Traditional Canadian Food
 

We're going to Canada (Niagara & Toronto) for a long weekend. I'd like to try some "traditional" food & drink from Canada (This is the first time we'll be in Canada). Can someone tell me what foods are "traditional"?

If you're coming from the US, I think you'll find most restaurants serve pretty well the same foods you'll find at home.

Maple syrup

Poutine - chips, cheese curds and gravy is a French-Canadian item but you might be able to find it in the Falls. Harvey's offers it, or used to.

Canadian bacon - back bacon as we call it - served on a bun in some places.

Drink...beer?? Bloody Mary: vodka and tomato juice.

Bannock - that's native Canadian bread which tastes, to me, like a scone/tea biscuit. Probably hard to the find in NF.

Arctic char

Butter tarts

Sally, I think it's the bloody caesar that's more traditionally Canadian (at least that's what I always heard) - it has clamato instead of tomato juice.

Thanks - since I don't drink them, I wasn't sure.

nanimo bars, sugar pie, butter tarts

cipaille, tourtiere, wild rice,

smoked cod, char, and salmon

blueberries, bakeapple and partridgeberries

There is no such thing as traditional Canadian food, as in a full balanced meal that you'll only find in Canada. There are regional dishes, just like there are regional dishes in the USA... salmon, for example, is a local speciality along the west coast of Canada. Lobster is the local dish along Canada's Atlantic coast. Alberta beef is the local favourite in, you guessed it, Alberta... Eastern European foods are common in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba due to the large Ukrainian/Polish immigrants that moved there early in the 20th century. Etc, etc, etc.

I'd say in general Canada's cuisine is more ethnic... Chinese food on Monday, Greek food on Tuesday, Italian on Wednesday, Japanese on Thursday, Thai food on Friday, steak/burgers on Saturday, seafood on Sunday, generally with regional differences infused. Montreal's cuisine, would be more European in nature with an emphasis on meat and sauces, whereas Vancouver's cuisine would be more Asian in nature.

Since you're going to Toronto, I'm not sure what would be considered regional cuisine there, however, the city itself is highly multicultural, so tasting a variety of different ethnic foods is probably the most authentic Canadian experience you could get.

If you'll be in Toronto on a weeknight (including Friday) and want to indulge in an upscale meal with regional produce served innovatively, check out Canoe. If it's a fairly clear day or better, it has a great view (it's on the top floor of a high-rise tower in the financial district). It's not touristy at all (unlike the restaurant on top of the CN tower). Great service, great food - it's one of my favourite restaurants for a celebaration. It's closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Rodney's oyster restaurant is very Canadian; but there are great oyster bars in the USA, too.

Poutine is Canadian -- I've avoided it for my entire life.

Tinmbits -- which purport to be the ceters of Tim Hortons donuts, are national in scope. And Tim Hortons donuts and coffee is about as Canadian as you can get.

I've never seen / tasted chicken and french fries as good, for such a low price, as at Swiss Chalet. Everything except the chicken can be bought elsewhere. Millions of Canadian children have celebrated special occasions at Swiss Chalet, and it is often the first place a kid will take his or her parents. It's where my daughter and her parents had her last Canadian meal before she left for a summer singing in Italy.

Harvey's for hamburgers, instead of branches of US chains.

Timothy's and Second Cup for upmarket coffee, instead of Starbucks. Not much difference, though.

Bagels are different, depending on locale. The "real" Canadian bagels are from Montreal, and the second-closest in Toronto are from St. Urbain, in the St. LAwrence market (which is worth a visit Saturday mornings) The best bagels in Toronto (based on being closest to Montewal bagels) are from Tdylor'd Bagels, in Oakville.

BAK

My take on Montreal bagels is they are
different from they typical New York style bagel. We have bought them right at the shop where they are made, hot out of the oven. They are slightly 'cakier' than a New York bagel, and have absolutely no salt in the dough, which makes them light but bland. Some people love them, but I'm not a fan.
Other Canadian foods (French Canadian?) I can think of are meat pies and ployes, which are a type of buckwheat pancake.

Bak beat me to it... I was thinking about it today.. I agree. For a family style restaurant that is totally a Canadian favourite is Swiss Chalet. YOu'll see them in many locations. Really good chicken dinners at a good price.

And Tim Horton's is SO Canadian. Go there for coffee and donuts, bagels or soup and sandwich for lunch. Good food, good prices. They are everywhere, and when returning from trips, many Canadian's can't wait to have their "timmy's coffee".

Instead of a chocolate bar, try Smarties.. similar to M&M's.

And I'll agree with butter tarts.. mmmm, good.

You know, I don't get the appeal of Tim Horton's coffee - I just don't like it. But I agree, it is popular and lots of people like it.

I agree with one of the posts - Toronto is a great city for ethnic restaurants.

Mmmm, Nanaimo bars and butter tarts - so good ..........

When my nephew comes home from the USA we get him clodhoppers, shreddies, ice wine and coffee crisp. Not available in US.

smarties and fiddleheads but not together of course...

We just did a Niagara/Toronto trip, coming from the NYC area. (I am Cdn but my husband is not.)

While not Cdn per se, we were impressed with the actual QUALITY of the food that we ate, especially fruits and veggies. I lived in Montreal briefly (even better food than where I grew up in Ontario, in my opinion) and I swear that the Diet Coke even tasted better. We also found Cdn portions in more upscale restaurants to be quite generous.

Harvey's make the best fast-food burger (I agree with BAK) and creme brulee lattes cannot be found in the US, but are at Second Cup. I was a piggie and had about 4 of these along our trip.

We saw caribou on the menu of some upscale restaurants in T.O., something I've never seen in NYC restaurants.

You probably won't be hitting any grocery stores, but when I'm in Canada I like to go to Loblaw's or Zehr's to get some President's Choice food items. They are a private label and I love their various products.

One Quebecois (not necessarily found in ON) thing my husband loves is cretons, which is basically pork fat (kinda like pate, I guess). He tried these at a Cora's in Montreal - which is a breakfast place that we love, and it also has a branch in Toronto (though I've never been to that location).

Salt and vinegar chips - how could I forget them

Rye and Ginger. Canadian rye whiskey and ginger ale.

Nanaimo Bars.

WOW! Thanks for all the input. I like to try different things, so I'll make sure to try some of these different foods.

Laura

mmmm Nanaimo Bars, Butter Tarts, REAL blueberry pie (the berries MUST be wild and fresh picked)
Tourtiere (French Canadian meat pie) - except NO ONE makes it like my mother
Baked beans, French Canadian style - except once again NO ONE makes them like my mother
Smelts - fresh caught, lightly floured and fried
lake trout - fresh caught, bacon wrapped and baked

Semiramis, I feel that way about my father's butter tarts - they are absolutely the best. So I never have them anywhere else but at home.

Semiramis - I know there is nothing better than homemade butter tarts especially if they are Mom's or Dad's!
My daughter loves mine but I think they always taste better if someone else bakes them!

I would love to know your mom's recipe for tourtiere. Everyone uses a different kind or combination of meat etc.

Now for something Canadian. I make the best Habitant Pea soup with yellow peas and double smoked pork hocks.