CALLING ALL COOKS STORY PITCH AS OF 9/14/01 – 2nd Draft PRODUCER: BRIAN HALL STORY SLUG: THE RAPPIE [RAH pee] PIE MACHINE GUEST NAME: MICHAEL BORQUE [BORK] CITY/STATE: MELROSE, MA (NEAR BOSTON) LENGTH/ACTS: 1 - 4 SHOOT DATE: MAY 5th 0R 6th, 2001       THUMBNAIL: Why would anyone have an old stockpot attached to the legs of a 1950's TV stand and a washing machine motor in his or her kitchen. If you are Michael Bourque, the answer is, "To make rappie pie!" This hearty dish of simple ingredients has a 250-year-old history and its preparation must been seen to be believed. GUEST PROFILE: Michael Bourque [Bork] is a manufacturing engineer from Melrose, Ma., just outside of Boston. He is married and has three great kids. He traces his ancestry on his father's side to the "Acadians," the French-speaking settlers of what is now southeast Canada. Michael's dad was born in Nova Scotia and his mother was born on Prince Edward Island. Cooking has played an important role in Michael's life. While compiling a book of his mother's recipes, he met a young woman who agreed to act as editor. His friendship with the young woman blossomed into love, and eventually marriage, "We became closer through the cookbook. That is when our courtship began." The professionally bound collection is aptly entitled Cooking with Love. Mike loves to build things, he loves to cook and he loves his family. There is only one thing that Michael may love more than these things -- Michael Bourque loves rappie pie. RECIPE:  Rappie Pie STORY BEHIND RECIPE: Michael's family has been making rappie pie as long as anyone can remember. The name "rappie" comes from the French word for "grated." The Bourque family often gathers to make a 30 pound pie. "I just hate making a small one, it gets eaten too fast." Rappie pie is made from simple ingredients like potatoes, chicken stock and salt pork, but it is prepared like no other. First, one must create a savory stock. Michael uses chicken, onions, carrots and celery to create his rich brown broth. Then comes the grated potatoes, which gave the dish its name. The trick is to grate 30 pounds of potatoes, separate the juice from the pulp, and replace the juice with chicken broth. To help in this daunting task, Michael's grandfather made the first of several versions of the RAPPIE PIE MACHINE in 1960. These "proto-food-processors," are still working and have become treasured family heirlooms. The one Michael uses is made out of a stockpot, a television stand, part of a leg brace, and a washing machine motor. Though the family machines are his graters of choice, Michael (and our audience) can use an electric juicer as a substitute. Cooking this dish, which dates back to the colonial days, is an all-day event that culminates in the family patriarch (Michael's dad) rating the pie. Will this pie score the elusive perfect 10? We can only hope. STORY POINTS:  · ACT 1: INT. MICHAEL'S DINING ROOM: ECU of the Rappie Pie Machine. Pull back to reveal Michael, who is beaming and then Curtis who is more than a little confused. Curtis asks Michael, "What on Earth is this contraption." Michael smiles and says, "Oh, just wait. You'll see." Curtis states that he is in Melrose Ma. with Michael Bourque, a man who loves to make and eat a unique concoction called "rappie pie." · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Begin preparing the chicken. He bakes the chicken, removes the meat from the bones and refrigerates it. He starts the broth by adding water to the carcass and the drippings, then adding carrots, celery and onions (Hint: to make the stock darker, cook the onions with some of the peels still on.) As they cook, Curtis tries to understand Michael's love of rappie pie. Michael waxes quixotic about the joys of rappie pie, the taste, the flavor, and the crust. · B-ROLL: BRIEF history of Michael's family, his parent's Acadian roots. That they are the ancestors of the first French settlers and "cousins" of the Cajuns of Louisiana. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Strains the solid out of the broth and sets it aside. Michael tells Curtis that now the real fun begins. Michael explains that it is time for the potato peeling. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Michael, his father John, and Curtis compare potato peelers. The three begin a friendly potato peeling competition complete with gentle ribbing and male bonding. Quick, fun montage of these expert spud peelers in action. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Curtis looks at 30 pounds of peeled and quartered potatoes and asks the Bourque men what comes next. The men explain that it is time to grate all of these potatoes. Curtis looks a bit concerned, but the Bourques step up and explain they have a secret weapon! · INSERT SHOT: Tilt up on the RAPPIE PIE MACHINE. · VO TEASE: When we come back, how does this weird machine make rappie pie possible? · BREAK 1/RECAP · ACT 2: · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Unveil the rappie pie machine. We see that the machine is made of an old pot, some TV cabinet legs and a washing machine motor. · B-ROLL: Michael's computer animated drawings of the rappie pie machine. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: They begin grating potatoes. Potato grating is INTERCUT WITH B-ROLL FOOTAGE OR STILLS of all the rappie pie machines: the original Rappie Pie Machine from 1960, the later versions like the one they are using and the modern juicers that make a fine substitute. As we run the potatoes through, we hit the following story points. · John's father (Michael's grandfather) made the first machine in 1960. · He later made a version for each of his children, one of which they are using. · When he was a kid, John used to have to grate all the potatoes by hand and, if he was not fast enough, the potatoes turned black. · Michael points out that, when he cannot borrow his dad's machine, he uses a juicer to extract the potato pulp, but John's machine works much better. · When he was a kid, Michael loved to help grate the potatoes, now his kids love it. · Michael reveals that, were it not for the machine, he would rarely make the dish. It is just too much work otherwise. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Michael shows Curtis how to remove the juice from the potato pulp using muslin bags. Quick series of Michael squeezing out the juice. He shows the juice and starch that they removed. It is not a pretty site. Curtis starts to throw the juice away, but Michael explains that they have to measure it first. Curtis' bewilderment only deepens as we… · VO TEASE: Coming up, why we needed to save this stuff (potato juice) to make rappie pie. · BREAK 2/RECAP · ACT 3: INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Michael and Curtis begin the base for the pie as Michael's wife, Mina, looks on from the counter. Michael lets Curtis in on the secret that they had to save the potato juice so they would know how much broth to add. They measure the juice and then add the same amount of hot broth to the potato pulp, creating the rappie pie base. Michael's dad helps by adding salt and pepper to taste. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Michael shows that he has added chunks of salt pork to make his rappie pie pan non-stick. He removes the salt pork and Curtis helps him layer the potato mixture and the chicken in pan. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: While they layer the potato and chicken, Curtis reminds Michael how important recipes have been in his life. Michael and Mina recount how they fell in love while compiling Cooking with Love. · B-ROLL: Michael's mother's recipe note cards and the professionally bound copy of Cooking with Love that Michael compiled and Mina edited. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Michael notes that, while he was compiling the book, he did not find the recipe for rappie pie. He guesses that everyone just knew it. He decided, however, to add the recipe to the professionally bound book. · INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: They place the salt pork back on top of the mixture (this helps to get the top crisp) and they bake it. Michael and his dad decide how long to cook it and Curtis sets the timer. · VO TEASE: When we come back, Michael tells us his favorite part of his favorite dish. · BREAK 3/RECAP · ACT 4: INT. MICHAEL'S KITCHEN: Michael and Curtis remove the pan from the oven, the pie has turned golden brown and is steaming. Curtis remarks how great it smells. Michael says that the crust is his favorite, he points to the corner of the pan and tells Curtis, that is the best piece. · INT. MICHAEL'S DINING ROOM: Curtis and Michael carry the huge pan of delicious, steaming, savory rappie pie. They bring it to the table and present it to the family who has gathered for the event. Everyone digs in and eats enthusiastically. · INT. MICHAEL'S DINING ROOM: The crowd looks expectantly at John. John, after a moment's consideration, smiles broadly and awards the pie a ten! The family cheers, and Michael beams. · INT. MICHAEL'S DINING ROOM: Michael's aunt, the owner of the original machine, bestows the storied heirloom upon Michael. She thanks him for continuing the rappie pie tradition. · INT. MICHAEL'S DINING ROOM: Curtis congratulates Michael. He asks Michael, "have you ever considered creating a Rappie Pie Machine of his own?" Michael replies that yes he has and shows Curtis some drawings for the RAPPIE PIE MACHINE OF THE FUTURE. · B-ROLL: Michael's animated computer drawings of his Rappie Pie Machine design. · HOST WRAP: Curtis admires the drawings and wonders aloud if anyone would care for seconds. They respond with a hearty "YES PLEASE!" SUPPORTING VISUALS: · COMPUTER ANIMATION: Computerized animated drawings of the original Rappie Pie Machine. · COMPUTER ANIMATION: Computerized animated drawings of Michael's plans for the next generation of rappie pie machines. · PHOTOS: Michael's grandparents. · B-ROLL: Several versions of the rappie pie machine. · B-ROLL: Of Michael's Dad sharpening his trusty potato peeler. · B-ROLL: Original Cooking With Love spiral note cards. · B-ROLL: Printed and bound copy of Cooking with Love compiled by Michael Bourque. SUPPORTING CHARACTERS (have yet to be pre-interviewed): · Mina Bourque, Wife · Serena Bourque, Daughter, 4 years (loves to help with potato grating.) · Jonathan, Son, 3 Years (very mechanically inclined) · Holly, Daughter 20 months · John, Dad, 74 years, carpenter, remodeled kitchen (From Nova Scotia) · Betty, Mom, 64 (From Prince Edward Island) · Jeanette Carol, Aunt (owner of the original rappie pie machine) · Anne "Antoinette" · Rosalee & Dennis, Aunt & Uncle