"Original" flavour poutine from La Banquise with thin gravy and cheese curds

Poutine (Quebec French pronunciation putsɪn (help· info)) is a dish consisting of French fries topped with fresh cheese curds and covered with hot gravy (usually brown gravy) and sometimes other additional ingredients. The curds' freshness is important as it makes them soft in the warm fries, without completely melting. It is a quintessential Canadian comfort food, especially but not exclusively among Québécois. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,816 × 2,112 pixels, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,816 × 2,112 pixels, file size: 2. ... Note: This page or section contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... Image File history File links Pronunciation-of-Poutine. ... French fried potatoes, commonly known as French fries or fries (North America) or chips (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth) are pieces of potato that have been chopped into batons and deep fried. ... A bowl of Wisconsin cheese curds Cheese curds are the fresh curds of cheddar cheese. ... For other uses, see Gravy (disambiguation). ... The term comfort food refers to a style of familiar, simple food or drink that is usually home-cooked, or consumed in informal restaurants. ... This article is about the use of the term. ...

Poutine is a fast food staple in Canada; it is sold by many fast food chains (such as New York Fries and Harvey's) in the provinces, in small diners and pubs, as well as by roadside "poutine trucks" and "fries stands," commonly known as "casse-croûtes" in Quebec. International chains like McDonalds^[1], A&W^[2], Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King^[3] also sell mass-produced poutine across Canada, especially in Quebec. Popular Quebec restaurants that serve poutine include Chez Ashton (Quebec City), La Banquise (Montreal), Lafleur Restaurants, La Belle Province and Dic Ann's Hamburgers. Along with fries and pizza, poutine is a very common dish sold and eaten in high school cafeterias in southern Ontario and Manitoba. It's also a very popular meal at ski resorts. Fast food is food prepared and served quickly at a fast-food restaurant or shop at low cost. ... New York Fries is a popular Canadian fast food restaurant that serves french fries as its main menu item. ... Harveys may be a reference to: John Harvey & Sons, old established wine merchants of Bristol and makers of Harveys Bristol Cream sherry. ... An amusingly named pub (the Old New Inn) at Bourton-on-the-Water, in the Cotswold Hills of South West England A pub in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh, Scotland A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants [1]. Although McDonalds did not invent the hamburger or fast food, its name has become nearly synonymous with both. ... A&W is a Canadian fast food restaurant chain. ... KFC (full name Kentucky Fried Chicken) is a division of Yum! Brands, Inc. ... Burger King (NYSE: BKC), often abbreviated to BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. ... Chez Ashton is a popular fast food restaurant in Québec, Canada famous for its poutine. ... Nickname: Motto: Don de Dieu feray valoir (I shall put Gods gift to good use; the Don de Dieu was Champlains ship) Coordinates: , Country Province Agglomeration Quebec City Statute of the city Capitale-Nationale Administrative Region Capitale-Nationale Founded 1608 by Samuel de Champlain Constitution date 1833 Government... Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - Total 365. ... Lafleur Restaurants is a chain of family-owned fast food restaurants located in the metropolitain area of Montreal. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Dic Anns Hamburgers is a local fast-food restaurant chain centered on Montreal, Canada. ... French fries on a plate. ... For other uses, see Pizza (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see High school (disambiguation). ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor David C. Onley Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 107 Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Official languages English French (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 14 Senate seats 6 Confederation July 15, 1870 (5th) Area  Ranked 8th Total 647,797...

Origins

Plate of poutine served at Chez Vachon, a local French-Canadian diner in Manchester, NH

The dish originated in rural Quebec, Canada in the late 1950s and is now popular in parts of the country. Several Québécois communities claim to be the origin of poutine, including Drummondville (by Jean-Paul Roy), Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Victoriaville. ^{[citation needed]} The most popular tale is the one of Fernand Lachance, from Warwick, Quebec, which claims that poutine was invented in 1957,^[4] when a customer ordered fries while waiting for his cheese curds from the Kingsey cheese factory in Kingsey Falls (now in Warwick and bought by Saputo). Lachance is said to have exclaimed ça va faire une maudite poutine ("it will make a hell of a mess"), hence the name. The gravy was allegedly added later, to keep the fries warm longer. Linguists have found no occurrence of the word poutine with this meaning earlier than 1978. ^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... This article is about the use of the term. ... Drummondville Ville (city) in central Quebec, located east of Montreal, on the Saint-Francois River. ... Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast of Montreal. ... Victoriaville is a city in central Quebec, Canada, on the Nicolet River. ... Warwick, Quebec is a small town north east of Montreal, located in Arthabaska county. ...

Variations

There are many variations of poutine. A common variation, Italian poutine, substitutes gravy with "spaghetti sauce" (a thick tomato and ground beef sauce, roughly analogous to Bolognese sauce), while another variation includes sausage slices.^[5] Greek poutine consists of shoestring fries topped with feta cheese and a warm Mediterranean vinaigrette or fries, gravy and feta cheese. Fettuccine with bolognese sauce Bolognese sauce (ragù alla bolognese in Italian, also known by its French name sauce bolognaise) is a meat based sauce for pasta originating in Bologna, Italy. ... Country of origin Greece Region, town N/A Source of milk Goat, sheep or mixture of these Pasteurised Depends on variety Texture Depends on variety Aging time min. ...

Some restaurants in Montreal offer poutine with such additions as bacon, or smoked meat, although these are not as common. Some such restaurants even boast a dozen or more variations of poutine. For instance, more upscale poutine with three-pepper sauce, Merguez sausage, foie gras or even caviar and truffle can be found.^[6] Merguez is a red, spicy sausage from North Africa and Spain, also popular in France and the German state of Saarland. ... Pâté de foie gras redirects here. ... For the band of the same name, see Caviar (band). ... Species Tuber melanosporum Tuber brumale Tuber aestivum Tuber uncinatum Tuber mesentericum Tuber magnatum Truffle describes a group of edible mycorrhizal (symbiotic relationship between fungus and plant) fungi (genus Tuber, class Ascomycetes, division Ascomycota). ...

Some named variations may not necessarily be prepared with the same ingredients in different establishments. For example, a variation named "poutine Galvaude" adds minced meat and mushrooms to the usual fries-cheese-sauce mix (c.f. Ma'am Bolduc, Montreal), but another restaurant^{[citation needed]} prepares their "Galvaude" by adding shredded chicken and green peas instead, mimicking the typical Québécois preparation of a hot chicken sandwich. Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - Total 365. ... This article is about the use of the term. ...

Some variations even eliminate the cheese altogether, but most French-speaking Québécois would call such a dish a "frites-sauce" ("french fries with sauce") instead of poutine. This article is about the use of the term. ...

When ordering a fast food combination meal in Canada, you can very often pay extra to get your french fries replaced with a poutine.

In the United States, mostly in the state of Maine, poutine is referred to as "mixed fries", "mix fry", or simply "mix" ^{[citation needed]}, although the term "poutine" has been gaining in popularity in recent years, especially in Aroostook County. It is very similar, but shredded mozzarella cheese is the most popular topping, along with beef or brown gravy (although turkey gravy is also used in some places). It is a popular item among small, privately-owned restaurants. Mostly part of the culture of The County, a mixed fry can also come with cooked ground beef on top, and is referred to as a hamburger mix. The latter is less popular than a regular mix. In diners in New Jersey and New York City, a similar dish is available, except it is called disco fries. Slices of American, Mozzarella or Swiss can be used instead of curds. Official language(s) None (English and French de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... Aroostook County is a county located in the state of Maine. ... Image:Minced beef USDA.jpg Minced beef in industrial grinder Ground beef, beef mince or hamburger meat, is a meat product, made of beef finely chopped by a meat grinder. ...

In the Northeast Kingdom region of Vermont, which borders Quebec, poutine is generally served at restaurants. It is served the same way that it was originally created, using large steak fries, beef gravy and cheese curds. Residents sometimes pronounce it "poo-tine", but most pronounce it "poot-tsien".

In fact, it is quite popular almost anywhere in the U.S. bordering Canada, notably Sault Ste. Marie, MI. While it is possible to get gravy with one's fries in many locations, only rarely is it served with cheese. It is also not often sold on its own--it is usually used as a side dish.

Outside of Quebec, poutine is sometimes served with regular cheese (usually mozzarella cheese) rather than curds. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Etymology

The etymology of the word is a subject of much debate in Quebec. Many believe that it may be an adaptation of the English word pudding, the word being attested from the end of the 19th century in Oscar Dunn's Canadian French dictionary with the meaning of pudding, and with similar meanings in Acadian French and Cajun French. ^{[citation needed]} Some Quebec linguists think that the word evolved from Provençal poutingo, ^{[citation needed]} which means bad stew, under the phonetic influence of English pudding. The Office québécois de la langue française rejects this theory. Pudding can be prepared with a large variety of toppings such as fresh fruit and/or berries, and whipped cream Christmas pudding Dessert pudding Illustrations from Isabella Beetons Mrs Beetons Book of Household Management, 1861 Pudding most often refers to a dessert, but can also be a savory dish. ... Note: This page or section contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... Cajun French (sometimes called Louisiana Regional French [2]) is one of three varieties or dialects of the French language spoken primarily in the U.S. state of Louisiana, specifically in the southern parishes. ... Provençal (Provençau) is one of several dialects of Occitan spoken by a minority of people in southern France and other areas of France and Italy. ... Beef Stew A stew is a common dish made of vegetables (particularly potatoes or beans), meat, poultry, or seafood cooked in some sort of broth or sauce. ... The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) (Quebec Office of the French language) was established on March 24, 1961 along with the Quebec ministry of Cultural affairs. ...

Poutine in politics

In a segment on the television series This Hour Has 22 Minutes during the 2000 American election, Rick Mercer convinced then-Governor of Texas George W. Bush that Canada's Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien, was named Jean Poutine and that he was supporting Bush's candidacy. A few years later when Bush made his first official visit to Canada, he joked during a speech, "There's a prominent citizen who endorsed me in the 2000 election, and I wanted a chance to finally thank him for that endorsement. I was hoping to meet Jean Poutine." The remark was met with laughter and applause. ^[7] This Hour Has 22 Minutes is a weekly Canadian television comedy that airs on CBC Television. ... The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between the Democratic candidate Al Gore versus the Republican candidate of George W. Bush. ... Richard Vincent Rick Mercer (born October 17, 1969 in St. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, usually known as Jean Chrétien, PC, QC, BA, BCL, LLD (h. ...

"Poutine", pronounced identically, also happens to be the French spelling of Russian president Vladimir Putin's surname, which has given rise to some jokes and wordplay.^[8] Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: ) (born October 7, 1952) is the current President of the Russian Federation. ...

Related dishes

While at first glance the dish may seem similar to American 'disco fries', poutine with melted cheese, shredded cheese, or cheese slices is not regarded as "genuine" poutine, which is served with curd cheese.

In New Brunswick, there is an earlier traditional Acadian dish known as poutine râpée, which is completely different from the "poutine québécoise". The Acadian poutine is a ball of grated and mashed potato, salted, filled with chicken or pork in the centre, and boiled. The result is a moist greyish ball about the size of a baseball. It is commonly eaten with salt and pepper or brown sugar. It is believed to have originated from the German Klöße, prepared by early German settlers who lived among the Acadians. Many other dishes, similar or not, are known by the same name. This article is about the Canadian province. ... The Acadians (French: Acadiens) are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia (located on the northern portion of North Americas east coast). ... The Acadian poutine is a ball of grated and mashed potato, salted, filled with chicken or pork in the centre, and boiled. ... Mashed potatoes. ... For other uses, see Pork (disambiguation). ... A baseball A baseball is a ball used primarily in the sport of the same name, baseball. ... Brown sugar typical of that bought in Western supermarkets Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses. ... Klöße (Semmelknödel) Klöße (German cuisine; singular: Kloß) are dumplings made from grated raw and/or mashed potatoes (called Kartoffelknödel) or dried bread with milk and egg yolks (called Semmelknödel). ...

Acadians of Western Nova Scotia feast on a similar dish which is called râpure, or rappie pie in English. The difference with the New Brunswick poutine râpée is that it is served flat, rather than in the shape of a ball. Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 11 Senate seats 10 Confederation July 1, 1867...

Chips and Gravy is a staple of the cheaper bistro style menus, in such places as Royal Canadian Legion and Workers Clubs, where the food offered would not be considered "fast food" but is still cheap and filling, especially for children. (The word “chips”, commonly referring in the United States to flat, crunchy slices of potato, can also be a synonym for “french fries”.) The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organisation (veterans organization) founded in 1925 with more than 400,000 members worldwide. ...

In the United Kingdom, especially in the Isle of Man, it is common to find "chips, cheese & gravy" for sale in a Chip shop or "chippy". This usually consists of brown gravy and grated mild Cheddar cheese. Fish and chips in wrapping paper Fish and chips is deep-fried fish in batter with deep-fried potatoes, and a popular take-away food. ... Country of origin England Region, town Somerset, Cheddar Source of milk Cows, rarely Goats Pasteurised Frequently Texture hard/semi-hard Aging time 3-30 months depending on variety Certification West Country farmhouse Cheddar Only: PDO Cheddar cheese is a hard, pale yellow to orange, sharp-tasting cheese originally (and still...

References

Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

External links

• Food Tangent: The Majesty of Poutine BrightestYoungThings.com overview of poutine and Chez Vachon in Manchester, NH
• The Poutine, She's Delicious, a brief irreverent history of the food
• Montrealpoutine.com, a poutine website with poutine restaurant ratings, recipes.
• Poutine Page A poutine enthusiast's webpage, including pictures and an overview of the poutine making process.
• Poutine on The News (1991), CBC News Report on Poutine
• montrealfood.com
• A Staple From Quebec, Embarrassing but Adored, New York Times Article on Poutine coming to New York City