Poutine

Guide Note: Poutine is a French-Canadian specialty made with French Fries, cheese curds, and gravy. It is a common fast food served throughout Canada, but particularly in the French-speaking province of Quebec, where it is even served in chains like McDonald's.

Fast Facts:

1. Pronounced "peu-tin"
2. Can substitute shredded mozzarella for cheese curds
3. Invented: Quebec, 1957

Variations and Preparation

The French Fries should be a bit less greasy and more firm than usual, as well, so they don't get soggy when mixed with cheese and gravy. Only fresh curds can be used, because of their unique consistency, halfway between melted and solid cheese.

Italian Poutine supplants the traditional brown gravy with spaghetti sauce, while Greek Poutine substitutes a vinaigrette for the gravy and feta cheese for the curds. Other kinds of cheese, such as mozzarella, can also be used, and sometimes the cheese is left out all together.

Origin

Poutine became popular throughout Quebec in the 1950s. The word "poutine" itself derives from the French version of the English word "pudding" ("la poutina"), and literally translates as "stuff stuck inside a mess."