Canadian Food Facts: A Special Food Guide For All The Foodies Out There

Canada is a country located in Northern America and is by land area the second largest in the world, which has directly resulted in it having a varied taste and cuisine.

Canada's cuisine has been largely shaped by the indigenous people of the country, the settlers such as the French, and the migrants who entered the country during the 19th and 20th century. Canada is also famous for having the longest coastline and longest international border in the world.

Each region of Canada has some dishes of its own, one of the earliest cuisines of Canada is known as indigenous food.

These regions give rise to some ingredients which can be found only in that particular region, which leads to these dishes getting a unique taste. Some of the earliest cuisines in Canada include the likes French, British and Scottish.

In the past, the once Canadian Prime Minister, Joe Clark, gave a comment on Canadian food, calling it to be a collage of the cuisines of other cultures.

For instance, the arrival of people from the British Isles influenced Canadian foods with evidences found in Ontario, British Columbia, and Manitoba even today. Prior to the Second World War, Canada saw heavy immigration from Northern and Eastern Europe, which led to its cuisine being influenced by the Polish, Germans, and the Ukrainians.

But, irrespective of all the influence that Canadian food has experienced, characteristics that make Canadian foods stand out are the wild foods, the importance of ingredients over recipes, seasonality, regional dishes of the country, and multiculturalism.

Famous Canadian Food

Owing to all the migration and settlement that Canada has experienced in the past years, it now offers a wide variety of foods to people in the country. Let us take a look at some of the most mouth-watering dishes you must try on your next visit to this North American country.

• Great Lakes Perch is a seasonal dish that you can usually find in the summer months in restaurants near Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
• Did you know, the fish which is served in the perch has a white-colored flesh once cooked and is generally accompanied with some French fries.
• Pudding Chomeur is another one of the famous Canadian dishes which are believed to have been originated by French workers.
• The pudding chomeur largely consists of a cake along with maple syrup on top of it.
• Usually found in Montreal, steamies are one of the favorite dishes of this region.
• The dish consists of a soft bun that has a steamed hot dog inside it. The interesting fact about steamies is they do not contain ketchup, unlike most Canadian dishes.
• The toppings of steamies are fresh coleslaw, mustard, chopped onions, and at times plain cabbage.
• A Canadian dish famous all around the world is peameal bacon. Peameal bacon is famous for being made from pork loin. It is also regarded as Canadian bacon.
• Another renowned Canadian food dish is the Nova Scotian donair, which is believed to have originated in the Atlantic.
• The dish comprises of ground beef doner kebab being served with sweet milk sauce, this variation is exceptionally well known in the Quebec patateries.
• A comfort food pretty common among Canadians is mac and cheese. Interestingly, the majority of Canadians prefer a brand called Kraft Dinner or KD when it comes to mac and cheese.
• Pizza, a dish that originated in Italy, has now become a regular in the diet of most Canadians. At present, various kinds of pizzas are found in various parts of Canada, such as Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Quebec City, and many more, owing to the Asian influence.
• Did you know there is a pizza type known as Canadian pizza, which features bacon, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and mushroom.
• Some of the other pizza types you can try in Canada include sushi pizza, pizza-ghetti, Punjabi style, and many more as well.
• Canada is a pleasant destination for people who have sweet tooth. Nanaimo bars are one of the most popular Canadian deserts comprising vanilla, melted chocolate, and some butter icing.
• To your surprise, the origin of Nanaimo bars isn't very clear, although it is believed they have derived from a '50s recipe of a chocolate square.
• Canadians are massive fans of ketchup, chips along with it. Some of their favorite chip flavors include the likes of sour cream and onion, salt and vinegar, BBQ flavor, and several others as well.
• Beaver tail is another pretty popular Canadian dish, comprising of an oval-shaped dough that is deep-fried and then topped with peanut butter or chocolate or any other cream of our choice.

Traditional Canadian Food

We speak about Canadian cuisine being largely influenced by cuisines of other cultures, but even then, there are several dishes that are greatly associated with Canada. Ranging from butter tarts to maple syrup production, Canada has had a considerable impact on food all across the world.

• Butter tart is regarded as one of the most truly Canadian foods to exist, with its origin dating back to the 19th century.
• Butter tart is described as a dish that has a crumbly but delicate trust, and the center of the butter tart is made up of a sugar, egg, and butter mixture.
• Did you know, butter tart can also be found in stores in Toronto and some other Canadian cities as well under the boxed picnic lunches section.
• The earliest ever mention of butter tart goes back to the 1900s when its recipe was found in the Royal Victoria Cook Book.
• Such is its popularity, Muskoka lakes are known to host butter tart festivals, whereas Northumberland County, Kawartha lakes, and Peterborough city are known for being a part of the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour.
• Just like jerk chicken is associated with Jamaica, the dish poutine is integral to the food history of Canada. Poutine is also often considered as one of the national dishes of Canada. Interestingly, many people regard Poutine to be a big mess but it tastes delicious when eaten.
• Studies suggest that poutine was originated in Quebec and its primary ingredients include gravy, curd, and fries, but in the current day, it is available in versions including ground beef, pulled pork, or even bacon.
• Did you know studies claim that authentic poutine uses only meat-based gravy.
• There is one thing in the world that Canada is most well known for, maple syrup. The country is credited for 71% of the world's maple syrup production.
• Interestingly, it is the United States of America that tops the world's maple syrup consumer charts, according to recent surveys.
• Of all the maple syrup that Canada produces, more than 90% is produced in Quebec, of which the la belle province provides the best climatic conditions for maple syrup production.
• Perhaps the only traditional or true Canadian drink you might ever come across is the Caesar. The cocktail is specifically made of Clamato juice, vodka, and at times some other accompaniments on demand.
• Another beverage or drink pretty common among Canadians is hot cocoa, especially due to the low temperature in the country. Interestingly, Canadians often add some whipped cream on top of it for added taste.

Unique Features Of Canadian Food

Canadian food is one of a kind and displays uniqueness in multiple ways. It is an aggregate of various other cuisines all over the world and is perhaps the most evolving and flexible cuisine of all time. Let us take a look at some of the unique characteristics of Canadian cuisine.

• Did you know Canadians are known for eating all kinds of wild foods apart from regular meat such as beef or chicken or pulled pork, some Canadians also eat bears, beavers, moose, and even white-tailed deer.
• Interestingly, the beaver also happens to be the national animal of Canada.
• We all know that Tacos and corn tortillas go hand in hand, but Canadians are known for making Ojibwa tacos where they replace corn tortillas with bannocks.
• At the same time, these Canadians make a unique combination of local organic greens and shredded or braised free-range buffalo ribs.
• Back in the day, Canada was home to many Chinese workers who went on to live in the country and gave rise to the Canadian Chinese Cuisine, which offers dishes like ginger beef, egg foo young, and many more.

Fun Facts About Canadian Food

When in Canada, you have the liberty to taste a wide variety of foods, especially if you are in cities such as Toronto or Vancouver, where there are a host of options at your perusal. Let us look at some never-before-seen facts about Canadian foods.

• Did you know the butter tart festivals in Canada are the largest of all in the world, offering never before seen varieties.
• Additionally, butter tarts are also considered the most popular food item in Canada.
• Did you know the sap required for maple syrup production flows only when the temperature level is above freezing during the daytime and below the freezing level at night.
• The maple syrup produced at La belle province in Canada is considered to be of the best quality in the world.
• Did you know the famous Caramilk bars are produced only in one factory located in Toronto, known as the Gladstone Chocolate Factory.
• Did you know Canadians eat items such as Hickory Sticks, Crispy Crunch, and Dare Maple leaf cookies as snacks throughout the day.
• The impact of the French upon Canada is seen not only in food but also in culture. Did you know French and English are the two official languages of Canada.