I've heard a rumour that Canadians do not really eat poutine. I realize no one eats it on a daily basis. (Not after their first heart attack, anyway.) But how many of you have never tried it?
Yes, Nanaimo bars rock pretty hard. You know I've never had poutine, although I have a cherished relationship with each of its component parts in other circumstances.
Poutine is pretty common here in the Maritimes although the best poutine I've had was in Toronto! I was at a pub called "The Irish Embassy" (Wellington & Yonge)when I was there in Oct, and this poutine has a garlic sour creme on it--I know I turned my nose up at the idea, but I thought it was absolutely delish.
The fact that poutine is available at so many places -- notably Harvey's -- suggests to me that most people have had it at one time or another. I often see it ordered when I'm at Harvey's.
I've only had it a couple of times, and never an order for myself, only having a few fries off someone else's plate. And it's good, oh, it's good. Just not good enough to justify the several thousand calories.
But that Irish Embassy stuff sounds like it would be good enough to justify it. Wee-yow.
Poutine used to be unknown out west, but it's fairly easy to get now. (I suspect the difficulty was in obtaining cheese curds, which aren't always easy to find) For those that ain't from around here, It's not that different from covered and smothered hash browns, fundamentally. Using raw curds instead of cheese is the brilliant part.
Next up, saskatoon berries. And we teach LG to use "skookum" in everyday conversation.
Hmmm, poutine. Being a good Quebecker, I'm a little bit of a purist when it comes to poutine. It is possible to find tolerable poutines outside of Quebec, but it's really hard to have the right kind of cheese curds. Curds are basically very fresh cheese. When they are fresh (and haven't been refrigerated) they have a little bit of a squeak when you bite into them. Without the squeak, it's basically regular cheese with a funny shape. But like the cookie monster says so well, it’s a sometime food, as the number of calories is impossible to justify.
French fries and vinegar are the BEST. Although it *has* to be white vinegar, and not malt. I remember being in Kentucky about 6 years ago, and asking for vinegar. When I explained that I wanted the stuff that came in massive jugs for cleaning, they thought I was insane.
As for poutine, Ive never tried it. But that's only because I have a thing about gloopy food/texture.
I love nanaimo bars! They are always in the store here. P gets them for me once in a while for a surprise. They are so adicting though. Poutine - I've never had it yet. But since P is from Quebec he has many times.
I've heard a rumour that Canadians do not really eat poutine. ...But how many of you have never tried it?
Well... I experimented a little in university... you know, wild times, you want to fit in, you're learning about yourself and your body and what you're capable of. I was with some friends I felt confident with and really trusted, and one evening at a small party, I just thought, yeah, I can do this, and I went with it. It was a beautiful moment in my life. Tums, anyone? :)
I used to work with a French Canadian guy, from Shawinigan, believe it or not, and he said that nobody in English Canada does poutine right (this is a typical Quebecker attitude; my anglo Montreal-born mother says the same thing of smoked meat and bagels) -- BUT, that out of all the versions he's had, Burger King's comes the closest to the real thing because they use a BBQ sauce, not gravy -- which to the Quebecois is apparently the equivalent of using ketchup on handmade spaghetti in an Italian home. Or so I'm led to believe. :)
I love Nanaimo bars! Have you ever tried Mint Nanaimo bars? They're pretty good too. You just need to add some green food colouring to the custard mixture and a tsp of mint extract to give it that flavouring.
Ah for the days of yore when I had a cast iron stomach and could (and did) toss anything in there. Alas, gone, all gone. Tums just don't cut it anymore.
However, while we are on the subject: nanaimo bars, mmm; poutine, mmm; and vinegar of any kind on french fries. No ketchup. I once found myself in the Buffalo airport, where I ordered fries and then was horrified to discover that they didn't have any vinegar. They stared at me, in fact, when I asked for some. C'mon, people, this is within spitting distance of the border. However, I was able to save the day, or at least the french fries, by putting sauerkraut juice from the hot-dog topping stand on them. It did in a pinch.
he said that nobody in English Canada does poutine right (this is a typical Quebecker attitude; my anglo Montreal-born mother says the same thing of smoked meat and bagels)
This is SO New York! New Yorkers are insane this way. :)
-- BUT, that out of all the versions he's had, Burger King's comes the closest to the real thing
Oh geez. I've heard Harvey's are good too! So funny.
Oh baby, that's the thing. Our Irish pub down the street has perfect fish and chips, halibut of course. I wish I had never tried it, because I will spend the rest of my days in Port Credit trying to resist it!
Ah for the days of yore when I had a cast iron stomach and could (and did) toss anything in there. Alas, gone, all gone. Tums just don't cut it anymore.
I hear ya. It applies to everything as you get older - the pain is worse, the recovery time longer. At some point, you just decide it's not worth it.
Damn I'm glad I over-indulged when I was younger. I sure can't do it now.
She says, just before having a big indulgent dinner and (undoubtedly) too much wine.
I'm not sure if it's still there but if it's fish and chips your after Clarkson Fish and Chips on Lakeshore Rd. is where you want to go. It was always a great night when we made the trek over from Oakville to Clarkson.
This is SO New York! New Yorkers are insane this way. :)
Loathe though I am to admit it, Montreal is much, much more Canada's New York than Toronto, except in banking. Otherwise, Toronto is Canada's Chicago-Detroit-Philadelphia, with Los Angeles's "lookit me lookit me lookit me!" issues thrown in. :)
Our Irish pub down the street has perfect fish and chips, halibut of course.
You need to find a Scots pub! The Scots make the ONLY fish and chips. Trust me, I'm Scottish. ...I should get that on a pin, too. Trust me, I'm Scottish! Would ye be lendin' me five bob t'day, and Ah'll pay ye back the second Tuesday of next week, Jimmy!
I used to have a cat named Jenny, a little black princess who was entirely self-possessed. But she would abandon all pride and make an utter fool of herself, a shameless little golden-eyed begging urchin, the minute my dad brought fish and chips from Bernie's home. :)
Count on the Irish for beer and punching, though. ;) Both gratuitous.
Growing up in Vancouver, there wasn't much opportunity to exposure to poutine, for some reason, and I didn't have it until I was in grad school in Kingston, and visited Montreal for a long weekend with some friends. Loved it! The last time I had it, we were long-weekending in Quebec City, for Canada Day in 2000.
Nanaimo bars are scrumptious, too!
Something else I miss from home, is ice cream with salmonberries. Going to pick the berries yourself for an afternoon, and then topping them off with ice cream...hard to beat!
I'm not sure if it's still there but if it's fish and chips your after Clarkson Fish and Chips on Lakeshore Rd. is where you want to go.
It's still there! But between us and them are two excellent F&C places, one right down the street (Irish pub) and another chip shop type place a few blocks away. Not much point driving down to Clarkson.
But if I'm ever inclined to do that, I'll send them your regards. :)
Loathe though I am to admit it, Montreal is much, much more Canada's New York than Toronto, except in banking. Otherwise, Toronto is Canada's Chicago-Detroit-Philadelphia, with Los Angeles's "lookit me lookit me lookit me!" issues thrown in. :)
I've always suspected this. Montreal seems so worldly and confident, so throw-back-its-head snobby in that way people hate about the French, but New Yorkers understand and are comfortable with.
Toronto... well, I won't say anything bad about Toronto... just that it tries hard, and is very nice, but maybe is not be what it imagines itself to be.
Oh geez, that was bad, wasn't it?
It's a great city, really. I just (just now, this very moment) spent a fortune there on a ridiculously extravagant meal, and it was beautiful. Great town. Really.
Trust me, I'm Scottish. ...I should get that on a pin, too. Trust me, I'm Scottish!
Earlier today it was "kiss me I'm Irish". Damn Celts, make up yer minds!
I used to have a cat named Jenny, a little black princess who was entirely self-possessed. But she would abandon all pride and make an utter fool of herself, a shameless little golden-eyed begging urchin, the minute my dad brought fish and chips from Bernie's home. :)
I totally know how she feels. Tonight there was this cheese plate and this wonderful wine... Oh never mind.
I make them on occasion, actually. I'll bring a batch if I ever get around to driving up to pay you a much-belated visit. This damn laziness of mine ...
When ordering poutine from a new place for the first time, be wary! There are places in my town (Waterloo) that prepare it with grated processed cheese. I kid not, though I wish I did. One pita place that I won't name here uses their cheddar/moz blend.
Would anyone care to weigh in on whether I'm indulging in deviant behaviour when I put vinegar on poutine? I think it's great. Should I be ashamed?
PS: I'm a new reader so forgive me if this is old hat, but holy shmoley, did I just see L-Girl bash Toronto? Already?
You realize, of course, that framing it in such a way makes it even more damning. In other words, It's not just a jovial bash but a considered observation that Toronto is full of it's own crap. ;-)
Awww, it's only some friendly razzing. Just to clarify, there is absolutely nothing wrong with bashing Toronto. That's the whole reason we keep it. My initial impulse was to congratulate you for assimilating so well, but that went against my jerky nature.
Though I stand by the internal logic of what I said. You can tell me I'm wrong, but I won't stand for being told I'm incorrect. Not without a supporting argument!
48 comments:
Yes, Nanaimo bars rock pretty hard. You know I've never had poutine, although I have a cherished relationship with each of its component parts in other circumstances.
Poutine is pretty common here in the Maritimes although the best poutine I've had was in Toronto! I was at a pub called
"The Irish Embassy" (Wellington & Yonge)when I was there in Oct, and this poutine has a garlic sour creme on it--I know I turned my nose up at the idea, but I thought it was absolutely delish.
The Irish Embassy" (Wellington & Yonge)when I was there in Oct, and this poutine has a garlic sour creme on it
I am so there. That sounds disgustingly delicious. Plus I love the Irish thing. I'm going.
Although not right now. :)
I got smart and googled this before I opened my mouth.
I first learned about french fries with vinegar at an amusement part across the border from Niagara Falls, New York in the late 50's.
At first I said yuck then I tried them. I guess I'm willing to try poutine.
Granny, the link in my post is a good poutine primer.
I love to try new foods. For me it's one of life's great pleasures.
The fact that poutine is available at so many places -- notably Harvey's -- suggests to me that most people have had it at one time or another. I often see it ordered when I'm at Harvey's.
I've only had it a couple of times, and never an order for myself, only having a few fries off someone else's plate. And it's good, oh, it's good. Just not good enough to justify the several thousand calories.
But that Irish Embassy stuff sounds like it would be good enough to justify it. Wee-yow.
Nanaimo bars are great. My mother makes the best ones, using her own granola recipe.
Lori loves poutine, but I'm not too keen (don't like cheese, not keen on gravy).
The Peel Pub serves something they call "Italian poutine": French fries with pasta meat sauce instead of gravy.
New York Fries outlets in Toronto sell poutine. How's that for genuine?
Poutine used to be unknown out west, but it's fairly easy to get now. (I suspect the difficulty was in obtaining cheese curds, which aren't always easy to find) For those that ain't from around here, It's not that different from covered and smothered hash browns, fundamentally. Using raw curds instead of cheese is the brilliant part.
Next up, saskatoon berries. And we teach LG to use "skookum" in everyday conversation.
Next up, saskatoon berries. And we teach LG to use "skookum" in everyday conversation.
Sasaktoon berries sound like a joke a la Prarie oysters!
Hmmm, poutine.
Being a good Quebecker, I'm a little bit of a purist when it comes to poutine. It is possible to find tolerable poutines outside of Quebec, but it's really hard to have the right kind of cheese curds. Curds are basically very fresh cheese. When they are fresh (and haven't been refrigerated) they have a little bit of a squeak when you bite into them. Without the squeak, it's basically regular cheese with a funny shape. But like the cookie monster says so well, it’s a sometime food, as the number of calories is impossible to justify.
I've heard about that squeak! :)
French fries and vinegar are the BEST. Although it *has* to be white vinegar, and not malt. I remember being in Kentucky about 6 years ago, and asking for vinegar. When I explained that I wanted the stuff that came in massive jugs for cleaning, they thought I was insane.
As for poutine, Ive never tried it. But that's only because I have a thing about gloopy food/texture.
I love nanaimo bars! They are always in the store here. P gets them for me once in a while for a surprise. They are so adicting though. Poutine - I've never had it yet. But since P is from Quebec he has many times.
I've heard a rumour that Canadians do not really eat poutine. ...But how many of you have never tried it?
Well... I experimented a little in university... you know, wild times, you want to fit in, you're learning about yourself and your body and what you're capable of. I was with some friends I felt confident with and really trusted, and one evening at a small party, I just thought, yeah, I can do this, and I went with it. It was a beautiful moment in my life. Tums, anyone? :)
I used to work with a French Canadian guy, from Shawinigan, believe it or not, and he said that nobody in English Canada does poutine right (this is a typical Quebecker attitude; my anglo Montreal-born mother says the same thing of smoked meat and bagels) -- BUT, that out of all the versions he's had, Burger King's comes the closest to the real thing because they use a BBQ sauce, not gravy -- which to the Quebecois is apparently the equivalent of using ketchup on handmade spaghetti in an Italian home. Or so I'm led to believe. :)
Plus I love the Irish thing.
Kiss me, I'm Irish. :)
French fries and vinegar are the BEST. Although it *has* to be white vinegar, and not malt.
Generally... but in a fish and chip joint, a good one, you're cheating yourself if you don't go malt. Malt and salt, and two slabs of halibut, Bruce!
I love Nanaimo bars! Have you ever tried Mint Nanaimo bars? They're pretty good too. You just need to add some green food colouring to the custard mixture and a tsp of mint extract to give it that flavouring.
Ah for the days of yore when I had a cast iron stomach and could (and did) toss anything in there. Alas, gone, all gone. Tums just don't cut it anymore.
However, while we are on the subject: nanaimo bars, mmm; poutine, mmm; and vinegar of any kind on french fries. No ketchup. I once found myself in the Buffalo airport, where I ordered fries and then was horrified to discover that they didn't have any vinegar. They stared at me, in fact, when I asked for some. C'mon, people, this is within spitting distance of the border. However, I was able to save the day, or at least the french fries, by putting sauerkraut juice from the hot-dog topping stand on them. It did in a pinch.
Well... I experimented a little in university...
LOL, this is hilarious.
he said that nobody in English Canada does poutine right (this is a typical Quebecker attitude; my anglo Montreal-born mother says the same thing of smoked meat and bagels)
This is SO New York! New Yorkers are insane this way. :)
-- BUT, that out of all the versions he's had, Burger King's comes the closest to the real thing
Oh geez. I've heard Harvey's are good too! So funny.
Kiss me, I'm Irish. :)
Primate doesn't sound like an Irish last name. ;)
Malt and salt, and two slabs of halibut, Bruce!
Oh baby, that's the thing. Our Irish pub down the street has perfect fish and chips, halibut of course. I wish I had never tried it, because I will spend the rest of my days in Port Credit trying to resist it!
Ah for the days of yore when I had a cast iron stomach and could (and did) toss anything in there. Alas, gone, all gone. Tums just don't cut it anymore.
I hear ya. It applies to everything as you get older - the pain is worse, the recovery time longer. At some point, you just decide it's not worth it.
Damn I'm glad I over-indulged when I was younger. I sure can't do it now.
She says, just before having a big indulgent dinner and (undoubtedly) too much wine.
I would also like to say: I've never found a use for ketchup. It doesn't improve the taste of anything, as far as I can tell.
I think when my mother used to force us to eat (over-cooked, dried up) liver, we drowned it in ketchup to mask the taste.
poutine = gross
Nanaimo bars = delicious
Nanaimo = a great place to visit!
l-girl, I'm amazed at what a rigorous conversation your commenters can have on such a subject. Fabulous!
And I'm Irish too, but you can just take my word for it. no kissing required :-)
I enjoyed some outine in Toronto at the Five Alarm Diner on Church St last time I was there.
What's odd is that a local eatry here in town serves them too. Weird, eh?
l-girl, I'm amazed at what a rigorous conversation your commenters can have on such a subject. Fabulous!
I know! This crew will talk about anything, they're the best.
And I'm Irish too, but you can just take my word for it. no kissing required :-)
Well ok, if you insist. ;-)
What's odd is that a local eatry here in town serves them too. Weird, eh?
Dismissed as coincidence...???
The picture doesn't look very appealing...
I'm not sure if it's still there but if it's fish and chips your after Clarkson Fish and Chips on Lakeshore Rd. is where you want to go. It was always a great night when we made the trek over from Oakville to Clarkson.
This is SO New York! New Yorkers are insane this way. :)
Loathe though I am to admit it, Montreal is much, much more Canada's New York than Toronto, except in banking. Otherwise, Toronto is Canada's Chicago-Detroit-Philadelphia, with Los Angeles's "lookit me lookit me lookit me!" issues thrown in. :)
Primate doesn't sound like an Irish last name. ;)
Oh, it's an anglicization from Opraumacht. :) Liam Opraumacht! Now make with the kissin', missus! :)
Our Irish pub down the street has perfect fish and chips, halibut of course.
You need to find a Scots pub! The Scots make the ONLY fish and chips. Trust me, I'm Scottish. ...I should get that on a pin, too. Trust me, I'm Scottish! Would ye be lendin' me five bob t'day, and Ah'll pay ye back the second Tuesday of next week, Jimmy!
I used to have a cat named Jenny, a little black princess who was entirely self-possessed. But she would abandon all pride and make an utter fool of herself, a shameless little golden-eyed begging urchin, the minute my dad brought fish and chips from Bernie's home. :)
Count on the Irish for beer and punching, though. ;) Both gratuitous.
Growing up in Vancouver, there wasn't much opportunity to exposure to poutine, for some reason, and I didn't have it until I was in grad school in Kingston, and visited Montreal for a long weekend with some friends. Loved it! The last time I had it, we were long-weekending in Quebec City, for Canada Day in 2000.
Nanaimo bars are scrumptious, too!
Something else I miss from home, is ice cream with salmonberries. Going to pick the berries yourself for an afternoon, and then topping them off with ice cream...hard to beat!
I'm not sure if it's still there but if it's fish and chips your after Clarkson Fish and Chips on Lakeshore Rd. is where you want to go.
It's still there! But between us and them are two excellent F&C places, one right down the street (Irish pub) and another chip shop type place a few blocks away. Not much point driving down to Clarkson.
But if I'm ever inclined to do that, I'll send them your regards. :)
Loathe though I am to admit it, Montreal is much, much more Canada's New York than Toronto, except in banking. Otherwise, Toronto is Canada's Chicago-Detroit-Philadelphia, with Los Angeles's "lookit me lookit me lookit me!" issues thrown in. :)
I've always suspected this. Montreal seems so worldly and confident, so throw-back-its-head snobby in that way people hate about the French, but New Yorkers understand and are comfortable with.
Toronto... well, I won't say anything bad about Toronto... just that it tries hard, and is very nice, but maybe is not be what it imagines itself to be.
Oh geez, that was bad, wasn't it?
It's a great city, really. I just (just now, this very moment) spent a fortune there on a ridiculously extravagant meal, and it was beautiful. Great town. Really.
Primate doesn't sound like an Irish last name. ;)
Oh, it's an anglicization from Opraumacht. :) Liam Opraumacht! Now make with the kissin', missus! :)
**smoooooochhhhhh**
And one thrown in for you, Kyahgirl :)
Trust me, I'm Scottish. ...I should get that on a pin, too. Trust me, I'm Scottish!
Earlier today it was "kiss me I'm Irish". Damn Celts, make up yer minds!
I used to have a cat named Jenny, a little black princess who was entirely self-possessed. But she would abandon all pride and make an utter fool of herself, a shameless little golden-eyed begging urchin, the minute my dad brought fish and chips from Bernie's home. :)
I totally know how she feels. Tonight there was this cheese plate and this wonderful wine... Oh never mind.
Something else I miss from home, is ice cream with salmonberries.
Are these the Saskatoon berries Wrye mentioned? I thought he was joking...?
Something else I miss from home, is ice cream with salmonberries.
Are these the Saskatoon berries Wrye mentioned? I thought he was joking...?
Saskatoon berries? Let me check on that... Salmonberries look like this. Saskatoon berries look like this.
(I love wikipedia!)
Interestingly, the photo makes the Saskatoon berry look like a blueberry, but apparently it's not.
mmmm ... Nanaimo ... yummy.
I make them on occasion, actually. I'll bring a batch if I ever get around to driving up to pay you a much-belated visit. This damn laziness of mine ...
:-) G
yummmmmyyy nanaimo bars
ugh
I just got really home sick.
When ordering poutine from a new place for the first time, be wary! There are places in my town (Waterloo) that prepare it with grated processed cheese. I kid not, though I wish I did. One pita place that I won't name here uses their cheddar/moz blend.
Would anyone care to weigh in on whether I'm indulging in deviant behaviour when I put vinegar on poutine? I think it's great. Should I be ashamed?
PS: I'm a new reader so forgive me if this is old hat, but holy shmoley, did I just see L-Girl bash Toronto? Already?
...suck up. ;-)
PS: I'm a new reader so forgive me if this is old hat, but holy shmoley, did I just see L-Girl bash Toronto? Already?
Well, this is an old thread, so chances are no one will come back to see this comment, so I'm safe. ;-)
It wasn't a bash. It was an observation. Toronto is a fine city. I like it. I promise. :)
Welcome to wmtc, Nerdbeard.
It wasn't a bash. It was an observation.
You realize, of course, that framing it in such a way makes it even more damning. In other words, It's not just a jovial bash but a considered observation that Toronto is full of it's own crap. ;-)
Gimme a break, I realize no such thing.
Awww, it's only some friendly razzing. Just to clarify, there is absolutely nothing wrong with bashing Toronto. That's the whole reason we keep it. My initial impulse was to congratulate you for assimilating so well, but that went against my jerky nature.
Though I stand by the internal logic of what I said. You can tell me I'm wrong, but I won't stand for being told I'm incorrect. Not without a supporting argument!
Awww, it's only some friendly razzing.
And that's the way it was taken. I'm just too busy and not really interested in going on with this. Sorry! Hope you enjoy wmtc anyway!
Glad to hear all is rosy. We enjoying the site very much. Looking forward to more Berton impressions.
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