It may be "creton" in some areas but our 83 year old french canadian grandmother has always called it "gorton" ( cahh-ton... and she adds an s at the end)
Yes in New England we call it gorton. My pepere was French Canadian and my memere made this every Christmas in large batches put them into tupperware containers and gave them away as gifts. Everyone loved her gorton. In my mind it is not Christmas without it! This is almost exactly like her recipe except she used allspice instead of the cloves and nutmeg.
My mom made this when I was growing up in Maine. She died when I was 22 (I'm 65 now) and had never written her recipes down. I just discovered this recipe yesterday watching an episode of Drive Ins, Diners and Dives and am making it right this minute. I hope it's just like hers - it sure smells like it. Wow - this is really something... I could just cry. We just ate in on toast and it was wonderful. Over the years, I thought it was "head cheese" and was put off by it so I never bothered to look it up on the internet. I am so grateful to have found it. Can't wait to try it.
- The art of making Cretons has been handed-down in my family for 6 generations (french canadian), and I continue to be amazed at all the recipe variations and names for this spreadable delicacy. :-)
Hints: don't underestimate the need to use a potato masher (vigorously, against the bottom of the pan) every 15mins in an effort to create a spreadable end product. And, ensure a pot of simmering water on the stove when adding water to the cretons. It's important to add hot water vs. water from the tap.
I sincerely hope this is helpful.
Just so you are aware its "Creton" but the recipe looks good.:)
My mom always made this for us growing up as kids over the years she stopped doing it. I made it this evening and my husband can't wait to try it tommorrow. She always called it cretons(pronounced kahh tuhh).
A very dear friend and "second Mom" introduced this wonderful spread to me 45 years ago. She has long since passed and she was heavy on my mind a couple weeks ago and the "cahhton" came to mind. I asked some French co-workers if they knew what it was ( I wasn't even sure if that was what I was remembering!) no one knew. Trusty ol' computer; typed in French meat spread and there it was!! Couldn't believe it!! Went out an bought the ingredients and the smell of it cooking brought me back to the little kitchen and that wonderful little lady so many many years ago. Thank you Lil1 I will be making this every week and never forget it again. Thank you thank you thank you!!
This was also a Christmas recipe my Grammy used to make. Here kids would fight over who got to take the leftovers home. I make it in a crockpot with a bone in boston butt. Yellow onions salt & pepper cinnamon and ground clove 1/4 tsp per lb. pour in a few cups of water and cook on high til the bone pulls right out about 8-10 hours. Drain most of the water and Mash with electric mixer. Spoon into Pyrex dishes and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Made this last thanksgiving in MASS. And had a bunch of frenchies (I'm a Beaulieu) saying this was the best they have had. It's great on Hawaiian sweet rolls
Heart attack on toast lol But I love this. My french candiadian mil who lived in manchester nh called it Gutons and the local little markets sold it as the same name. May have the spelling wrong but you can't forget the yummy taste. Divorced the husband but kept the gutons.
Ya it's cretons. Never heard Gorton anywhere ever. Maybe in the Eastern US someone calls it that. My family always made it with cinnamon and cloves. It's ugly but it's good! Even the kids love it.
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