If you are planning a visit to the beautiful metropolitan Canadian province of Quebec, make sure that you take some time to check out the local cuisine. While this melting pot city certainly has its share of renowned worldwide dining, you can really learn a lot about a city—or even a country—by the types of things the locals love to eat.
The good news is that you can find many of these dishes at a local Ben et Florentine franchise Quebec. And those which might not be on the menu are sure to be close at hand.
The POUTINE
There really is no Canadian dish more widely known—and celebrated—than the poutine. While still very young, this dish has quickly become a popular choice in Canada, as well as many other parts of the world. Its origins are a bit obscure (no one really seems to be able to pinpoint exactly when and from what year it first emerged but we do know that it consists of medium-thick, twice fried potatoes, cheese curds, and brown gravy. We also know that it is savory goodness!
The TOURTIERE
If this were a popularity contest, the Tourtiere might ring in a close second behind the Poutine. Actually, in the winter, the Tourtiere might take the crown as it is extremely popular during the Winter holidays and the colder months of the year. The popularity might have something to do with the Tourtiere being a “family recipe” kind of dish: it typically consists of finely-diced pork and/or veal and/or beef and a “secret” mix of spices, finished with a dollop of ketchup.
SHISH TAUOK
Every busy cosmopolitan area has its favorite street food and in Quebec, this is Shish Tauok. You might be familiar with street tacos in San Diego or Hot Dogs in New York but in Montreal, some slow-roasted, marinated, boneless chicken shaved into pita bread (a bit like a gyro) is the go-to if you are on-the-go.
TIRE SURE LA NEIGE
Maple syrup taffy. That is all I really have to say. But if you really must know, this “candy” is made from boiling maple straight from the tree and then cooling it immediately in the snow, pulling and the stretching the sugar in the process. Maple, of course, is quite a common component of many dishes in this region, but this might be the best, if not the simplest.