In Canada we are blessed with a wonderful array of food. Thanks to immigration, food can take us on a journey around the world, however there are many foods that are probably only available in Canada, or at least originated here.

One of the most famous is poutine. Basically, it is French fries with some sort of cheese (cheese curds are preferred by many) covered in gravy In Newfoundland, you can get it with dressing on it under the gravy. If you go to country fairs, probably one of the food trucks will be selling it.

Probably my personal favourite Canadian food is butter tarts. I was surprised when I discovered they weren’t in any other country. It’s a tart filled with a mixture of butter, sugar, syrup and eggs. I like the ones that have raisins added, and with a runny filling. They are wonderfully sweet. A parent at one of the schools I taught at many years ago made wonderful butter tarts, and brought some in for the staff every so often. What a treat at recess! In Ontario, there are even Butter Tart Tours!

Something else I just discovered that’s Canadian is Caramilk Bars. It’s one of the oldest bars made in Canada (since 1968). You may remember the commercials about the secret of how they get the caramel in the bars. Apparently, that secret is locked in a vault in Toronto.

If you are looking for a Canadian cocktail, look no further. The Caesar is Canada’s national cocktail. It is made using vodka, Clamato juice, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. It’s the way Canadians have improved on the American Bloody Mary. It is often used when brunch is being served. Many restaurants have their own take on the Caesar with various garnishes being added.

Finally, there is one more traditional Canadian food that I will mention now, bannock. It is a simple bread with as few as three ingredients (plus water). We tend to think of it as coming to us through indigenous people. From what I read, the Scottish explorers brought it with them and indigenous people learned how to make it from them. It’s simple to make, basically flour, salt and baking powder with water added. It’s fried in oil or could be baked. Other things such as blueberries can be added to make it a bit fancier. It was ideal for travellers and hunters to carry with them, and could be cooked over a camp fire.

There are so many more Canadian foods which I’m going to write about in my next Golden Years column published quarterly in The Local Biz Magazine.






About the Author

Linda Calder is a retired teacher. She likes to write and enjoys spending time with her family. She also enjoys going on cruises, taking pictures and scrapbooking.