Globe Corner Blogs

Since arriving in Toronto about nine months ago, I’ve been hearing about poutine. As a vegetarian, it took me some time to find a version I could try, but I’m happy to say I’ve finally had the experience. The Québécois will tell you not to eat “poot-zeen” outside of their province, but if you’re vegetarian, keep your eyes peeled in Toronto for veggie versions; if you’re not picky, just sample some at your local Canadian Burger King.

Poutine seems to be something of a national dish, the food to snack on while watching the Leafs lose, or while enjoying some curling. The key ingredient is cheese curds, and for those of you who know Wisconsin, yes, these are the same delicious nuggets that prompt rural A&W franchise managers to make their employees wear t-shirts that say “Got Curds?” Like a spongy mozzerella, cheese curds are sprinkled on top of your food item of choice, similar to the way feta is used. The Canadians have found a particularly good application for these quick-melting morsels in poutine. Here’s how it works: Take a batch of thin-cut french fries, slather with hot chicken gravy, and top with cheese curds. They melt throughout the dish, making one turn to their fork and knife in order to remain civilized throughout this extraordinary snacking process.

While I’m sure this is the type of artery-clogging food that cardiologists would like to outlaw, it is pretty fabulous, and was an appropriate kick-off to my first trip to the Canadian capital, Ottawa, where I’m headed for a wedding. This is also my first trip on ViaRail, Canada’s train system, and I’m riding along the Toronto-Ottawa corridor in cozy comfort class, enjoying the nice service and pretty countryside views. ViaRail seems to be the way to travel relatively short distances in Canada, especially compared to the airlines, which are quite a bit more pricey up here. Put on your patience cap when attempting to use the ViaRail website, but rest assured you can always get some helpful customer service on the phone if you just can’t make it through their site’s labyrinth of choices. Wi-fi is available, though spotty, on board these trains, and the snack car is well-stocked and comes by frequently.

Stay tuned for more posts from Canada.

Read more: Canada, Food & Wine, Train Travel, Travel


Kate lives and works in Chicago, IL. Her interests include fine arts, food and wine, and baseball.

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