Poutine, specialty from Quebec

Poutine, the Quebec specialty

In Quebec, I really wanted to try poutine. I had heard a lot about this dish, but I had never tried it before: some people describe it quite ungallantly as potato mush with gravy, others are almost insulted because they don't get poutine served in all restaurants outside of Quebec. The dish has cult status in the French-speaking part of Canada and is almost something like a national dish for Quebecers.

One of the most famous Quebec specialties

Well, the national dish is perhaps a bit exaggerated, since the most common version of the dish was not invented until 1957 - and rather in passing. The innkeeper Ferdinand LaChance from Warwick did a favor for a customer who ordered a portion of French fries with cheese to take away. LaChance was not very enthusiastic about his customer's request because he said: "ca va faire une maudite poutine" ("it will be a real mess").

Traditional poutine without cheese and sauce

And even the buyer of this first serving came rather by accident to this mixture of fried potato sticks with cheese: his name is Eddy Lanaisse, and this later told a Canadian television reporter that he was the fresh French fries in the showcase of Fast- Food restaurants had seen next to which was fresh cheese. He had an appetite for both and just let them mix together.

The sauce was added later. Apparently, in 1964, the innkeeper Jean-Paul Roy from Drummondville in Quebec had the brilliant idea of ​​serving a generous portion of sauce with his French fries. When he noticed that his guests were sprinkling fresh cheese on top, he simply added it to his fries - et voilà: the first real poutine was born.

The agony of choice - Poutine in all tastes

But beware of anyone expecting a simple and hearty dish that leads a lonely existence on the menu. When we went looking for the dish, we made an astonishing discovery: not all poutine is the same. There are a whole range of different versions of it: In addition to the traditional poutine, which consists of fries, freshly made cheese and a dark chicken or veal-based sauce, we discovered a number of other variations. There is poutine with Bolognese sauce, Italian style with marinara sauce, BBQ style with barbecue sauce and - particularly adventurous - poutine mole, which is literally drowned in mole poblano, a spicy sauce with lots of chocolate that is originally from Mexico.

Poutine Variations

The variety of poutines that we discovered in Smoke's Poutinerie in Toronto was particularly large: in addition to the traditional ones, there are also vegetarian poutines or those with chicken, bacon, pork, my beloved pulled pork, bacon and cheese, nacho orange, steak fajita, Steak Stroganoff, and much more. You could eat cheese fries in this store alone for a month without repeating a variety. Smoke's Poutinerie is considered one of the best poutineries in Toronto. We went to the store at 578 Queen St. W. There are quite a few Smoke's Poutineries in the city. One is safe near your Toronto hotel.

Here you can get them in Toronto

Our stay in Toronto was not enough to try out all the varieties. After all, I was looking for the "Quebec national dish", so I decided to add poutine with meat - in this case with smoked meat, one Montreal Specialty. My first impression was surprising: because the cheese in the poutine squeaks! As I later learned, this must be so, otherwise it is not a real poutine. It must be cheese that is finished as much as possible on the day of preparation, because only then does it still contain enough moisture to produce a squeaking noise when chewing.

How does it taste?

And how did she like me? Honestly, the variations from Toronto tasted much better than the Quebec original. Maybe that was because I had eaten my first traditional poutine in a simple rest house on the Transcanada Highway, and the next all without exception at Smoke's in Toronto. I could not get enough of it there. I would have liked to eat through the entire menu.

Poutine Recipe

Ingredients

• Prepare the French fries for guidance, either in the oven or in the deep fryer. They have to be really hot and crispy.
• Prepare the gravy according to the instructions on the package.
• For an original poutine you absolutely need cheddar cheese curds, as only these have the right consistency for poutine. Only these have the desired effect of squeaking between your teeth when you eat the poutine. We do not sell cheese curds (cheddar cheese curds).
• You distribute this cheese on a plate. Over it comes a layer of hot french fries and over it again a thick layer of cheese curds. The whole thing is finally poured over with sauce.

Poutine is a very filling dish and fills you up quickly. Enjoy!

Questions and answers:

Can you enjoy poutine as a vegetarian?

Yes, vegetarian poutine is possible. Many restaurants offer a version with vegetarian gravy. The cheese curds and fries are also vegetarian, of course.

What variations of poutine are there?

There are many variations, including poutine with meat such as pulled pork, smoked meat, chicken or even seafood. Creative sauces such as curry or BBQ are also popular.

Are there regional differences in the preparation of poutine?

Yes, there are regional differences. In Quebec, poutine usually remains classic with fries, cheese curds and gravy. In other parts of Canada, as well as in the USA, additional ingredients such as meat, vegetables or different sauces are often added to create new variations.

What type of cheese is used in poutine?

Poutine is traditionally made with cheese curds, known for their soft texture and squeaky sound. This cheese is an important element that gives poutine its distinctive flavor.

Can you enjoy poutine gluten-free?

Yes, gluten-free poutine is possible. You can use gluten-free fries and gluten-free gravy. Some restaurants also offer gluten-free options. Make sure the curds are gluten-free as well, which is usually the case.

Source: own research on site, with the kind support of Bonjour Quebec. Our opinions, however, remain our own.

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Text: © Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photo: Copyright Monika Fuchs as well as TravelWorldOnline and Unsplash
Video: Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline