Canada’s unknown culinary delights

Just like other areas of life in Canada, its gastronomy is undoubtedly multicultural, mainly originating from France, England and Scotland.

Moreover, lots of dishes in Canadian cuisine have Caribbean and Asian influences, due to the settlement of thousands of immigrants from these areas, who arrived in the North American country in 20th century. In such a huge nation, these influences, together with the conservation of local crops and products give rise to recipes using duck, goose or bison meat, as well as blueberries and the country’s favorite, maple syrup.

Among the most well-known Canadian dishes, we would like to mention:

• “La poutine”: this is an indigenous fast-food dish from the Quebec region. It consists of chips spread with cheese and hot gravy. “La poutine” can be found in restaurants, at food stalls and in the main fast-food chains like McDonald’s and KFC.
• Montreal bagels: traditional bread, similar to donut, but savory. Montreal bagels, in particular, have a sweeter taste.
• Fiddleheads: this is a healthy dish made with fern leaves wrapped with chicken, potatoes and vegetables. It is the typical dish in New Innsbruck.
• “La tourtiére”: this is also considered to be typical in both Quebec and Montreal. It is a meat pie which is served at important times of the year like Christmas and New Year.
• Other delicious dishes worth trying include: Calgary beef hash, “paté chinois”, Nanaimo bars, “oreilles de crisse”, peamel bacon and smoked beef sandwiches.

However, these are only a small sample of Canada’s varied gastronomy. If you really want to try something different and enjoy the exotic delights that aren’t mentioned in books or travel guides very often, here are a few of Canada’s most original dishes:

Elk meat

Although elks are a protected species in Canada, its meat is highly sought after in Northern Canada. It can be bought in shops and is traditionally boiled slowly with green pepper and onions and is served with potatoes.

Beavertails or “queues de castor”

Sweet pastries sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, which can be served with chocolate or maple butter. This is a true delicacy and can be bought in supermarkets, theme parks and even ski resorts.

Donairs

This is a famous delicacy in Halifax. It consists of a pitta bread filled with roast meat, onion, tomato and a special sauce. Its name and some of its ingredients are very similar to the Turkish fast food dish, the döner kebab, which was created in Germany. However, the donair is more similar to the Greek version: el gyros.

Bannock or Indian bread

Of Scottish origin, this scone or muffin was adopted by the French-Canadians. The bannock is especially eaten at bonfires or served with a bowl of soup.

London fog

London fog is a drink made of Earl Gray tea, combined with vanilla syrup and milk. The mixture originated in Vancouver but nowadays you can find it in any café in the country. The flavours added depend on each city, for example, in Vancouver it is made with frozen ice-cream.

Ice wine

Just like Canada’s frozen climate, ice wine is characteristic of the country. It is believed to have originated in Ontario. It is only used as a dessert or accompaniment.

It is not just a matter of keeping the wine in the fridge for hours, but is actually a very unique process. First the grapes are frozen while they are still on their vines. They are then put into baskets to remove their juice. In this way, the sugared water inside is concentrated to give the wine a very sweet taste.

When you come to Canada don’t miss the chance to indulge you palate with the country’s most unique flavors.

If you are interested in travelling to this destination, please remember to obtain your electronic travel permit beforehand, i.e. ETA Visa or ETA Canada.