So, here I am, doing my part in the world, introducing my American friends to a variety of treats that you may very likely have never heard of. If you ever find yourself venturing into Canada, please be sure to seek out these yummies.
First up, the oh-so-wonderful Poutine. My jaw literally dropped when I discovered that most/all of my American friends have never tried, let alone, heard of Poutine. A Poutine is a Quebecois delicacy that has spread it's goodness across our great nation. It consists of a plate of french fries, piled high with cheese curds and smothered in brown gravy. It seriously brings sadness to my heart to know that many of you have never indulged in a Poutine.
(source)Next on our list, we have the butter tart. What is there to even be said about the butter tart, except that it may be our best kept secret? It is similar to what you Americans may know as "pecan pie", yet it appears in tart form and often without the distraction of pecans, allowing the indulger to focus their attention entirely on the sugary syrupy filling. Sometimes, butter tarts include nuts and/or raisins, but, in my opinion, are best left as is.
Following the butter tart, I introduce you to the Dill Pickle Chip. There is not much to say about this one, except that they are potato chips flavoured like dill pickles and are absolutely delicious. They are my favourite!
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This completes the list I had generated. But my dear frousin Caley, relayed a piece of disturbing information to me. IS IT TRUE THAT AMERICANS DO NOT HAVE SMARTIES?
If so, I must simply complete this post by asking ... what is wrong with your nation?
Following the butter tart, I introduce you to the Dill Pickle Chip. There is not much to say about this one, except that they are potato chips flavoured like dill pickles and are absolutely delicious. They are my favourite!
We certainly cannot forget the coffee crisp. I am getting more and more discouraged as this list goes on and as I realize how empty the lives of many of my friends must be, considering they have never had these treats. This chocolate bar consists of coffee cream, wafers and a milk chocolate coating. And is absolutely delicious. Just ask Shaina ... I very willingly introduced her to the beauty of coffee crisp.
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Next up, the great Nanaimo Bar. Named for the city in British Columbia where it was invented for a county fair, the nanaimo bar is a no bake dessert that features a crumble, wafer type crust which often contains coconut, a layer of vanilla pudding or custard and a thick coating of chocolate across the top. Oftentimes, flavours such as mint or mocha are featured in the nanaimo bar.
(source)This completes the list I had generated. But my dear frousin Caley, relayed a piece of disturbing information to me. IS IT TRUE THAT AMERICANS DO NOT HAVE SMARTIES?
If so, I must simply complete this post by asking ... what is wrong with your nation?
35 comments:
Wow...that is quite the list! Perhaps I'll get to try some of these lovely things when we go to Canada this summer. I gotta say that Coffee Crisp and the Nanaimo bar sounds amazing!! Yummy! :)
Dill Pickle chips can be found here, usually at little nickle and dime stores. I loved them as a kid! You just don't see them as often anymore. As for smarties, they show up from time to time! I've had them before. :)
They also don't have ketchup chips, gateau vachon ( usually sold in qc, but I see some on sale in ON). As for poutine, it would be hard for them to make it because they don't have curd cheese. You can always make poutine with shredded cheese, but that is not authentic lolol. Every time my relatives from The US come to Canada, they have to go to the grocery store.
But they also have tons of things we don't have ( and that I would live to have) Like different brands of yogurts ( I do think the variety of yogurt we have in Canada is very limited)
Dill picklechips=♥ (please send some to this pregnant woman!)
Things i miss, but can no longer eat.... Canadian Smarties... and Kindereggs!
:) thanks for the droolworthy post.
Poutine looks absolutely disgusting, but the chips sounds heavenly!!
and if by smarties you mean the tiny round sugar candy - of course we have those. that's a poor person's halloween staple!!
I feel like I aced your Canadian quiz! Well, I at least got a B+.
Two of my favorite things in the world are on that list and I am by no means Canadian.
First - Poutine. Holy Moly. There is nothing better. We used to spend a lot of time in Canada when I was younger which meant a lot of poutine. To tell you the truth, I don't think I've had it in about 10 years at this point. I really need to change this.
Second - SMARTIES. I love love love Smarties. One year my mother drove to Windsor and filled up an entire box of Smarties to send me for Valentine's Day. They are so delicious. (Though you can usually find these in the ethnic foods aisle at the grocery store now... under "British food." That's about as ethnic as it gets, right?)
The one thing you left off your list is more of a general thing, but Canadian chocolate tastes 100% better than what we get in the U.S. Even a basic Hershey's bar is more delish in Canada. It's the #1 thing I buy on trips to Canada - chocolate bars.
Hmm...I didn't know I was being so deprived! ;) We actually do have dill pickle chips {I love chips and dill pickles...but not together. :P} and I heart Smarties. They were my favorite treat as a kiddo and I still grab a bag every now and then. ;)
Wow... Apparently I am missing out on all sorts of things! Holy crap!
I have never heard of any of these except Dill Pickle chips, which I pretty much grew up on! They were/are my favorite chips in the world!! Yumm.....
As far as Smarties, of course we have smarties! They are DELISH!
In reference to Karine's comment.... We have cheese curds here, but we live very close to Wisconsin and if you know anything about Wisconsin people.... They LOVE their cheese!
Yep, never heard of any of the things you listed. I do love me some pecan (pronounced PEE-can, btw) pie, so I might enjoy those butter tart thingies. And at first I thought, of course we have Smartie! but then I clicked on your link and it's not the same smarites. Are they just like M&M's? Ew, and that first one, poulin or whatever, sounds gross. Cheese curds? Blec.
I agree with "This Texas Momma" ... cheese curds? No thank you! LOL.
I'm not very adventurous with the foods we have here already haha. I did see Dill Pickle chips the other day though. They are are limited edition Pringles flavor. Adam is hooked on the Horseradish... Yuck!
You are too funny. Poutine sounds like a heart attack on a plate--and quite tasty. :) I have noticed they sell dill pickle chips here now...my friend used to buy a bunch every time she went up to Canada, but I think the popularity has crossed over.
It's those little things that we take for granted, but make us unique don't you think? :)
WOW!!! I've seen the Dill Pickle Lays here but I think it's a regional thing. It's weird how certain foods are different through the states too. :) XOXO
Feel free to send any of those treats my way! When I read your comment about the french fries, I was droooooooling. Now, the drooling is out of control!!!
This is too funny! :) Thanks for sharing. I have seen Dill Pickle Chips in the south, but not since living in Upstate NY.
We have our own local delicacy here in Rochester known as the "Garbage Plate." Oh, yes ma'am! It starts with French Fries, then it's layered with your choice of hamburger or hot dog (or both if you're feeling crazy), topped with baked beans, mac salad, spicy meat sauce and mustard and ketchup.
It look quite disgusting, but it's actually good! I've only had it once--my arteries aren't up for another dose.
Lolol thanks for making me starving hungry now!! We have dill pickle chips cuz those are right next to my salt and vinegar chips!!
Karine, we actually do have cheese curds down here. Ours are Amish cheese curds, but they are still the same.
Meg-I love your name, but I am biased like that. ;) Smarties are a Canadian version of M&M's.
Lindsey, I miss kinder surprises, and Tim Hortons. We have a Timmy's but it is an hour away and in a different state. We do have other ones in lower Ohio.
I REALLY miss the tarts. Do you have a recipe for those? I'd love you forever and I would even send some American things your way. **wiggles eyebrows**.
Okay, I have to say, those fries make me want to barf, haha! I love me some cheesey fries, but the gravy did me in.
I have seen Dill Pickle chips here, you just have to go to a gas station to get them, not the grocery store!
Okay. So youre right. Our lives are empty. Who knew we Americans were missing such yummies in our lives? I have seen the Dill pickle chips here. The rest, not so much.
No smarties either. Well, actually we have smarties but they are different. Are your smarties like m & m's?
Inquiring minds...
Just so we're clear, we do have curd cheese. At least here in NY we do. It does make me sad to think that others don't, though. :(
As a Minnesota girl, we have cheese curds and dill pickle chips. But those fries make me wanna throw up a little. Hahaha :o)
I've had Smarties!! They are NUT-FREE!!
My daughter also informed me that Americans do not have Nutella available everywhere.
Has anyone here heard of it or tried it?
Nutella is a hazelnut spread with skim milk and cocoa that you would use on bread or toast. It's delicious!
SMARTIES are available US wide!
We love them.
Melinda
I love me some dill pickle chips. We have them here, but I was introduce my lovely Canadian in-laws! I definitely agree that butter tarts are your best kept secret!!! YUM! I brought them back with though, so watch out U.S.!!!
I can't say the same thing about Poutine...ick. Who came up with that combo?!?
Our smarties are different... they're kinda like sweethearts.
and don't forget that we have Chick-Fil-A!
Oh my goodness, sadly, I too have never heard of any of these treats except for the Smarties! See, all these good reasons we need to come visit you in Canada!!!
OH MY!!!!! I haven't been by your blog in months...literally, as I just scrolled down and read your exciting news!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am sooooo happy for you and the wonderful news of baby to be!!! Whoo hooo...your news just made my night!
Congratulations and here's to a healthy pregnancy!!!! Enjoy this exciting time!!!
Love,
Denise :-)
First, as fellow Canadian, I must tell you I die a little bit inside every time I read someone say "disgusting" or "ew" or "ick" about my beloved poutine. Yes, my arteries do NOT thank me after this, but my tummy and tastebuds sure do! (Also, I love to add me a little ketchup on my poutine - just for flavour!)
Also, may I offer a correction to many of the commenters . . . Smarties are NOT the Canadian version of M&M's - they have a candy shell instead of a chocolate shell, they are larger and they do melt in your hand and in your mouth! Smarties are also NOT the poor man's Hallowe'en candy - those are called Rockets here in Canada!
Thank you for your educational post!
Love, Frousin
Oh don't forget about white (NOT MALT) vinegar for our fries. They've finally gotten salt/vinegar potato chips in the south...why not try it on french fries so I don't have to carry the little packets in my car anymore!
what is it with you and jenny posting pictures of delicious food now that my body has decided to revolt against me? UGH. Especially that poutine. It looks AMAZING!!
oh, and i live in wisconsin, so you better believe we have curd cheese. :)
um, we don't have THOSE kinds of smarties? ours are fruity and kind of disgusting. very powdery. but i would happily move to canada to try that last coconut/cream/chocolate bar thing.
and the dill potato chips look pretty good right about now ... :)
Some of the Americans may not know that Canadian Smarties, which pretty much like M&Ms are different from American Smarties, which are more like a tiny roll of SweeTarts. I loved Canadian Smarties as a kid, but a few years ago I got some and realized that I actually like M&Ms better. I thought the candy coating of the smarties had a bit of odd taste.
I'm not sure that poutine had spread out of Quebec when I was living in Canada, or else my head was in a hole. Now fries and brown gravy, yes! Many afternoons after school I sat in Christie's Dairy (which is sadly no more) with a plate...mmmmm!
Butter tarts...oh my goodness! The ones in the pink tray from the grocery store are good, but the best are the ones the ladies bake and bring to church potlucks!
Coffee Crisp-yum. Dill pickle chips-used to eat them til my tongue was raw.
Don't forget Big Turk and Crunchie. Oh, and somebody mentioned Tim Horton's...it hasn't made it this far south in the US. I worked there for a while and there is nothing like a hot fresh Walnut Crunch!
Ah, the memories.
OK, I'm moving. Enough said. (Although, I'm glad we have dill pickle chips down here in Fla. But that's the only one I've had on your list! AND THE COFFEE CRISP? HELLO! Where has that been all my life!)
Mmmmmm. Can we make/buy/eat butter tarts and those nanaimo bars or whateverthehell they're called when I come to visit?
Dude...I really am missing out! But I'm glad I got to try one of those Coffee Crisps :)
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