Oh Poutine

a lil poutine
Originally uploaded by Beard Papa.

We were out running errands yesterday when I got really hungry and needed to get something to eat right then. P already had something on his mind obviously, because he was set going to a certain place which just happened to be at the mall we were shopping at. He finally broke down and told me he just had to have some poutine. Ok, I let him go about his business getting some from a place where I just loved their fries or frites as we know them en Francais.

Well I've finally done it guys, I've tasted the delicious meal of poutine, pronounced poo-tin in Quebecois. I know it sounded so disgusting, as I was told but I was wrong...

Food definitely plays a role in defining Canada's culture, as does not being truly Canadian without trying some poutine. The origins of this dish are said to have come from a man known as Fernand Lachance. Lachance had his first idea back in 1957 in the restaurant he owned in Quebec's Eastern Township. At first he was only offering fries and cheese curds mixed together in a plastic bag. One day a trucker requested some gravy on the side, mixed it inside the bag and poutine (pronounced poo-teen in English) was born.

In case you wanted to know, poutine isn't all too complicated. The contents of this high calorie meal include French fries, cheese curds and gravy. This unique dish evolved into something of Canada culture and life in Canada. It wouldn't be the same in Switzerland if you just didn't try fondue or talk about how the culture of Switzerland and fondue just mold together especially while vacationing in the Alps.

The actual origins of the word poutine comes from la poutina of Southern France, meaning pudding. The word first appeared in Canada with Acadian cuisine with a dish which included pork, mashed potatoes and a spiced sauce called poutines rapees. Roughly translated, the word poutine means "stuff stuck in a mess of other stuff which is also quite saucy." Of course, there are many different variations to this dish as there are to making some great fondue dishes in Switzerland.