Calling all foodies! There are foods there that are so unique, so… Canadian, they might make you question everything you know about food. Here are a dozen distinctly Canadian delicacies that, for some bewildering reason, Uncle Sam just won’t give the green light!
Poutine
For the uninitiated, poutine is a glorious concoction of crispy French fries drenched in rich brown gravy and topped with squeaky cheese curds. While this might sound like a heart attack served on a platter, here’s the kicker – an average serving packs about 740 calories. Compare that to a Big Mac from McDonald’s, which clocks in at around 540 calories.
Muktuk
Muktuk is raw whale skin and blubber, typically from the Bowhead whale, Beluga, or Narwhal. Before you turn up your nose, consider this: it’s packed with vitamin C, and the blubber is a fantastic source of vitamin D – perfect for those sun-deprived Arctic winters! It’s usually served either frozen or pickled.
Tourtière
While we Americans may raise an eyebrow at the thought of meat concealed in a pie crust instead of good old apple filling, devotees on the northern border relish in its hearty goodness. Usually brimming with finely diced pork, veal, or beef and cloaked in a buttery, flaky crust, this pie is the star of holiday feasts, particularly Christmas.
Ketchup Chips
Picture this: a crispy potato chip coated with a tangy, tomato-based flavor – it’s like a barbecue party in your mouth! According to Euromonitor, Canadians consumed over $88 million worth of Ketchup Chips in 2020 alone.
Pink Cream Soda
Here’s the kicker: while you might associate cream soda with a vanilla-like flavor, up North, it’s all about the bubblegum and cotton candy vibes. This quirky Canuck concoction will have your taste buds doing the two-step in no time.
Montreal-Style Bagels
Unlike their New York counterparts, these bagels are smaller, denser, and have a larger hole. They’re boiled in honey-sweetened water before being baked in a wood-fired oven, giving them a distinct sweetness and a crackly, caramelized crust.
Nanaimo Bars
Named after Nanaimo city in British Columbia, this no-bake dessert comprises a crumb-based crust, custard-flavored butter icing in the middle, and a layer of chocolate ganache on top. But hold your horses – with all that butter and sugar, it’s undoubtedly a dentist’s nightmare.
Bannock
Now, dear reader, imagine a delicious flatbread, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, that pairs perfectly with a pot of piping-hot stew or simply slathered in butter and devoured straight from the campfire. Originating from the indigenous peoples of North America, this mouthwatering bread is traditionally made from basic ingredients like flour, baking powder, and water.
Mac and Cheese With Ketchup
It might seem like an unusual pairing to our southern neighbors, but this quirky combo offers a sweet and savory flavor that Canadians can’t get enough of. And it’s not just a few outliers here; a 2018 survey by Kraft Heinz Canada revealed that 66% of Canadians prefer mac and cheese served with ketchup.
Thrills Gum
This purple gum, known for its iconic packaging and retro vibe, has an interesting flavor that’s been compared to, of all things, soap. While some people are charmed by its rosewater notes and nostalgic nod to simpler times, others are less enamored, likening their chewing experience to a mouthful of bubbles from grandma’s bathroom.
Oreilles de Crisse
“Oreilles de Crisse” (it roughly translates to “Christ’s Ears” in English), is essentially deep-fried pork rinds or jowls, salted to perfection and often served with a side of maple syrup. Though it might sound like a heart attack served on a plate to our American friends, Stats Canada reports a surprisingly low heart disease incidence in Quebec.
Game Meat
Here, you can feast on bison, caribou, or even seal, each bringing a unique taste far from the usual farmyard offerings. Now, the idea of dining on Bambi or Rudolph might be a tough sell for our neighbors to the south, but in Canada, it’s just another Tuesday dinner. Game meat is typically free-range, organic, and local.
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