A ploye or ployes is a

Acadian The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the de ...

pancake type mix of

buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), or common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as '' Fago ...

flour, wheat flour, baking powder and water which is extremely popular in the Madawaska region in

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

and

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

. First invented in

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

, they later spread to the St. John Valley and

. Much like

grits Grits are a type of porridge made from boiled cornmeal. Hominy grits are a type of grits made from hominy – corn that has been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization, with the pericarp (ovary wall) removed. Grits are oft ...

, or potatoes, the ploye was originally a simple carbohydrate filler food for the local population. It was very cheap, easy to make, and with local toppings, such as maple syrup or

cretons In Quebec cuisine, (sometimes gorton or corton, especially among New Englanders of French-Canadian origin) is a forcemeat-style pork spread containing onions and spices. Due to its fatty texture and taste, it resembles French '' rillettes''. ...

, could vary in taste. This staple is often eaten with baked beans. Over time, however, it simply became a traditional dish. The recipe varies from family to family and is handed down through the generations. The batter itself is very thin and runny so as to ensure it does not get too thick while cooking. The ploye resembles a crêpe in thickness when cooking. In Madawaska, Maine, the ployes have a yellow color due to the type of buckwheat used in the mixture. Recipes sometimes include a little vinegar to keep the cakes from turning red. A ploye, contrary to a pancake, is only cooked on one side (but some turn it over after for a few seconds). Once cooked, it is buttered and covered in maple syrup, brown sugar,

molasses Molasses () is a viscous substance resulting from refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, method of extraction and age of the plant. Sugarcane molasses is primarily used to sweeten and flavour foods ...

, or

. It is then rolled or folded up and eaten. It is also served with the local traditional chicken stew called

fricot Fricot is a traditional Acadian dish. Fricot is such an important part of Acadian food culture that the call to eat in Acadian French is "''Au fricot!''" The main ingredients consist of potatoes, onions, and whatever meat was available, cooke ...

, which more closely resembles chicken soup with homemade flour dumplings (also called sliders). Ployes are often served at local events and fairs, such as the Ployes Festival and Foire Brayonne. Ployes are popular with

vegans Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. D ...

because they are made without milk or eggs. In 2016, food columnist Avery Yale Kamila wrote in the

Portland Press Herald The ''Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram'' is a morning daily newspaper with a website that serves southern Maine and is focused on the greater metropolitan area around Portland, Maine, in the United States. Founded in 1862, its roots e ...

: "Made from buckwheat flour, wheat flour, salt, and a leavening agent, ployes are a griddle cake associated with the French Acadian communities of eastern Canada and northern Maine. Though traditionally eaten with chicken stew, hot dogs, and other meat-based meals, ployes have been embraced by Maine’s vegan community."

References

{{portal bar, Food Cuisine of Atlantic Canada Cuisine of New Brunswick Pancakes Buckwheat dishes Vegan cuisine

See also

References