do you know poutine (2024)

FAQs

Do you know poutine? ›

Poutine is an absolutely divine dish composed of fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy. Though it's not officially Canada's national food (this is actually the subject of some contention), it might as well be.

Also unclear is the origin of the word by which the dish is known. Some assert that poutine is related to the English word pudding, but a more popular etymology is that it's from a Quebecois slang word meaning "mess." The dish has in recent years been making inroads on American menus.

Poutine (Quebec French: [put͡sɪn]) is a dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a brown gravy. It emerged in Quebec in the late 1950s in the Centre-du-Québec region, though its exact origins are uncertain, and there are several competing claims regarding its invention.

History of Poutine

The dish started becoming popular in the U.S. during the late 1970s, although it was called "disco fries" in America. The dish was popular in New Jersey and New York, and it was usually consumed after a long night of partying and dancing, hence the "disco" in the name.

poutine, a Canadian dish made of french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. It first appeared in 1950s rural Québec snack bars and was widely popularized across Canada and beyond in the 1990s. Poutine may be found everywhere from fine dining menus at top restaurants to fast-food chains.

Even though its literal meaning is “prostitute”, today “putain” is without a doubt the most used French curse word and is used like English speakers use the F word. You can use it in almost every situation!

Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the gravy. All-purpose flour: Equal parts flour and butter are combined to create a roux. This is what makes the gravy so thick and creamy! Beef broth: Use reduced sodium beef broth to prevent an overly salty gravy.

Not much healthier, but some. The French fries are loaded with fat from the cooking oil and near useless carbohydrates; the gravy probably has too much fat in it; there's likely too much salt in the dish; but the cheese curds do have some nutritional value.

Legend has it the dish emerged in the 1950s or '60s, when a restaurant combined the ingredients on a lark by customer request. The idea has spread pretty much everywhere; as junky drunk food, it just makes good sense.

At this point, the milk is legally pasteurized. (Raw or unpasteurized milk is banned in the United States, but luckily, cheese curds are 100 percent legal!)

What does poutine taste like? ›

So what does this combination of fries, gravy and cheese taste like? No surprise here, but it's delicious! The french fries provide crispness and saltiness—two must-haves for any savory snack. The cheese is mellow and creamy.

Poutine is usually enjoyed as a main or as a side dish. Eat it with some roasted veggies, a side salad, or some freshly baked dinner rolls.

The Canadian Costco food court also apparently offers poutine, the popular Quebec entree of french fries covered in cheese curds and gravy. The American Costco food court doesn't offer fries at all, which came as a surprise to several Canadian Redditors.

It is simultaneously familiar (everyone knows and loves french fries, with a sauce to dip them in) and new (adding the twist of a seductive squeak against the tooth from that fresh cheese curd). It is also cheap, filling and infinitely adaptable, especially upmarket (well, you can't very well take it down).

You want it in chunks so it doesn't melt completely. Don't be skimpy. Some cheese curds are the size of my baby finger. That's part of the poutine experience – the chunks of warm, softened cheese and shredded just won't cut it because it melts completely and mixes in with the gravy.

The national dish of Canada right here in the Northwoods. A full basket of fries, Wisconsin cheese curds, smothered in brown gravy.

Poutine is an absolutely divine dish composed of fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy. Though it's not officially Canada's national food (this is actually the subject of some contention), it might as well be.

The restaurant next door had some of the best poutine in Montreal. I have some poutine gravy mix, and now I need cheese curds to make real poutine. Poutine is a popular fast food, especially in Quebec.