Canadians are known for theirlove of hockey, cold winters, general politeness and for one of the oddest combinations of foods.
Poutine is considered by many to be the quintessential Canadian dish. Although itdoesn’t have a concrete origin story, it is believed that poutine was first made in a Quebec restaurant in the late 1950s. A customer requested cheese curds on their french fries, and the owner obliged, later adding gravy when the dish grew in popularity.
“Poutine is like god’s gift to the world. It’s beautiful in a box, it’s poetry. It’s gravy dripping down the fries. It’s the squeakiness of the curds like two balloons making out,”says Smoke’s Poutinerie founder Ryan Smolkin.
RELATED: Can a poutine restaurant from Toronto take over the world?
The email you need for the day's top news stories from Canada and around the world.
So what’s the secret to great poutine? According to Smolkin, it’s all in the quality of the three main ingredients: french fries, cheese curds and gravy. Smoke’s suggests golden, crispy fries, the squeakiest of cheese curds and a chicken-based gravy.
Story continues below advertisem*nt
If you’re a meat lover, a three-ingredient poutine may not curb your appetite. Worry not, as practically any meat can serve as a perfect topping for poutine.
“Now, depending on where you are in the country, your poutine could be topped with butter chicken in B.C., to sliced Alberta beef, or even lobster on the East Coast,” says Lenore Newman, author of cookbook A Canadian Culinary Journey.
“It’s a nice way to describe Canadian cuisine – we dress it up to meet our region,”
READ MORE: 18 delicious, classic Canadian dishes from coast to coast
Smoke Poutinerie’s goal is to make poutine known worldwide. With 200 locations in North America, the company wants to expand its business to other areas of the world, raising the profile of poutine worldwide.
Where does poutine rank on your list of top Canadian foods? Vote in our poll below.
Advertisem*nt
© 2017 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
