Happy Canada Day! 148 years old!

[DeeBye]

[LavCat]

What are the red and white areas on the map?

[LochnarITB]

What are the red and white areas on the map?

Look at it again and then look at the upper right in the picture below it.

Canada

[drool]Poutine[/drool] Cheese curds melty but still squeaky in the middle. Add some shredded beef or eggs. Serve it to me sitting on the dock in the last pic and I'm in lay me down, scratch my belly, bliss.

Tell me, is it true you can walk into your neighborhood McDonald's and order poutine?

[LavCat]

What are the red and white areas on the map?

Look at it again and then look at the upper right in the picture below it.

duh

[DeeBye]

[drool]Poutine[/drool] Cheese curds melty but still squeaky in the middle. Add some shredded beef or eggs. Serve it to me sitting on the dock in the last pic and I'm in lay me down, scratch my belly, bliss.

Tell me, is it true you can walk into your neighborhood McDonald's and order poutine?

Yes. In fact, almost all of the fast food places serve a version of poutine. McDonald's is terrible though. The fries are cut too thinly and don't hold up to the gravy and melted cheese. New York Fries (no idea if they are in the US) probably makes the best, and Swiss Chalet isn't bad either. Popeye's is unique because their gravy is spicy, but very tasty.

Homemade poutine is of course the best. Real cheese curds and thick-cut fries are the key.

[Jester]

Yes. In fact, almost all of the fast food places serve a version of poutine. McDonald's is terrible though. The fries are cut too thinly and don't hold up to the gravy and melted cheese. New York Fries (no idea if they are in the US) probably makes the best, and Swiss Chalet isn't bad either. Popeye's is unique because their gravy is spicy, but very tasty.

The crazy, jacked up, gourmand version is Martin Picard's. One of these days I will complete my pilgrimage there...

-Jester

[FireIceTalon]

Me and the girlfriend have talked about moving to Canada. Looks beautiful there, though we would definitely prefer to live in or near the city. Which part are you from Deebye?

I'd probably consider somewhere in Western Canada for climate purposes (Don't like the snow too much). Vancouver or Victoria in BC look great, but pricey.

[DeeBye]

The crazy, jacked up, gourmand version is Martin Picard's. One of these days I will complete my pilgrimage there...

-Jester

Martin Picard is amazing. I highly suggest watching Anthony Bordain's "Parts Unknown" episode from CNN where he visits him and spends a few days.

Me and the girlfriend have talked about moving to Canada. Looks beautiful there, though we would definitely prefer to live in or near the city. Which part are you from Deebye?

I'd probably consider somewhere in Western Canada for climate purposes (Don't like the snow too much). Vancouver or Victoria in BC look great, but pricey.

Canada is infinitely beautiful. Amazing geology and nature is everywhere. Even if you live in downtown Toronto, you just need to drive an hour or two north to get into nature country.

I live in southern Ontario, about an hour and a half drive west of Toronto. I'm surrounded on all sides by the Great Lakes (Lake Huron to the west and north, Lake Erie to the south, and Lake Ontario to the east). Lake effect snow in the winter is a thing here. It's not uncommon to get localized snowfall that dumps 12"-24" within a 24 hour period, and no snowfall at all a few miles outside of where I live. If you don't like snow, don't move here. I hate driving in the snow (hence why I recently bought an AWD Subaru), but for the most part I really love it. It smells good, it looks good, and it dampens city noise so everything seems very quiet and peaceful.

In the summer, it gets quite hot and humid where I live. The past week or so has been not too bad for temperature (low to mid 20's in Celsius), but really bad for humidity (83% right now). I like the total climate swings we get. Every few months it's like living in a different place. I'd get bored of the weather in a place that was warm all year.

Vancouver and Victoria are definitely more moderate, but I would never want to live there. Instead of snow in the winter they get a lot of barely-above freezing temperature rain. I'd rather have snow.

[Hammerskjold]

What are the red and white areas on the map?

Look at it again and then look at the upper right in the picture below it.

Canada

[drool]Poutine[/drool] Cheese curds melty but still squeaky in the middle. Add some shredded beef or eggs. Serve it to me sitting on the dock in the last pic and I'm in lay me down, scratch my belly, bliss.

Tell me, is it true you can walk into your neighborhood McDonald's and order poutine?

I'm a local poutine bylaw enforcement volunteer auxiliary officer, and I can tell you at least in my jurisdiction, it's not offered everywhere. I would not be surprised if some McDees locations do not even offer it anymore.

Though tip of the toque to you good sir for knowing proper poutine requires cheese curds, not just cheese. There is a shocking amount of Canadian restaurants that tries to pass off shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese on some fries with gravy, as poutine. It's not. That's just fries with cheese and gravy, and while not bad in itself, is -not- poutine.

In conclusion, not all Mcdonalds offer poutine in Canadaland. A better bet for availability in terms of fast food chains, would be Harvey's. And even though it is a fast food franchise, truth be told their poutine can be better than some sit down restaurants that tries to pass off regular cheese fries as poutine.

[DeeBye]

I'm a local poutine bylaw enforcement volunteer auxiliary officer, and I can tell you at least in my jurisdiction, it's not offered everywhere. I would not be surprised if some McDees locations do not even offer it anymore.

Though tip of the toque to you good sir for knowing proper poutine requires cheese curds, not just cheese. There is a shocking amount of Canadian restaurants that tries to pass off shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese on some fries with gravy, as poutine. It's not. That's just fries with cheese and gravy, and while not bad in itself, is -not- poutine.

In conclusion, not all Mcdonalds offer poutine in Canadaland. A better bet for availability in terms of fast food chains, would be Harvey's. And even though it is a fast food franchise, truth be told their poutine can be better than some sit down restaurants that tries to pass off regular cheese fries as poutine.

Harvey's is acceptable, but not my first choice for fast-food poutine. As I've said before, New York Fries does the best by far. Swiss Chalet might win for having decent poutine in a fairly large portion.

People always talk about the texture of the cheese curds being the important factor, and I agree - but I'll add one more key thing: temperature gradient. A large cheese curd covered in gravy will of course have different texture throughout, but will also have different temperature throughout. I find that this temperature gradient is important.

[LochnarITB]

A large cheese curd covered in gravy will of course have different texture throughout, but will also have different temperature throughout. I find that this temperature gradient is important.

For me, this would be the way to ensure they are using the freshest of curds and it is freshly made. My intro to cheese curds was the Minnesota state fair. A long time staple there is the deep fried version. That, of course, melts the curd through so, while delicious, it allows the use of less than fresh curds. When I found fresh cheese curds, I knew the allure they hold. When you bite into a fresh cheese curd, it squeaks on your teeth. Allowed to sit in the hot gravy, the curd heats through and you just have melted cheese.


[edit] BTW, if I haven't said it lately, I The Lurker Lounge™!

[Hammerskjold]

Harvey's is acceptable, but not my first choice for fast-food poutine. As I've said before, New York Fries does the best by far. Swiss Chalet might win for having decent poutine in a fairly large portion.

I like home made fries with the skin on, and I know NYFries does their fries hand made AFAIK. But for some reason I'm not that ecstatic with NYFries. It's not bad, just not my thing when it comes to their fries.

And would Swiss Chalet qualify in the fast food category? If it does, personally I'd have to put it in the higher tier fast food. That said, I am a fan of Swiss Chalet, for their underrated and not very well known burger. Doesn't help that they keep renaming it, formerly known as canadian\banquet burger, it's now the Classic and Ultimate Bacon burger. Swiss Chalet is famous for their chicken, but if you're a burger fan I recommend trying it out their burger at least once. Tricky to order though, because even their own employees sometimes asks "we have burgers? hold on let me check with my manager..."

People always talk about the texture of the cheese curds being the important factor, and I agree - but I'll add one more key thing: temperature gradient. A large cheese curd covered in gravy will of course have different texture throughout, but will also have different temperature throughout. I find that this temperature gradient is important.

If you're not already in the Royal Canadian Poutine auxiliary brigade volunteer force or higher, I urge you to please consider joining. The force could always use more qualified Poutine officers.

[DeeBye]

That said, I am a fan of Swiss Chalet, for their underrated and not very well known burger. Doesn't help that they keep renaming it, formerly known as canadian\banquet burger, it's now the Classic and Ultimate Bacon burger. Swiss Chalet is famous for their chicken, but if you're a burger fan I recommend trying it out their burger at least once. Tricky to order though, because even their own employees sometimes asks "we have burgers? hold on let me check with my manager..."

FINALLY! I have found someone that truly appreciates the Swiss Chalet burger! Most people have no idea that they make a burger, and when I talk about it they get a blank stare on their face. The burgers are fantastic. Nice big patty, great bun, and lots of melted shredded cheddar on it. It changed the way I looked at Swiss Chalet when I tried it. It might not be Five Guys good, but it's definitely in the same ballpark.

If you're not already in the Royal Canadian Poutine auxiliary brigade volunteer force or higher, I urge you to please consider joining. The force could always use more qualified Poutine officers.

I don't want an official position. I am the poutine vigilante.

[kandrathe]

Poutine piracy? There are now numerous places in Minneapolis serving it. I think we should do a rating by taste testing them all.

• The Lowry.
• Red Cow.
• Muddy Waters.
• Burger Jones.
• Vincent A.
• Eat Street Social.
• The Devils Advocate.
• Potters Pastry and Pies

[Tal]

I have to say, while I like cheese, this whole thread has skeeved me the *bad word* out. No part of poutine sounds even remotely delicious.

Now give me a horseshoe any day of the week and I'll be happy with fries and cheese sauce.

[LochnarITB]

I have to say, while I like cheese, this whole thread has skeeved me the *bad word* out. No part of poutine sounds even remotely delicious.

Heretic! Stone him!

[DeeBye]

I have to say, while I like cheese, this whole thread has skeeved me the *bad word* out. No part of poutine sounds even remotely delicious.

What part of poutine doesn't sound delicious? It's fries, melted cheese, and gravy. It's amazing.

Protip: freshed cracked black pepper on poutine is essential.

[Occhidiangela]

@Jester: Picard looks like a place to visit next time I am in the Great White North.
Was in Alberta last summer for a week, mostly Banff/Canmore.
Massively enjoyed it.
Mrs Occhi and I both brought home souvenier Tim Horton's coffee mugs just because it was a touristy thing to do.
My phone's background photo is still the three sisters, three peaks just south of Canmore that we saw out of our window each morning as we awoke.

While I have now checked the Canada box, there's more of it I'd like to see ... but I'm not sure if Mrs O will back off on her demand to go to Italy next year.
She's getting nostalgic for that place.