FOUND IT!!
Found something to defend. Something Canadian. A food that is “gastronomically” speaking quintessentially Canadian – well, ok… maybe the use of the term gastronomy here is a little over the top.
POUTINE!
What other nation smothers crispy perfectly fried potatoes with gravy and cheese curds? What other country even eats cheese curds? Debates their freshness? How much they squeak in your teeth? Anyone? I didn’t think so!
Many nations share our love of deep fried potatoes – the Belgians and French have their frites, the Brits have their chips, Americans their fries, the Spanish patatas fritas……..but we Canadians….we not only have fries, we have poutine……and it’s all our own and 100% home grown.
Created at a casse croute in Warwick, Quebec in 1957, legend has it that a customer asked for fries and cheese in the same bag. “Ca va faire une maudite poutine!” (That’s going to make a damn mess!) And voila! Like the Jos Louis before him, the lowly poutine was born.
Poutine has come a long way in the last ten years. From a food who’s deliciousness was often consumed clandestinely, with shame….….to being found today in some of our country’s most upscale restaurants. I was at a function last year catered by the esteemed Mark McKewan, where his lobster poutine caused near stampedes. At Au Pied du Cochon, in Montreal, Martin Picard tops his poutine with foie gras. If you are very, very quiet after eating this dish, you can actually hear your arteries hardening.
I do love these upscale versions of the humble poutine, but in my books the original version reigns supreme. Down and dirty. Old school. Probably the best poutine I have ever had was quickly scarfed down with friends at super-greasy Lafleur’s in Montreal – between a wedding and the reception. (What is it about watching people get married that makes you so hungry and thirsty?) As we walked through the receiving line, we overheard other guests remark “How odd…do you smell….poutine???” Another primo poutine – en route to PEI – Casse Croute 401 – just off the highway about 50km east of Quebec City. There are days when I could be convinced to drive there from here, a mere 8 hours or so, simply to indulge in that greasy mess…the curds likely only hours old judging by their thunderous squeak.
For classic poutine in Toronto – the kind folks in Warwick, Quebec would be proud to serve, check out Poutini’s on Queen West. Sure they’ve got pulled pork poutine, vegan (??!!) poutine…..and a few other varieties, but on our visit we shun these new-fangled concoctions. It’s regular for us all the way. As we order a girl in the back drops a basket into the fryer. Moments later the little gems emerge golden and glistening – she liberally douses them with salt and tosses them with flourish. Next come the Mapledale cheese curds – moderately fresh with some decent squeak and sprinkled liberally over our freshly fried fries. Finally, a generous serving of real beef gravy. All together – they make a fine gooey mess….stack of napkins worthy…..a Canadian treat.
Is it worthy of dissertations, certified recipes, associations and professors like the Camembert of France? Maybe not. But it’s a start, and even if no other country wants it….it’s all ours.
