When you travel to Quebec, you will undoubtedly experience quite the magical little mix of Old World tradition and modern sensibilities; and in no place is this more apparent than in the popular cuisine of this cultivated region. In this particular part of Canada, for example franchise Ben et Florentine menus consistently celebrate the influences of both classic and modern French cuisine, providing both locals and tourists alike with delicious, distinctive flavors.
The Classic Poutine
If the entire country of Canada had an official national dish, the poutine would certainly be in the running. While it may not seem like a traditional French delicacy at first, this dish—consisting of medium-thick-cut, twice fried potatoes topped with cheese curds and brown gravy—is a local, national, and international favorite.
The Tourtière
If we were to count the Poutine as the most popular dish in Canada, the Tourtiere may be a very close second. This dish, particularly popular during the Winter holidays, consists of finely-diced pork and/or beef and/or veal that has been seasoned with “secret” spices and served with ketchup. A lot of ketchup. Every family has their own version of this recipe, which makes it a somewhat interesting delicacy that could vary according to the region where you find it.
Shish Tauok
Street meat is common in just about every big city in the world, these days, so in Quebec, this would probably be it. Hot dogs—and now gyros—are common street meat in the United States (particularly in New York City), but in Montreal the go-to street meat is the shish tauok. This is a local version, essentially, of chicken shwarma: boneless marinated chicken that has been roasted on a vertical spit and shaved into some pita bread.
Tire Sure La Neige
Basically: maple syrup taffy. Obviously, maple is a major component of cuisine in this region but this simple taffy (made by pulling boiling map directly into snow to cool it) is intriguingly satisfying.
Les Fromages du Quebec
Finally, you can’t deny the cheese that comes out of any French-influenced kitchen; so the same would go for an entire Canadian province with French roots. As such, Quebec is also largely celebrated for its cheese.
