Traditional Canadian food?
Let us turn that around.
What would you say was a traditional US food? A hamburger?

Hunnym, we just discovered Cora's and LOVE it! WE went to the one in Mississauga on opening day. And there are others opening.
For anyone that loves good breakfasts and lunches, and loves fruit, you've got to try Cora's.

Bob, along with the hamburger, you have to add fries!

When a tourist guidebook features restaurants, and they list "Canadian" under "Cuisine: ", that is almost absurd, as there is no "Canadian" food.

I mean, you can talk about "French Fries and Gravy" or even "Canadian Bacon"... but has anyone ever seen a "Canadian Restaurant" ??

Alrighty then...


You could always try a "fried Mars bar" (sounds like something Elvis would have eaten). Some friends of mine insist that "Kit Kat" bars are better in Canada (with different chocolate).

But I think you should concentrate on other aspects of your visit, and avoid frustrating yourself while searching for that while barely exists.

And yeah, stop at the Duty Free and get some Maple Syrup for home consumption.

No one mentioned Saskatoons yet- Saskatoon pie- yum -
I'm from Saskatchewan - pretty easy to find around there but dont know about the rest of the country

Once upon a time, all the Canadian premiers were in Saskatchewan, and the provincial premier took them all to Yorkton for a special meal. All Ukranian food, with labels beside each dish so premiers from other provinces (the Alberta guy and the Manitoba guy already knew)could learn what was being eaten.

I can't remember if "ice wine" has been mentioned yet. That's a speciality, although fairly new on the market.

bAK

Where do you get a fried Mars Bar? Interesting.
Yup Canadian Kit Kat's are better than US. BUT not as good as British!! They really ARE different. I lined all three up at once and did a taste test!

Please tell me also what a Saskatchewan pie is? No one told me about it when I was there.

kodi: The pie is not Saskatchewan, but Saskatoon--made with saskatoon berries, which taste somewhat like blueberries.

Deep-fried Mars Bars are a Scottish innovation, and AFAIK have not yet appeared in Canada.

"French fries and gravy"-- that's clearly American. The Canadian dish is "chips with gravy" Same thing, different name.

As someone earlier pointed out, there are very few "Canadian" foods, but many many distinctive regional Canadian dishes.

"Deep-fried Mars Bars are a Scottish innovation, and AFAIK have not yet appeared in Canada."

They have certainly appeared in Canada, but they're not common, nor are they Canadian, as previously explained - they're a Scottish phenomenon. If you're lucky enough to find a carnival food fair serving one, I'd recommend trying it! The Mars bar turns into this oozing chocolate/caramel fudge held in by the deep-fried batter. Often they'll put whipped cream on top of it and will drizzle it with raspberry sauce. Yum!

So deep fried Mars bars have come to Canada! Well, that's globalization for you. First SARS, then avian flu, and now this!

I looked up the recipe for deep fried Mars bars on the internet and it sounds totally gross - like a fat embolus heading straight for your heart.

The recipe said for a seasonal variation you could try a deep fried
Cadburys egg
I think the Scots should stick with haggis

I had a deep fried Morrow Bar when I was in New Zealand and it was delicious.
Morrow bar is a favourite chocolate bar there.
Yup, not at all healthy, but , boy was it good!

Maybe I'll have to try the MArs Bar.... but only once!

Canada is indeed large, with a variety of regional dishes to try. BC smoked salmon and seafood, saskatoon berry ANYTHING, naniamo bars, Alberta beef, fiddleheads, poutine (I can hear my arteries slamming shut!), sugar pie (my teeth are screaming!), tortiere, smoked meat at Schwarz's in Montreal, Atlantic salmon and seafood, lobster, cod tongues/cod cheeks (seriously, from Newfoundland!), maple syrup ANYTHING, Canadian Back Bacon eh, Molson/Labatts beer (watch the alcohol content, as Canadian beer is much stronger than American beer), and, of course, the Temple of Tim's (Tim Horton's!). You will probably find Canadian "exotic" meat dishes, such as bison, caribou, deer, etc. at upscale restaurants, too, often served with local fresh veggies and maple-based glazes. Yummm...I'm going for a snack...

If you were coming out west to Calgary, Alberta, I would check out any of the restaurants recommended by John Gilchrist our CBC Radio Restaurant critic. He has a book out called "My Favorite Restaurants in Calgary and Banff".
The book lists (some examples I have tried and liked) coffee bars: Heartland Cafe; deli: Lina's Italian Market; traditional wildgame: Deer Lodge (Lake Louise); contemporary: Mescalaro; ; French: Jojo Bistro; Vegetarian: Marathon; Exotic & WildGame: Grizzley House (Banff); Greek: Pegasus; Thai: The King and I; and a lot more just as great I have not named.

I would say Saskatoon berry pie (homemade), prime rib (Outback, Calgary), and pyrogi and sausages from Country Cousins, a Mennonite restaurant in Linden, Alberta would be traditional food here.

Yay Alberta!!!!
Perhaps there are no restaurants called "Canadian restaurants" is for the same reason that you don't get restaurants labelled as "Italian Food Restaurants" in Italy, or "Chinese Food Restaurants" in China... :)

What about a "beaver tail"? This was mentioned in a post about walking along the canal in winter and stopping for hot chocolate and a "beaver tail"!

Hooker's Beavertails started out (probably 20 years ago) as a small business in the Byward Market area in Ottawa. It grew fast. Beavertails are now sold, on site, during most festivals that take place in Ottawa over the year. When skating on the canal one of the best ways to get warm and a little energy is with a hot chocolate and beavertail. Beavertails are basically doughnut dough....spread out till its about 10" long and 4" wide. It is then deep fried. Once cooked they brush it with lemon juice. You then have a choice of toppings. I think people favourate would be with sugar and cinnamen. You can also get jam or garlic butter and cheese.

Ah Dave,
I can see that we must visit Ottawa. I'm thinking cinnamon rather than garlic butter if it's paired with hot chocolate!

I was thinking the same thing about food and found a blog which mentions some food and drink specialties:

http://www.recipesprincess.com/local...or-in-canada/#

The pictures alone have made me hungry!

Speaking of Tim Hortons, I think their Iced Cappucinos and Boston Cream donuts are the best.

As for Alberta beef, I think it used to be the among the best, but not any more. I don't know what happened - maybe since the mad cow scandal they changed their food or treatment or something - but in the last 2 or 3 years the only decent steaks I've had were in the States (Utah and Arizona more specifically). I've tried many restaurants, steak houses, grocery stores, butchers and farms in and around Calgary and the quality is just not there anymore, with the exception of some tenderloin that I nowadays buy from Sobeys.

On the other hand, I have noticed that pizza is now much better than, let's say, 10 years ago. With better and fresher ingredients, thin crust and wood oven pizza are now much easier to find and enjoy. For example, try the "Roma" pizza at Earl's, which I believe is Canada-wide.

As other comments mentioned, there is no Canadian cuisine per se, but rather local flavors and specialties. I guess same as in the US.

OK, I've had SIX YEARS to contemplate this, so, OK, <b>What in the heck were all of the Canadian Premiers doing in <I>Saskatchewan</i> ????</b>


Heck, I've never even been there.

Is the most famous person in the province still <b>"Dick Assman"</b>????