#1 Poutine
Poutine — French fries generously slathered in gravy and cheese curds — is a classic Canadian treat that is said to have originated in Quebec in the 1950s. Since then, it has been adapted in many weird and wonderful ways from gourmet versions with lobster and foie gras.
Lobster Poutine
Foie gras Poutine
#2 Ketchup Chips
There are some snacks that define a nation, but not many that taste good to only those who live there. What do we love? The fact they leave our fingers dyed red after we've had a whole bag. Ketchup has never tasted so salty, non-tomatoey and outright good. Our U.S. friends
#3 Maple Syrup
What could be more Canadian than syrup that comes from the maple tree, whose iconic leaf has come to symbolize Canada and its national pride? Quebec is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world, accounting for about 75 to 80 percent of the supply.
#4 Bacon
It's no secret that Canadians are obsessed with bacon. The delicious cured pork product can be made oh so many ways, including ever popular strip bacon and peameal bacon, often referred to as "Canadian bacon" abroad. In fact, Canadians are so passionate about their favourite food that many would probably choose it over sex.
People in Canada Choose Bacon Over Sex
#5 Butter Tarts
A butter tart is a classic Canadian dessert made with butter, sugar, syrup and eggs — filled in a buttery (yes, more grease) pastry shell, and often includes either raisins or nuts. They can be runny or firm — so it's hard to mess them up when you're baking. Also, they never seem to go out of style.
#6 BeaverTail
BeaverTails, or Queues de Castor in French, is a famous trademarked treat made by a Canadian-based chain of pastry stands. The fried-dough treats are shaped to resemble real beaver tails and are often topped with chocolate, candy, and fruit. These Canadian delicacies go hand in hand with skiing, and even gained White House recognition during U.S. President Barack Obama's 2009 trip to Ottawa.
#7 Nanaimo Bars
These legendary Canadian no-bake treats originated in (surprise!) Nanaimo, B.C., and are typically made with graham-cracker crumbs, coconut, walnuts, vanilla custard and chocolate. Need we say more? Common variations include peanut butter and mint chocolate.
#8 Game Meat
No one likes to think of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as dinner, but game meat is abundant in Canada and can be found in butchers, restaurants and homes across the country. Among other popular Canadian game is boar, bison, venison, caribou and rabbit.
#9 B.C. Salmon
B.C. Pacific salmon — commercially fished or farmed — includes many different species such as Chinook, Chum, Coho, Sockeye, Cutthroat, Steelhead and Pink. They can vary in colour and taste from Atlantic salmon, and are found in fishmongers and restaurants across Canada.
#10 Wild Blueberries
Believe it or not, Canada is the world's largest producer and exporter of wild blueberries, also known as “lowbush blueberries,” mostly grown in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.
#11 Blueberry Blossom Honey
Bees also love our blueberry shrubs! Pollinating blueberry shrubs with honey bees more than doubles the potential yield of this very Canadian berry, according to Dutchman's Gold, which makes its honey from acres of blueberries growing in Ontario and New Brunswick. Although this honey is not actually blueberry flavoured, it does have a subtle aftertaste of the fruit.
#12 Oysters
Canadians can enjoy fresh oysters 12 months of the year. These famous little aphrodisiacs are plentiful on Canada's Atlantic and Pacific coasts, from New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia to British Columbia.
#13 Canadian Apples
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" may be an old English saying, but this nutritionally perfect food is quintessentially Canadian. Some of the most popular domestic varieties are McIntosh, Cortland, Gala, Fuji and Golden Delicious. According to Agriculture Canada, apples were first brought over to the country by European settlers in the 17th century.
#14 P.E.I. Potatoes
P.E.I. potatoes (such as Russet, White, Red and Yellow) are famous across Canada and around the world. Prince Edward Islanders have been growing potatoes since the late 1700s! Apparently they're superior because of the land's ideal growing conditions, including red, sandy soil that is rich in iron.
#15 Nova Scotia Lobster
The Atlantic province of Nova Scotia is world-renowned for its tasty crustaceans. They have some of the most fertile lobster fishing grounds on the planet.
#16 Alberta Beef
The popularity of Alberta beef might have been a little tainted by the unfortunate E-coli outbreak at XL Foods in 2012, but the province's AAA beef is considered among the best. Alberta is the cattle capital of Canada and according to the province's farmers, it has the fourth largest cattle herd in North America, behind Texas, Kansas and Nebraska.
#17 Montreal Bagels
You can call them the New York bagels of Canada, but Montreal bagels are often smaller and sweeter in taste. These O-shaped baked breads are paired deliciously with lox and cream cheese. Calorie-wise, bagels are equivalent to about three or four slices of bread, but you still might want to eat more than just one.
#18 Arctic Char
Arctic char is a freshwater fish species raised across Canada, in the Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Yukon Territory, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Arctic char is a part of the salmon family, and looks similar to a salmon but
is more genetically linked to trout.
#19 Bannock
Bannock takes its name from a traditional Scottish flat bread, adopted by North American Natives, including Canada's Innuit. It's recently received some gourmet treatment in the culinary world, as a focaccia-like substitute for sandwiches.
#20 Kraft Dinner
Yes, Kraft Dinner is also Canadian. This dorm room staple and processed-cheese masterpiece has been dubbed a Canadian classic. And really, if you haven't tried a bowl of the instant comfort food yet, we recommend skipping the milk and going straight for the butter.
#21 Newfoundland Screech
No, it's not a "Saved by the Bell" reference. Screech is a type of rum made in Jamaica, and bottled and aged in Newfoundland. It has a storied history dating back to early trade between Newfoundland and the West Indian island (when salt fish was shipped to Jamaica in exchange for rum.) We hear it tastes like any other rum, but it has an awesome name, doesn't it?
#22 Tourtière
Tourtière is a traditional spiced and savoury meat pie from Quebec, made with diced or ground pork, veal, or beef. This French Canadian delicacy is typically made around Christmas time, but eclectic foodies enjoy it all year round.
#23 Saskatoon Berries
Very similar to blueberries (but a fascinating alternative), Saskatoon berries are native to the Canadian Prairies, British Columbia and Northern Canada. They're also rich in antioxidants and considered one of the world's "superfruits."
#24 Tim Hortons "Double-Double"
A "Double-Double" has become somewhat of a popular slang term for Canadians. It refers to a coffee with two teaspoons of sugar and two teaspoons of cream. How popular is it? In 2011, Tim Hortons even released a "Double-Double" flavoured ice cream.
#25 Fiddleheads
Fiddleheads are curly, edible shoots of fern, often consumed in many provinces seasonally across the country. And like your mother always told you, eat your greens: Fiddleheads are high in potassium and vitamin C.
#26 Swiss Chalet Sauce
Canadian chain restaurant Swiss Chalet's rotisserie chicken and grilled ribs get a fair amount of attention, but there's always been something special about that secret sauce that people love to pour all over their food. What's in this sauce, you wonder? People have debated
this point for a while and we're not exactly sure either. But we can assure you there are no milk, egg or fish products in it, (cue the vegetarian sigh of relief). But if you'e still not convinced, try making your own knock-off version.
#27 Montreal Smoked Meat
Besides bagels, Montreal is also known for its kosher-style smoked meat. Schwartz's in particular has been using the same recipe of marinated spices and herbs in their smoked beef brisket for over 80 years. If you've never been, go early — the deli shop is usually packed with ong line-ups.
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