Thank you for joining us and if you're just landing here for the first time today, be sure to start with our kick off post HERE! This hour we wanted to share some of the foods Canada is known for and some of our favourites for sure! Alyssa shares this...
"I must admit, I love good food. My father and I share the belief that if we have to eat it should be good. A few years ago this conclusion was a big problem for me because I was an expert at burning water…so I set off on a journey to learn to prepare amazing food. Five years later I’m proud of my culinary skills and find feeding large groups to be so much fun, especially because I only do it on special occasions and never do the dishes after!
Two Canadian favourites, each with many varying recipes, are Nanaimo Bars and Poutine. We’ll start with dessert. (Who doesn’t like dessert first?!)
Although enjoyed all over the country, Nanaimo Bars are a western Canadian design. A thick layer of chocolate atop the middle layer of sweet and rich creamy custard buttery icing, all atop a thick crumby chocolate/walnut/coconut base makes this square a finger-food dessert. As a little girl, Nanaimo Bars were one of my faves at showers and parties…except I hate the bottom of them! Thankfully, my dear cousin Jessica loves the base layer and hates the top two. I’m sure you can image two little girls snagging (another!) treat from the dessert buffet and splitting it. She often had to tell me she was done, as her sweet tooth wasn’t nearly the size of mine, so I’d go and find my mom who also loved the bottom layer. (Just a little tip: Chill them before splitting, otherwise you’ll wind up with a gooey mess.) Recipe here!
What would Canadian cuisine be without poutine? (Pronounced poo-teen or poo-tin or pass-me-that-now-because-I-can’t-resist-it, depending on the person with whom you are sharing this dish!) French fries, or ‘chips’ as they are known to many, are fried to perfection, covered in cheese curds, and smothered in gravy. You’ll find many variations, some adding meat or spices. I once met a chef who boasted that her classic poutine recipe took 5 years to perfect - from potato to cheese curd to gravy, the combinations were tried thousands of times; truly was a treat to stop and enjoy, unfortunately her doors have closed. For our American friends who would like to indulge, I’ll meet you at Leunig’s Bistro in Burlington, Vermont for a twist on this favourite, Confit Duck Poutine; to our Canadian friends I promise getting a passport will be worth this one.
We cannot complete our day without discussing the most controversial and prized of Canadian condiments: Ketchup. It may come as a surprise to you that Canadians put ketchup on…everything. Ok, not everything, but almost everything. We put it on french fries, hamburgers, hotdogs, hash browns, meatloaf, mac and cheese (Kraft Dinner), and scrambled eggs. We dip chicken fingers, grilled cheese, fried fish, and mozza sticks in ketchup. Some people like it on onion rings, mashed potatoes, and pizza. We even have ketchup flavoured chips. Phew! Time for me to go and find some bbq sauce…
Ok, one more. Let's not forget butter tarts. Butter, sugar, eggs and sometimes raisins all baked in a delicious crust! Goodness in just a few bites!"
Did we mention dill pickle chips, the magnificent Bloody Caesar, smoked salmon, Montreal style bagels and Saskatoon berry pie! Hungry yet? We'll get to the maple syrup later!
As mentioned in our first post, we would love to share a loonie and a toonie with lucky readers each hour (along with some other fun prizes along the way!) Be sure to leave a comment below by July 7th and we will randomly select one lucky winner this hour to win them! After leaving your comment here we hope you'll take a moment to visit us on Facebook and Instagram (@sctmagazine) and leave a comment there as well for THREE chances to win! We'll be compiling all the comments each hour.
Next hour, it's the Bay of Fundy!
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Fun Fact: Canada consumes more macaroni and cheese than any other nation in the world. Thanks Kraft Dinner!
I love Nanaimo squares and butter tarts!
Posted by: Dawn Skene | July 01, 2017 at 10:05 AM
All my favourite foods!!
Posted by: Kelly Tulk | July 01, 2017 at 10:11 AM
Mmmmm Nanaimo bars 😎
Posted by: Gisèle | July 01, 2017 at 10:19 AM
Poutine and Nanaimo bars make me 😊 happy.
Happy🇨🇦Day
Posted by: MaryAnn N | July 01, 2017 at 10:21 AM
Those bars look delicious!!
Posted by: Jean marmo | July 01, 2017 at 10:23 AM
I know it's weird, but I think Nanaimo bars are too sweet, but I love butter tarts! No rhyme nor reason to that one... Also, poutine is wonderful!
Posted by: Beth Anne Thomas | July 01, 2017 at 10:24 AM
Poutine sounds delicious.
Didn't know what it was until I started
watching some of the cooking shows.
Have to try it sometime.
Happy Birthday, Canada.
Posted by: Mary Holshouser | July 01, 2017 at 10:25 AM
Love butter tarts!
Posted by: HeatherL | July 01, 2017 at 10:27 AM
I love all the foods mentioned...who wouldn't. I grew up in Leamington, home of the delicious tomatoes which went into making Heinz ketchup although sadly they don't anymore, however, French's stepped up to the plate so Yeah! There is nothing like the taste of a fresh Leamington tomato/ If you get the chance to visit, check out the big tomato in town which is a tourist information booth.
Posted by: Sandy K. | July 01, 2017 at 10:28 AM
Yum! Dull pickle chips, Hawkins Cheezies and Smarties! Love our snacks!
Posted by: Karen Carvell | July 01, 2017 at 10:31 AM
sounds yummy!
Posted by: debra | July 01, 2017 at 10:36 AM
Mmm... Yummy!!! They looks delicious!!!
Posted by: Arianna Barbara | July 01, 2017 at 10:37 AM
Yummy foods all! I love everything on the list!
Posted by: Janet MacKay | July 01, 2017 at 10:39 AM
Happy Birthday Canada 🇨🇦
Posted by: JoAnn H | July 01, 2017 at 10:42 AM
Might like the gravy
dipped fries!
Carla from Utah
Posted by: Carla Hundley | July 01, 2017 at 10:44 AM
I will admit I am a Canadian who puts Ketchup on everything. Love my Ketchup chips! But I have to say I would never pass up a Nanaimo Bar.
Posted by: KariLynnL | July 01, 2017 at 10:46 AM
Mmmm....all my guilty pleasures! These are all great but my favourite has to be butter tarts. Whoever invented these is a Canadian genius. Happy Birthday, Canada!
Posted by: Betty-Kay Murray | July 01, 2017 at 10:47 AM
Happy Birthday, Canada! I love tarts! My grandmother always made them and now my mother and I make them.
Posted by: lisa808 | July 01, 2017 at 10:51 AM
Nanaimo bars are my absolute favourite!! We do have some of the best foods here in Canada! :)
Posted by: Heather M | July 01, 2017 at 10:53 AM
There will be thousands of tarts and nanaimo bars consumed today along with poutine and/or french fries and ketchup!!
Posted by: Shannon | July 01, 2017 at 10:58 AM
I'm as Canadian as they come, 8th generation in my Dad's side - but Kraft Dinner?! Gross. Lol
Posted by: Kristie | July 01, 2017 at 11:00 AM
I am pretty sure my husband must be Canadian! He puts ketchup on all the above and also nice juicy steaks, turkey, ham and everything else! I think that if I served him dirt with ketchup he would eat it! LOL
As a teen I worked at a little snack bar that was run by a wonderful Canadian man who came to know my love of poutine! After he closed down for the winter he would make me a poutine survival package once a month. It consisted of a gallon jar of his homemade gravy, a bag of curd cheese and a 5lb bag of potatoes so I could still get my fix!
Years later, he made poutine for all of our wedding guests! I really miss him and my poutine fixes! I guess I will have to get my enhanced license so I can go to Canada for poutine regularly!
I have never heard of the Nanaimo bars but they look 👀 yummy! TFS!
Posted by: Barb macaskill | July 01, 2017 at 11:01 AM
Happy 150 Canada from the prairies!
Coffee crisp! A delicious Canadian treat is one of my favorite foods!
Posted by: Rachel I | July 01, 2017 at 11:01 AM
Love Nanaimo bars and butter tarts. I don't put catsup on anything (although hubby does). Do not like KD. Canada sells the most varieties of chocolate bars! Hurray for Canadian food!
Posted by: missgailly | July 01, 2017 at 11:02 AM
going to try the nanaimo bars that will be a first for me.
Posted by: heather Wehrli | July 01, 2017 at 11:04 AM