When you think about Canada, does poutine come to mind? I recently visited Toronto without knowing much about Canada, and much less about Canadian cuisine. But I soon found out about poutine, a dish that I’m dumbfounded has not made its way to the United States. Poutine is a mix of French fries, gravy, and cheese curds, meaning you get a perfect blend of salty, cheesy richness in every bite.
No one knows exactly when and where poutine was created, but my sources tell me that it was sometime during the mid 1900s in Quebec. Since its creation, Poutine has become the perfect bar food, appetizer, and snack, and Canadians need to share it with the US for the sake of food lovers everywhere. Plus, wouldn’t Robin Sparkles be proud if one of her native dishes became a staple in the states?
I tried poutine for the first time after a Blue Jays game at a bar called the Loose Moose (so Canadian, eh?). Everyone except my four friends and I were dressed in Blue Jays t-shirts. We felt a little out of place, so we decided to try the most Canadian dish, poutine.
Amongst the Blue Jays fans, I tasted what Americans have been missing their whole lives. The gravy soaked into the fries, the cheese melted in my mouth, and the buffalo wings, which were drenched in buffalo sauce, added an extra spice. Poutine is what I had been waiting for all night. The poutine that I had was a speciality because traditional poutine doesn’t contain buffalo wings.
Even though poutine is hard to find in the US, there are a handful of chains that may make this dish. Rumor has it that you can get poutine at KFC if you ask. Supposedly poutine is a “secret menu item,” and if the ingredients are in stock then they’ll create the dish.
You might think this dish is a disaster waiting to happen, but don’t speak too soon, because after trying it you’ll want it in the States.