Canada is the second-largest country in the world. Its landmass goes from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, so you can just imagine how wide and diverse everything must be up from there. From gorgeous scenery to majestic animals and lush greenery, there is no shortage of things to see in Canada. Just ask any Canadian—they are well-known for their extreme politeness!
Like their climate and environment, the dishes that Canada has are very diverse too. They both knock sweet and savory dishes out of the park, so you’ll have lots of fun sampling every food Canada has to offer. Why not start with the following five dishes from Canada below?
1. Poutine
How can a dish so simple be so delicious? Made with crunchy French fries, thick and salty gravy, and squeaky cheese curds, poutine is a national and international delicacy hailing from Quebec, Canada!
The origins of poutine are hazy. Fernand Lachance claims he invented poutine in 1957 after a customer wanted to dump cheese curds on his French fries. He exclaimed, “Ça va faire une maudite poutine!” which translates to “It will make a damn mess!” Meanwhile, Jean-Paul Roy claims he invented it when his dish of French fries with gravy would commonly come with a side of cheese curds. The latter seems to be the most plausible as the restaurant he owns has a copyright certificate claiming poutine.
Wherever it came from, we thank you for inventing this glorious dish.
2. Tourtiere
Tourtiere is a dish that’ll amp up your holiday spirit. Typically served during Christmas and New Year, the dish is so popular all around the country that grocery stores have started selling them all year round! It’s also so popular that states in the New England region like Maine, Vermont, and Rhode Island have their own variations of it too.
This humble meat pie dish is typically made of minced pork, beef, or veal. Like many other dishes worldwide, the recipe varies by region, so a tourtiere you eat in Quebec may be different from the one you eat in Montreal. Some might add seafood instead of meat, add fruit preserves, or even drizzle a little bit of maple syrup on top.
3. Caesar Cocktail
Hold on to your horses, the Caesar cocktail isn’t the average cocktail you’d typically order at a bar! Instead of being topped with a boring, old celery stick or dainty paper umbrella, it can be topped with a ton of different items including fried shrimp, chicken wings, roast chicken, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, roast vegetables, and in the case of Canadian restaurant Score on Davie, everything at once!
The drink was first invented and popularized by restaurant manager Walter Chell. He was said to have been inspired by spaghetti alle vongole, theorizing that the flavors of the dish would make a wonderful drink. Indeed, he went on to incorporate vodka, tomato juice, clam broth, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and more.
4. Butter Tarts
Like poutine, butter tarts are a quintessential Canadian treat that surprisingly only takes a few ingredients to make. The crust is made up of flour, baking powder, salt, butter, and lard. This makes it buttery soft with just the right amount of flakiness! The filling, on the other hand, is made of butter, sugar, maple syrup, and eggs. Everything is baked together until the filling is thick and gloopy and the top is slightly crunchy.
Butter tarts are so popular in Canada that there are tourist activities surrounding them. There’s the Butter Tart Festival in Muskoka Lakes, Butter Tart Tour in Kawarthas Northumberland, Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival and Contest in Midland, and the Butter Tart Trail in Wellington North.
5. Nanaimo Bars
Nanaimo bars are a popular Canadian dessert originating from Nanaimo, British Columbia. It is a no-bake dish that consists of three layers. It has a crunchy crumb base, a soft custard icing, and a decadent chocolate ganache on top. The ingredients you use largely vary depending on your region and preferences.
These luxurious Nanaimo bars are incredibly popular.It was voted “Canada’s Favorite Confection” in a National Post survey, even! The dessert also made an appearance in the first season of Masterchef Canada, where contestants had to make desserts inspired by them. Lastly, at a dinner between Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and then-President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Trudeau presented the pair with a plateful of Nanaimo bars.
