by Rhonda Cox

Top Tasty Canadian Dishes

Canada has their fair share of great cuisine from sweet and salty dishes to their version of the Bloody Mary in the Caesar. Here are some of the top tasty Canadian dishes from Canada.

Poutine


Poutine is a dish with origins in French Canada and has become known as the countries signature dish. It made up of peppery meat gravy smothered on top of cheese curds and French fries. The famous side dish was thought to be invented in 1950, and several small towns in Quebec claim to have invented the dish. You will find Poutine at most restaurants in Canada, and they even have it on the menu at McDonald’s.

Canadian Bacon

Canadian Bacon is known in Canada as pea-meal bacon but called Canadian Bacon in the rest of the world. This type of bacon comes from lean pork loin that has not only been brined but also rolled in cornmeal as well. This is different than typical bacon, which comes from the belly of a pig. Around 1900 pork was exported from Canada to England and to preserve the meat on the voyage it was rolled in yellow peas, but now it is rolled in cornmeal.

Split Pea Soup


Split Pea Soup has an interesting story as for 400th anniversary of the travels of French explorer Samuel de Champlain chef Marc Miron was interested in what the early explorers ate in their new land. Back in the day, the explorers would use things that could last on a long journey such as cured meats and dried peas. Vegetables were added and out came split pea soup, which is still very popular these days not only around Canada but in the United States as well.

Tourtière

Tourtière is a French-Canadian dish that dates back hundreds of years. It is a flaky pie, and the name of Tourtière is thought to be derived from the ship that it was made in. Usually, the pie has ground meat, herbs and spices, and potatoes. Different kinds of meat can be used to make the dish, and on the coastal regions, some will even use fish. Tourtière is very popular during the holiday season.

BeaverTails

BeaverTails are basically a doughnut that does not have a hole and has been flattened. This is a very popular Canadian treat, and while invented by Graham Hooker’s family, who had the recipe for decades it was not introduced to the public until the late 1970’s. In 1979 Hooker opened the first BeaverTails outlet in Ottawa. The tasty treat can be topped with several things such as sugar and Nutella.

Butter Tarts

Butter Tarts are very rich and sweet and very popular throughout Canada. The origins of the tar-tar thought to be around 1900, and it is a delicate tart that crumbles easily and has a cream filled centre of butter, sugar, and eggs. Many places that serve butter tart also add raisins, and you can find them at most bakeries and coffee shops.

Caesar

The Caesar is the one drink on the list and was invented in 1969 in Calgary by restaurant manager Walter Chell. It is kind of like a Bloody Mary, as the ingredients are vodka, a salt rim, Worchester sauce, and Clamato juice. Motts is the company that makes Clamato, and they have claimed that Canada makes in excess of 350-million Caesars annually.

by Rhonda Cox

Gourmet Cuisine – A Breakfast for Kings

Forget gourmet cuisine, Michelin-star food adventures. Forget about being served a few carrot strips with a bisque and pumpkin flavored ice cream, all for the not-too-paltry sum of a couple of hundred notes. There are greasy food adventures to be had. Most Brits love a traditional English breakfast. In fact, the Full English is one of the most popular breakfasts in the world. As it spreads across the globe, largely via expats and hotels/restaurants catering to expats, the Full English Breakfast is also becoming the focal point for a lot of health nuts. Health experts are telling Brits what they should and shouldn’t eat for breakfast, and how much of it to eat. The owners of greasy spoons up and down the country aren’t paying any attention to that, though. In fact, the Full-Full-Full English is now one of many food adventures that die-hard fans of this breakfast can now enjoy.

What’s in a Full English?

Lacking a proper name, what we call the Full-Full-Full English is a monster meal. Enough food for 2 or 3 days (sometimes more), these behemoth breakfasts are seen as more of a challenge and competition than a true food binge. So, what is the challenge and what kind of adventure are you likely to have taking it on?

For starters, the average Full English will have a few rashers of bacon, a couple of sausages, a fried egg (or two), hash browns, mushrooms, baked beans, toast, fried tomatoes, and possibly some black pudding (blood sausage) if you’re so inclined, typically costing under a tenner. Not bad for a breakfast worth over 1,500 calories. This hearty meal should see you through most of the weekend, which is when Brits tend to eat it. However, the Big Breakfast has now become the focus of many restaurants who aim to fill their tables with eager and food-loving competitors who swear they can take down a monster.

The Breakfast Adventure

There are many restaurants across the UK which will hand you a spot on their Wall of Fame and possibly the chance to eat for free, if you can finish their own take on the Full English. Before you think that this sounds easy, though, have a listen to this…

Four slices of fried toast, four large eggs, six pork or beef sausages, six strips of bacon, hash browns, slices of black pudding, baked beans, mushrooms and fried tomatoes. Britain’s Biggest Breakfast. The cost, £20, and the venue? The Wonder Café in Hillingdon, near London. If you can eat the whole lot in 45 minutes, it’s yours on the house.

Believe it or not, it has been done – once. Emma “the Human Hoover” Dalton managed to wolf down the 4,000-calorie behemoth live on This Morning, in a cool, calm and collected twenty-one minutes and thirty-four seconds.

Other venues offer similar challenges up and down the country. There is even a 9,000-calorie beast known as The Monster available in Rochdale’s Castle Café, although admittedly that offers up burgers and chips/fries, too.

Whilst many doctors will tell you to forget about this food adventure, it is something that many people find fascinating. Why stuff your face with red-hot chilis and spicy sauces in competitions, when you can eat your favorite breakfast (possibly for free) in one of Britain’s most loved and delicious food adventures?

by Rhonda Cox

Top Five Must Have Sandwiches

 

The joy of finding the perfect sandwich is one that makes your taste buds come alive with pleasure and delight. There have been many a wonderful culinary creation that fits the bill when it comes to sandwiches and many that quickly become staples in the thousands of sandwich shops that are found in cities, towns and tourist locations.

To honour these tasty creations, we thought a list of our top five must have sandwiches might be just what the doctor ordered.

French dip


The French Dip is an infamous delight of thinly sliced ribeye streak created in Los Angeles in the early 20th century. It has become a staple for many restaurants and sandwich shops throughout the U.S and Canada.

The best part to the French Dip is its au jus, a wonderful blend that adds flavour and pleasure as you engulf mouthful after mouthful of tender beef housing in a banquette style bun – a must have for any sandwich lover.

Philly Cheesesteak

Ahh yes, the Philly Cheesesteak, made famous in Philadelphia, it makes our list and the list of many others who love a well-constructed and hearty sandwich. In its short 20 year history, the Philly offers steak lovers a sandwich made for kings with a blend of cheese and other delectable toppings such as onions and mushrooms. Served most often on a toasted sub roll, it is heated to gooey perfection and is known for its heartiness.

Po-boy


The Po-boy was first invented back in 1929 during a streetcar strike. It got its name as a result of its creators calling it the “poor boys” sandwich. It is a wonderful concoction that can see its fillings spanning shrimp, oysters, steak and other tasty delights. Adding to it comes tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, special sauces, mayo and a large 24-inch roll.

Reuben


The Reuben has long been a favourite for many people, and rightfully so. It is a tasty mix of corned beef, sauerkraut and swiss cheese with Russian dressing and served on rye bread.

It is not hard to find a local restaurant or sandwich shop offering the Reuben as a staple in their menu. It can be found in a number of different varieties when it comes to the bread used to house this tasteful joy, but the basics always remain the same. If you have yet to try one, you are missing out!

Grilled Cheese

The grilled cheese is an American tradition that has crossed oceans and seen it become sandwich creators for producing art to a culinary canvas. Served between two slices of bread, it traditionally is offered with cheddar cheese and served with a side of tomato soup.

Yet, for those with a taste of flair, the grilled cheese has a taken on many a creation with other goodies added to its cheesy filling, whether that being multiple cheese varieties or created using gourmet ingredients to make it something special. Either way, you look at, the grilled cheese brings back memories from our school days when Mom would make it for lunch, or when in need of some comfort food, the grilled cheese simply can’t be beaten!