- cornichon.org
- Poutine from Seattle’s Steelhead Diner.
First Canada invents a national dish that is a pile of french fries with a pile of cheese curds on top with a pile of gravy on top of that: poutine.
Then Canada has a World Poutine Eating Competition.
The winner eats 13 pounds of poutine in 10 minutes. Thirteen. Pounds. Of. Poutine.
But! He is from Chicago. Sorry, Canada! You can’t outglutton the good ol’ U.S. of A. But you’re cute for trying, eh?
Victorious poutine-ingester Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti says he intends to spend his $750 cash prize at a bar: “I’m going to put it back into Toronto’s economy.” Now that’s right neighborly.
More from the Globe and Mail.
And: Over here, The Stranger‘s own champion eater Paul Constant rhapsodizes about poutine in Seattle, namely at the Steelhead Diner.
Furthermore! You can watch our own Cienna Madrid attempt to follow in Paul Constant’s formidable footsteps in winning the ID spring-roll-eating crown tonight. Go, Cienna!
It looks like maggots.
No, no. NO HATING ON THE POUTINE EVER. I mean, Americans eat pork skins.
I’ve lived within spitting distance of the best poutine places in the world. And poutine is a national treasure. There are so many wonderful ways to make it. The inset photo you have there looks dag nasty, sorry. Extra-crispy potatoes, darker roux gravy, and cheese curds should not melt EVER.
That plus a wheat ale is a thing of wonder and magic. Better yet, try it with well-made and -seasoned viande fumée for a moment of orgasm in the mouth.
This one, by the way, comes with mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and bacon.
Only a Canuck could think that looks edible.
@4: Let’s talk about the American Garbage Plate™ — a Rochester, New York staple. Wash it down with a Jolt cola, of course. Wait. That not good enough? Let’s talk about chitlins and a Big Red. Too regional? Then let’s talk about “enchilada style”.
Someday I will get out there and eat some poutine.
THIS IS RELEVANT TO MY INTERESTS.
@6: Done well, you will behold that poutine-deflowering as a moment in a life well-lived.
Also, there’s vegan poutine. It’s doable. And it doesn’t even have to suck. Quite possibly, vegan gravy can be tastier with actual cheese curds than a meat-based gravy. There’s even poutine with fresh-cut sweet potatoes. Those are amazing.
USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!USA!!
And so continues our underground quest to take over America.
Oops.
Did I say that aloud?
Yeah Chicago!
I guess Big Shoulders implies Big Bellies.
I’m sorry, but ingesting 13 pounds of anything is just wrong on so many levels.
And @4, considering the sheer volume of garbage Americans gleefully shovel into their Red, White and Blue pie-holes, I don’t think we’ve got much room to criticize Canadians for creating one specific item of comfort food.
@8 Wait, how do you have vegan cheese curds?
Oh, relax, Comte – I was just having a little fun with Telsa (who seems to be taking this far too seriously). What I said was totally tongue-in-cheek.
@14 I thought it was more of an “it’s not covered in meat so Americans would hate it” kind of comment. Top that tray of poutine with two 1/3 lb. angus beef patties and maybe a couple strips of bacon, and we’d be seeing it at McDonalds by the end of the week!
@13 – we take vegans and have them make cheese curds.
OK, they kind of balk at the addition of rennet, but what’s a bit of calves’ blood amongst friends?
@14: I take my poutine seriously!
@13: With a lot of imagination and creative licence, as with many vegan swap-outs for non-vegan originals.
@15: Poutine often can often be topped with meat. In fact, one place in Montréal has a menu with 25 distinct poutine varieties, and at least two-thirds of those have some kind of meat in them (sausage, steak, smoked meat, ground beef, chicken, etc.).
@16: That was admittedly creative.
Shout-out question to those enjoying this two-four holiday: what if Timmies sold poutine on the menu right next to the sandwich/soup combo? Would this be a win or would this be a fail? Remember: Timmies is about consistency. Imagine consistent poutine no matter where you went.
The best poutine in the world is served at Au Pied Du Cochon in Montreal. It comes with duck-fat fries, duck gravy, big cheese curds and a giant, melting slab of foie gras on top.
@19: It’s like a Kobe beef hamburger: prole food escalated to the upper echelons with the most decadent ingredients (confit is special in its own way).
Did you ever try Patati Patate or La Banquise when you visited? Much cheaper, no reservation necessary, and very much within reach of the masses.
@12,
The “Robert E. Lee” looks like the best goddamned meal I’ve ever imagined!
The “Breakfast Cottage” looks pretty fucking good though too!
@16: Timmies selling poutine is sacrilege! I can’t even put words to why it would be so wrong, because it feels self-evident. Coffee and poutine just don’t go together. Poutine requires a cold drink.
I make a mean poutine, myself. Only about once a year, though. Otherwise I and everyone I love might die.
One Canadian experience: I think I’ve eaten poutine like, once, in my entire goddamn life, and that’s OK with me. It’s not that I hate on it, I think it is definitely a national dish, but JESUS CHRIST. I felt like dying at the end.
That said, I’m not really big on cheese bits in the first place, so really, what do I know? I love cheese that spreads and cheese that’s melted, but squeaky cheese curds, bleeeeegh. It’s a texture thing.