Happy Poutine Week
Did you know that in early February, there is Poutine Week? If you don’t know what poutine is, it’s a simple recipe composed of three ingredients : French fries, topped with squeaky cheese curds, and smothered with brown gravy.
Sounds delicious right? While your brain may cringe at the idea of tasting such a concoction, your taste buds will thank you. That’s right – chances are, you’ll probably love it!
The poutine originated in rural Quebec over 60 years ago. Although nobody knows exactly where the first poutine was invented, it is now served all over the province – even in big, international fast food chains, such as McDonalds. In recent years, Poutine has spread across Canada and is also popping up on menus all around the world, from the US to China; from Europe to South America. Poutine, like Céline Dion and Cirque du Soleil, has become yet another Quebec cultural export.
Lucky for you, during your Bon Vivant educational tour to Quebec or Montreal, you can experience an authentic poutine experience. You HAVE to taste it! Not trying a poutine in Quebec is like going to the Maritimes and not eating seafood, or to France and not eating a steak-frites, or to Louisiana and not eating crawfish…you get the point.
So let’s take some time this week to celebrate the now world-famous poutine. If you can buy one where you live, go ahead and try it. Then, during your school trip to Quebec or Montreal, you can try the real deal and see how it compares. My bets are on the Quebec poutine – it will knock your socks off! Why? Well, the secret is in the cheese.
The cheese curds made in many Quebec dairies are out-of-this-world delicious. Lightly salted and firm, they are made fresh daily, which is the best time to eat them. How can you tell if you’re eating fresh cheese curds? They squeak when you bite into them. No joke! Not only is it a delicious and healthy snack, it’s also fun to eat!
In fact, cheese curds are so good on their own, they are sold in little snack bags at the check out lane at any corner or grocery store. People buy these snack bags like you might buy a bag of chips. They’re THAT irresistably good! To make sure it squeaks, don’t forget to check the date on the bag. If it wasn’t made that morning, it’s still delicious, but it won’t squeak…and that’s no fun.
Happy Poutine Week! Click to learn more about Poutine
