say,
when French people ventured to the New World the challenge of survival,
exploration, and relocation usually necessitated a simpler style of
cooking and dining than that of the Old World. Sugared tarts, for example,
did not likely find their way onto the dinner menu of rugged voyageurs.
Soups, stews, hash, and perhaps bread were the order of the day among
the earliest explorers and immigrants. A large pot was the only cooking
utensil needed for these one-dish meals. The cook with his or her knife, a
big kettle, and a spoon could feed a ravenous group of trappers or a
hungry family. As the wilderness was tamed, the more complex food
preparation techniques of the French homeland reemerged, and cooks had
time, equipment, and ingredients adequate for the creation of food which
would be considered "French-style" -- that is to say, a cuisine
characterized by a skillful and artistic use of sauces; the liberal use of
wine and herbs; and an expertise in confectionary and pastry making.
A recipe for Authentic Voyageur Stew, demonstrates that arriving Frenchmen
in the New World did not often have the opportunity to prepare a stew
which could be described as subtle in nuances of flavor. An early recipe
for a typical New World stew, this fur trader (or voyageur) meal
was eaten in the Old Northwest (what we now call the Upper Midwest, around
the Great Lakes), The recipe for Commemorative Voyageur Rendezvous Stew,
reflects the fact that as soon as it was feasible, onions, garlic, and
seasonings were incorporated into a simple dish.
In order to discover
how the food ways of French people influenced early American cooking it is
necessary, of course, to first study briefly what sort of cuisine was
typical in France in the 1500's and 1600's. [Even though French immigrants
did not necessarily use the same food products when they came to the New
World (often the foods of home were not to be found in colonial America),
they frequently substituted similar indigenous products, and utilized the
preparation techniques and style of presentation of France.] The French
diet did vary, as may be expected, from region to region in France, and it
was also affected by the socioeconomic standing of the individual or
family. However, certain foods are known to have been served, such as
frumenty (milky jelly from soaked wheat berries); pancakes, capon pasties;
fish-liver turnovers; venison pie with rye flour pastry; meat stew with a
sharp cinnamon-flavored sauce; ox-marrow fritters; eel stew; sturgeon in
aspic; fish; roast; venison; meat hash; blancmange; and comfits (aniseeds
coated with sugar, for example. (Reprinted from French Cooking in
Early America by Patricia B. Mitchell.)
Family
merchandise available
Keeping in mind that
our sales items make good Christmas gifts, I note that we have the
following items:
New supply of Tee
Shirts - usual silk screen
A few Tee Shirts
with the Embroidery Crest (with collar)
Trahan Pins
Trahan Mugs
Trahan License
Plates
Trahan Caps
Annual CAFA Meeting set for November 15, 2003
The Annual CAFA
Meeting will be held on November 15, 2003 at the Woodmen of the World Hall
in Maurice, Louisiana. Following the business portion of the meeting a
meal will be served. The Board of Governors of CAFA have invited 6 travel
agencies to attend and be available to brief and answer questions for
those interested in attending the Congres Mondial 2004 in Nova Scotia.
Additionally, CAFA will present the inaugural “Award of Merit”. This award
is to honor that individual whom has best demonstrated those qualities we
look for in preservation of Acadian Heritage, Culture, History, and
Language.
Reflections of
Bi-Centennial Reunion
The Bi-Centennial
Reunion, sponsored by CAFA, and assisted by various family associations,
including our “Famille Trahan”, was a huge success. The spirit of
cooperation among all involved in this event was magnificent, and everyone
had a great time, ate well, and danced to their hearts content.
I thank all, especially those of the “Famille Trahan”, who generously
volunteered their time and resources to make this a success. I would
compliment Ray Trahan and his volunteers, who prepared and served the
Friday evening meal for the Special Invitation Dignitaries. At a time when
more guests showed up than was expected, Ray and his group accepted the
challenge, and fed all! I would laud Loubert Trahan as well, his keen
insight and leadership kept all on their toes and prepared for anything
that might arise. Fortunately, no major problems were encountered.
This event was responsible for several families joining our organizations,
and even some renewals. All in all, an outstanding effort by all, and we
thank you.
Acadian quilt
to go on display in France
In November the Acadian Memorial will lend its Acadian Quilt for display
in Nantes, France for two months. The quilt will be hand carried by a
delegation from Louisiana, and this delegation will include our president,
Ray Trahan and his wife Brenda Comeaux Trahan, Curator of the Acadian
Museum in St Martinville, Louisiana. Ray and Brenda will be in France for
a month, and while there, they will visit with Marc and Mayannick Braud of
Nantes, as well as Guy and Monique Trahan of Cersay, France. We wish all a
bon voyage and a safe return.
Family history
needed
While many of our
members assume that we already have their family history in our computers,
I would say to all of you, we do not! There are many Trahan and Trahan
allied families that we are missing data on. Take the time to visit with
Mitch or Loubert and see if they have your data; if they do not, then help
them get you line up to date. Remember, the data base is a history that
will be here long after we are gone, and if properly updated, it will make
research easier for those seeking help at a later time.
|
|