America's neighbors to the north have a lot of great things to offer. Canada is well known for its beautiful landscapes and friendly people, but did you know the nation is also famous for its melting pot of cuisines? From seafood chowders in Nova Scotia to boiled honey-water bagels in Montréal, there's a lot of food to try on your trip north. Locals have their favorites, but here are six foods everyone in Canada seems to love.
Poutine
No list of Canadian food would be complete without poutine. Poutine was invented in Québec and rose to prominence in the 1950s. It initially had a bad rap and was mocked by the global community — until people tried it.
Poutine is french fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. The dish has become popular throughout Canada and even parts of the Midwest. There are annual poutine celebrations in Montréal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Chicago, and the food is even served at various fast-food restaurants throughout Canada. It's so popular that it has been dubbed Canada's national dish.
Butter Tart
After you finish eating your poutine, you'll need dessert to wash it all down. Butter tarts were beloved by Canadian pioneers and have remained popular ever since. The first recorded butter tart recipe was featured in a cookbook dating to 1900.
Butter tarts are typically small pastries made of butter, sugar, maple syrup, and egg batter baked into a shell, with sweet or savory fillings such as maple syrup, bacon, pecan, and pumpkin.
Peameal Bacon
Yes, Canadians already have their own bacon, but can you really have too many variations of such a delicious side dish? Peameal bacon is yet another adaptation of the popular meat and was created in southern Ontario.
Peameal bacon is made from lean, boneless pork loin rolled in cornmeal to give it a unique yellow crust. The original recipe from 1854 was rolled in ground yellow peas to extend the meat's shelf life. Today, peameal bacon is as versatile as its American counterpart and is often served at breakfast or in sandwiches.
BeaverTails
The Canadian dessert known as BeaverTail became popular at a community fair in the small town of Killaloe, Ontario, in 1978, after Grant and Pam Hooker decided to start selling their unique pastries. Similar in shape to an actual beaver's tail, the long piece of deep-fried dough can be topped with just about anything, from Nutella and bananas to Reese's Pieces.
BeaverTails became so popular that the Hookers decided to start a business. Today, there are over 140 BeaverTails pastry stands in six countries. They are so popular that they have even been served to world leaders at the Canadian embassy in the United States.
Tire D’érable sur la Neige
There are two things that Canadians have in abundance: maple sap and snow. It would only stand to reason that these two things could be combined to create such a tasty treat. Tire d’érable sur la neige ("maple taffy on snow") is made by pouring boiling maple syrup over snow. The rapid temperature change makes the syrup thicken but keeps it soft and gooey. Once it solidifies, locals eat it with a fork, a wooden stick, or just grab it with their fingers.
Caesar Cocktail
Although it's not technically a food, Canada’s national cocktail is especially beloved by Canadian citizens. Similar to a Bloody Mary, the Caesar is made of vodka, Clamato juice, Tabasco hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
Garnishes can range from the traditional celery stalk and salt rim, to more extravagant options, such as shrimp, hot dogs, onion rings, and sometimes even burgers and entire roasted chickens. The drink is so popular that May 18 is officially recognized as "National Caesar Day" in Canada.
