For the Love of Poutine

The land of the great white north, Canada is usually only known for one food, maple syrup, which is proudly represented by a giant maple leaf on the Canadian flag. Maple syrup is only produced in a small part of the world and more than most of it comes from eastern Canada. You may only be familiar with the maple syrup at your local supermarket but if you travel North, and East or West if applicable, you will be able to find a wide variety of grades and colors of syrup that all have their own uniqueness. Local farmers markets can be found with people selling maple syrup from trees growing on their land. Those with a refined palate will instantly recognize the differences in taste among them.

Other Canadian dishes are not necessarily “Canadian” in creation. Pickled herring, an acquired taste and regional favorite in eastern Canada, was brought over with Polish immigrants. Asian cuisine is also popular throughout the country, and obviously does not originate in Canada. Canada is widely a melting pot of different cultures, similar in that aspect to its rambunctious southern neighbor. With these vastly different cultures comes a wide array of delicious foods that gain regional popularity in select provinces of Canada. However none of these dishes would be considered solely Canadian.

One food that is Canadian in origin would be the famed beaver’s tail. It does not actually contain beaver, instead it is a fried dough pastry that has been rolled in the shape of a beaver’s tail. Kind of like an oversized donut, or rather a perfectly sized donut depending on how you look at it. The tail is topped with anything and everything imaginable, usually consisting of combinations of chocolate, candies, and other sweetness. Although beaver’s tail is a family favorite and you should try them given the opportunity, there is another great Canadian food that stands out.

Originating in eastern Canada and becoming a common staple from coast to coast is the extremely delicious and wonderfully simple poutine. This national favorite is made of only three ingredients: fries, gravy, and cheese curds. It originated in the province of Quebec around the 1950s but exact origins are unknown. Today it can be found in restaurants throughout the country. I’ve had excellent poutine in the middle of nowhere restaurants of Manitoba as well as in the fancy restaurants of British Columbia. Most of my experience is in eastern Canada, and here poutine thrives. A percentage of food trucks are dedicated to poutine as are many brick and mortar establishments.

The traditional poutine found at most food trucks consists of a straight cut French fry, a beef based gravy and the original cheese curds. Cheese curds are different in that its the younger version of cheese. Before cheese is aged, its early form is basically curdled milk, which when firm becomes the cheese curd. Crumble cheeses, such as feta, can be substituted for cheese curds and mozzarella is another common replacement. For many Canadians poutine is a comfort food.

Although there are only three ingredients, there is immense room for variation. As many ways as a potato can be cut, there are more versions of poutine. Family favorites include curly fries, potato wedges, and the non-traditional baked potato. For gravy we lean towards a thick vegetable based gravy, but never shy away from experimentation. Cheese gets the most experimentation in our household as we have used dozens of different cheeses and sincerely enjoy softer ones, such as Brie. In summer our homemade poutine can consist of crispy straight or steak fries covered in shredded cheese, individually dipped in gravy. A winter variation is shoestring fries with too much gravy and cheese curds, becoming more of a poutine soup.

There is another whole category of poutine, where is it used as a base layer for other dishes. Such an example is breakfast poutine using a southern style sausage gravy and served with eggs on top. Pizza style poutine, with a French fry crust, tomato gravy, and mozzarella cheese. This can also have all your favorite pizza toppings. Poutine nachos usually substitute tortilla chips for the fries. Of course, being the experimental food family, we have made poutine nachos with a total combination of both foods. In my opinion, whether this particular dish comes out good or not all comes down to the type of gravy used. Feel free to experiment, for as the old adage goes, if at first you don’t succeed, try adding hot sauce.

My oldest child is a hobby chef with a love of poutine. She has taken it to the next level by creating unique variations with a base ingredient list of potatoes, gravy, and cheese. The poutine quiche turned out amazingly well and has now become a favorite for her to make when I visit. The poutine cake, not so much, although the poutine pie was surprisingly good.

These three basic ingredients of fries, gravy, and cheese curds are a delectably simple addition for everyone’s cookbook; not that you really need to write it down. Whether you’re a purist who prefers the traditional version, or someone who likes to experiment with their food, poutine operates as either a snack or a meal. So, the next time you are undecided on what to eat, give poutine a chance.