Unless you visited the Province of Quebec, Canada, or ate at a Miami restaurant owned by Quebecers, it’s unlikely that you ate a real poutine. And if you tried making what Shania Twain claimed to be a poutine when she appeared on Martha Stewart’s show a few years back, you definitely did not eat a real poutine. Thank God her mistake was corrected by readers’ emails Martha read the following days.
You may think that I’m overreacting a bit, and maybe I am, but poutine is not only a meal that was created in my province but it’s also one of the ultimate comfort foods. Too bad it’s fast food!Poutine was created in the Province of Quebec in the 1950s. The exact details as to where, when and by whom differ a bit. This artery-clogging delicious meal consists of French fries covered with fresh cheese curds and brown gravy sauce. The recipe may sound simple but getting the right taste is tricky.
It’s best to make poutine with fries that are at least twice the width of McDonald’s. Don’t get me wrong, McDonald’s poutine tastes good (yes, McDonald’s does serve poutine, at least in Quebec), but poutine tastes better with thicker fries. (Note that Burger King, A&W, and KFC also have poutine on their menu here.)
Cheese curds are not common throughout America; therefore, many people and restaurants make poutine with melted cheese. Fatal error as poutine gets most of its flavor through the freshness and shape of the curds.
Finally, the gravy. The original recipe asks for hot brown gravy sauce that is poured over the fries and curds. However, another famous kind of poutine replaces the gravy with spaghetti sauce, thus making it an Italian poutine.
Over the years, new types of poutines were created by adding toppings on top of the original recipe. Some add peas, others add sausage, while some prefer adding peppers. The possibilities are endless.
If you want to learn more about poutine and it’s variations, Wikipedia has a nice page about it, filled with links to other sources.
If you ever visit Quebec City, I suggest you stop by “Chez Ashton.” That fast-food chain serves one of the best and fresher poutine in the province. A tip from a local: It’s best to order poutine at “Chez Ashton” during the cold January winter days as the temperature dictates the price. For example, it was -22 Fahrenheit (-30 Celcius) without windchill in Quebec City last Saturday, meaning that we got a 30% discount on the cost of poutine!
Have you ever tried poutine? Did you like it? Which type do you prefer? Share your experience by commenting below.
Clacked by Isabelle Carreau 
on Jan 20, 2009 @ 20:43 EST5EDT
There is no better food after a night of debauchery in Montreal.
I had never heard of poutine prior to moving to Ottawa (spitting distance across the river from western Quebec) and oh, what a revelation! I looooove every hot and salty, ooey-gooey, artery-hardening bite of the stuff. I put vinegar on mine, which is a bit weird, I know, but oh, yum.