Appealing to our north of the border TUG'gers...a subject near and dear to your hearts....

[bbodb1]

...although perhaps not in the healthiest of ways but those of us south of the border have our less than healthy desirable dishes as well..

Okay, the subject is Poutine.
It's tempting to say please explain its attraction and just stop there.
But I have been north of the border on a few occasions and, like BBQ here in the U.S., I've come to learn there are MANY ways to enjoy Poutine - there is no ONE recipe.

So in the name of good taste sensations, help us out and please provide some interesting - and tasty - ways you have enjoyed poutine.

I'm assuming brown gravy is the usual covering sauce but are there other delectable choices?
Also, what is the preferred flavor of cheese?
And finally, are we talking thick (steak fries)?

Please share your poutine knowledge!

(We'll save crullers for another day!)

 

[Maple_Leaf]

East meets West in The Great White North.

Korean kimchi poutine recipe - Chatelaine

East meets West when the classic Canadian poutine gets a spicy twist—and it’s totally addictive! Get our Korean kimchi poutine recipe at Chatelaine.com

www.chatelaine.com

 

[bbodb1]

So the biscuits take the place of the cheese? Interesting.
And those biscuits on their own look pretty tasty as well....

That looks like an tasty dish, @Maple_Leaf - thanks for posting!

 

[Brett]

I had to google "poutine"

french fries, cheese curds (illegal in the US !) ..... and gravy ......

 

[Maple_Leaf]

cheese curds (illegal in the US !)

Also known as squeaky cheese.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I am not a consumer or connoisseur of poutine.
I eat my french fries the normal way with malt vinegar & ketchup,.

********
added-
I have heard from my son who graduated from McGill in Montreal - that poutine is sometimes consumed
after an evening of malt beverages . This specific consumption pattern would be similar to anyone familiar with getting late night sliders at White Castle or similar .

French Fries with gravy was new to me when I started at U of T ( University of Toronto) in 1972 .
It apparently is one of many variations *of French Fry toppings that may have migrated to Canada from the UK .
*( see malt vinegar )

The addition in Quebec of Cheese Curds as far back as the late 1950’s is part of the history of Poutine
I just reread on Wikipedia .

 

[bbodb1]

I am not a consumer or connoisseur of poutine.
I eat my french fries the normal way with malt vinegar & ketchup,.

To be fair, I've certainly consumed my share with ample amounts of Heinz but I have also enjoyed fries with brown gravy. Adding cheese doesn't seem like such a large leap....

 

[Brett]

To be fair, I've certainly consumed my share with ample amounts of Heinz but I have also enjoyed fries with brown gravy. Adding cheese doesn't seem like such a large leap....

no, but it's the "curds" that got my attention

 

[bbodb1]

no, but it's the "curds" that got my attention

Understandable, for sure. But like many dishes, there are so many variations that makes it fun to sample.
I do think the term curd brings some less than desirable images to mind (at least it does for me).

 

[am1]

I am not a consumer or connoisseur of poutine.
I eat my french fries the normal way with malt vinegar & ketchup,.

********
added-
I have heard from my son who graduated from McGill in Montreal - that poutine is sometimes consumed
after an evening of malt beverages . This specific consumption pattern would be similar to anyone familiar with getting late night sliders at White Castle or similar .

French Fries with gravy was new to me when I started at U of T ( University of Toronto) in 1972 .
It apparently is one of many variations *of French Fry toppings that may have migrated to Canada from the UK .
*( see malt vinegar )

The addition in Quebec of Cheese Curds as far back as the late 1950’s is part of the history of Poutine
I just reread on Wikipedia .

ketchup is not meant for French fries. Ido not use ketchup on anything. It seems like it would kill the taste of the food you are eating.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

no, but it's the "curds" that got my attention

......
I do think the term curd brings some less than desirable images to mind (at least it does for me).

Think of something similar to cottage cheese ( but different )
“curds & whey” = cottage cheese . ( see Little Miss Muffet .......)

Per Wikipedia - the cheese curds used in poutine should be fresh from the dairy
(obviously fast food chain poutine has a variation )

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

ketchup is not meant for French fries. Ido not use ketchup on anything. It seems like it would kill the taste of the food you are eating.

Ah - but I only use Ketchup as defined by Canada .

Corn sweetener ( high fructose corn syrup ) is not allowed - if using the name “Ketchup” on packaging sold in Canada.
If corn sweetener is used - the label has to say something like “ tomato based condiment “

 

[MULTIZ321]

Poutine - What is that cheese on top?

Poutine – What is that cheese on top?

If you live in Canada, you know what Poutine is. For my blog readers in other countries, Poutine is not a type of cheese. Poutine is the name given to a combination of french fries, cheese curds an…

canadacheeseman.wordpress.com

Richard

 

[am1]

Ah - but I only use Ketchup as defined by Canada .

Corn sweetener ( high fructose corn syrup ) is not allowed - if using the name “Ketchup” on packaging sold in Canada.
If corn sweetener is used - the label has to say something like “ tomato based condiment “

One may be better then the other but neither are good.

 

[Tacoma]

Although I grew up in Quebec the poutine capital of Canada I never acquired a taste for it. At this stage of my life if I don't think I like something and it has tons of calories and fat I don't want to try it and find out I actually like it. I always have my french fries with white vinegar. I've given up trying to get it in the US when we travel as they think I'm nuts when I say yes give me the vinegar that you use for cleaning in a small bowl. I rarely can get it so when I travel french fries are not as desirable. Again probably a good thing!
Joan

 

[bbodb1]

Although I grew up in Quebec the poutine capital of Canada I never acquired a taste for it. At this stage of my life if I don't think I like something and it has tons of calories and fat I don't want to try it and find out I actually like it. I always have my french fries with white vinegar. I've given up trying to get it in the US when we travel as they think I'm nuts when I say yes give me the vinegar that you use for cleaning in a small bowl. I rarely can get it so when I travel french fries are not as desirable. Again probably a good thing!
Joan

Now this is interesting, @Tacoma!
Joan, do you lightly vinegar the fries? Dip them?

Vinegar like tastes can be very powerful but also tasty. Mississippi Mud Roast uses Pepperocini Peppers which has an ample amount of vinegar in the juice and yields a tasty dish.

 

[bbodb1]

Ah - but I only use Ketchup as defined by Canada .

Corn sweetener ( high fructose corn syrup ) is not allowed - if using the name “Ketchup” on packaging sold in Canada.
If corn sweetener is used - the label has to say something like “ tomato based condiment “

@T-Dot-Traveller - how is it that Canadian ketchup is sweet (compared to the version of ketchup in the U.S.)?

 

[bbodb1]

ketchup is not meant for French fries. Ido not use ketchup on anything. It seems like it would kill the taste of the food you are eating.

It certainly can if used to excess. Although my oldest son will tell you that ketchup is a life saver when forced to eat English peas.....

 

[bizaro86]

@T-Dot-Traveller - how is it that Canadian ketchup is sweet (compared to the version of ketchup in the U.S.)?

Sugar is used.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Ah - but I only use Ketchup as defined by Canada .

Corn sweetener ( high fructose corn syrup ) is not allowed - if using the name “Ketchup” on packaging sold in Canada.
If corn sweetener is used - the label has to say something like “ tomato based condiment “

The Canadian requirements to be labeled “ Ketchup” are part of the labelling
requirements that are regulated by - The Government of Canada -Food Inspection Agency . High Fructose Corn Syrup is not allowed in a product labelled Ketchup (that is sold in Canada )

There is an additional more recent story line to this :
The French’s vs Heinz Canadian Ketchup War(s). 2014 to current .

It started when Heinz closed it’s Leamington ON plant in 2014 after being
in business there for over 100 years.
( the plant is now owned by Highbury Canco)

good story : just google - Canadian Ketchup Wars
and start reading .

 

[CanuckTravlr]

I, too, am not a big fan of poutine, which got its start as a uniquely local dish in Quebec, but has since spread across the country and beyond. I will admit to occasionally enjoying regular brown gravy on fries (and usually some malt vinegar, too). I was introduced to the charms of fries and gravy way back in high school! But I have never found any great appeal in adding the cheese curds.

My biggest pet peeve is cheap frozen fries. So many of them have very little real potato taste and have the texture of wet cardboard (not that I can remember ever actually tasting wet cardboard! ). I usually won't waste the calorie count on them. I am looking for fresh-cut fries, with some salt and sometimes some regular white vinegar. And yes, I have given up asking for vinegar for my fries outside Canada, unless I am in the UK.

Now if I can get my hands on some genuine, Brussels-style "frites" (and a lovely bowl of mussels and a good craft beer to accompany them), then I am in heaven!!

I have never particularly enjoyed ketchup on fries, but my wife does. She used to pick tomatoes in the summer in the Leamington area when she was in high school, to help save money for university. When Heinz closed the Leamington plant we made the switch to French's. We also no longer buy Bick's dill pickles for many of the same reasons.

 

[Luanne]

I have never tried poutine. The whole idea never appealed to me. I like my fries "plain". The only topping, or added ingredient, I've liked was chili fries. But I haven't had those in years.

 

[buzglyd]

I’ve been to Quebec three times. My first visit when I land is to Montreal Poutine. Delicious.

 

[CanuckTravlr]

Now this is interesting, @Tacoma!
Joan, do you lightly vinegar the fries? Dip them?

Vinegar like tastes can be very powerful but also tasty. Mississippi Mud Roast uses Pepperocini Peppers which has an ample amount of vinegar in the juice and yields a tasty dish.

You sprinkle the vinegar on the fries (chips), and usually some salt, too. It comes from the British fish and chips tradition, where using either malt or regular vinegar is common. Here many casual restaurants have glass containers with either malt or white vinegar in them (sometimes the choice of both) that can be used to sprinkle it on, or they have individual plastic packets (like ketchup or mustard packets) that can be torn open to apply it. Even many US-based chains, like McDonald's, have them available here.

 

[bluehende]

Nothing like it for lunch on a cold VT ski day.