Hearty and Diverse

The only way in my mind that you can describe Canadian cuisine is hearty and diverse. Canadian cuisine has developed some really unique foods that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Because Canada is the second biggest country in the world behind Russia, its large land mass lead to an incredible amount of diverse cuisines. With everything from Native American to English to Eastern European, Canada has it all in their food scene. Also, Canada is home to a little piece of France as Montreal in the provice of Quebec, Canada has held on to its French heritage in a big way. 

This past Monday was Canadian Thanksgiving Day, so I thought we might take a look at a few of the unique Canadian foods that they have brought to the world!

Poutine – Developed in Quebec, this delicious mixture is perfectly comforting and Canadian! Poutine, coming from the French word “mess”, is layers of French fries, gravy and cheese curds. Think mashed potatoes but with the fried crispy goodness of French fries and the saltiness of cheese added!

Nanaimo Bars – These dessert bars hail from British Columbia and are named for the city there where they were invented. With a crumb layer, a custard layer and topped with chocolate, what else could you ask for?

Beaver Tails – First created in Ontario, this uniquely named pastry is said to resemble the flat beaver’s tail. A piece of basic bread dough is stretched out, deep fried, buttered and then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Almost like a doughnut, but maybe better?!

Saskatoon Berry Pie – Just like its name implies, this berry pie is one of the Canadians’ favorites. Saskatoon berries are native to Canada and not much else is needed for this pie as the berries are naturally incredibly sweet!