# Poutine as Canada's National Dish?



## CWS4322 (May 9, 2012)

Wendy's came up with an interesting way to get followers on Facebook--launched a "poutition" to make poutine Canada's national dish...wonder how many followers Wendy's has snagged with this advertising campaign? 

Poutition.ca


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## justplainbill (May 9, 2012)

Sounds like real 'health' food.  Good thing there is no Mayor Bloomberg type in Montreal.


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 9, 2012)

Ah yes, I sometimes tease Canadians about poutine.

Wikipedia says "Poutine is a French-Canadian dish of French fries and fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy or sauce. Sometimes additional ingredients are added."

It sounds kind of yucky to me...

The article goes on to say, "Poutine may also contain other ingredients such as beef, pulled pork or lamb. Atypically, the dish may also include additional ingredients such as lobster meat, rabbit confit, caviar, and truffles."

Okay now that sounds a bit interesting. It's a definite maybe whether I would try it with some additional ingredients.

Maybe Wendy's will snag some "followers" but I doubt that will translate into increased revenue. Poutine is a regional dish. It already failed the test of "going national" or "going international." It would have already spread if it had any potential.

It will be funny if 10 years from now they're serving it at all the major fast food chains in US. I guess I would have to eat my words... along with a helping of poutine!


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## CWS4322 (May 9, 2012)

I know that A&W, McDonald's, and other fast food joints serve poutine here. I don't know if chip wagons serve it in other provinces...they do in NB, so that would be three provinces. I can't remember poutine in NS, PEI (oh--lobster poutine...that won on Iron Chef or ?), but I think the chef was from M'treal. The secret is definitely in the gravy and the oil used to fry the fries, as well as how fresh the cheese curds are (St-Albert cheese curds, please). I like salsa-jalepeno peppers, curds on mine, as well as other variations. So, not always gravy. But then, poutine probably isn't any worse for you than deep fried dill pickles or deep-fried oreos...


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## bakechef (May 9, 2012)

Poutine, drool......


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 9, 2012)

The epicenter of poutine is in Quebec. Here in Los Angeles, arguably the far corner of North America, the vibrations will not even be felt. Poutine will never make it out of CA other than perhaps a bit of penetration into the US Northeast.  If you want to make poutine work in SoCal then you had better find a Latino tempo. It won't work here without salsa.


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## CWS4322 (May 9, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> The epicenter of poutine is in Quebec. Here in Los Angeles, arguably the far corner of North America, the vibrations will not even be felt. Poutine will never make it out of CA other than perhaps a bit of penetration into the US Northeast.  If you want to make poutine work in SoCal then you had better find a Latino tempo. It won't work here without salsa.


You can get Italian, Greek, Mexican (with Salsa), hamburger and onions, onion poutine, lobster poutine, the list goes on and on. And, once one is introduced to it, the sky's the limit as to where one takes it. Chorizo + salsa + that white Mexican cheese topped with some pickled jalapenos, maybe slivers of avocado...hmmm...I can taste it.


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 9, 2012)

Yeah but there's every other kind of food including pitas, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, etc. with onions, lobster, (and as you said the list goes on).

We are far from becoming a "poutine nation." Years from now I doubt if any but a few foodies and Canadians in Los Angeles will ever have heard of poutine.


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## buckytom (May 9, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> Ah yes, I sometimes tease Canadians about poutine.
> 
> Wikipedia says "Poutine is a French-Canadian dish of French fries and fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy or sauce. Sometimes additional ingredients are added."
> 
> It sounds kind of yucky to me...



what planet are you from, greg?


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## CWS4322 (May 10, 2012)

buckytom said:


> what planet are you from, greg?


I think it is a Canadian advertising campaign that is trying to make poutine to Canadians what apple pie is to Americans, I don't think the campaign includes L.A.

LP/Alix--is poutine available in the West? Last time I was out that way was before I was introduced to poutine.


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## Alix (May 10, 2012)

Um...YES! Trust me poutine is very available in every place you look. Its also been available in many of the US restaurants I've been in. I will admit that I'm a purist though. I like my poutine unadulterated by any add-ons. 

GG has admitted that he doesn't get to cook as much as he'd like so we'll just have to allow him his foibles about poutine. If he thinks it sounds yucky lets not try to hard to convince him otherwise, more for us. It seems to me that many folks who live in California have odd ideas about food.  Kadesma for instance. *giggling madly and running away*


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## Steve Kroll (May 10, 2012)

I suspect the real reason that poutine has never caught on in the US is twofold:

1. It _sounds _too French. The name means nothing to English speakers and the vast majority of people on this side of the border don't know what it is. With a name like poutine, it could contain weird things like goose livers or snails. Now if you simply called it "Gravy Cheese Fries," it would undoubtedly be a hit here.

2. Americans are secretly perturbed that we never thought of it first.


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 10, 2012)

Alix I'm sure I can find any number of things that others enjoy that you would consider yucky. Unless you're very unlike most forum members who post in those "who likes it? who hates it?" topics.

Steve makes a good point that some Americans would think "poutine" is too weird a word to want to try it, and furthermore French! Many Americans probably never tried quiche for the same reasons. (BTW I'm having quiche for brunch in a few minutes as soon as it's finished baking.)


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## buckytom (May 10, 2012)

a version of poutine has most certainly caught on in the u.s.. ever since i was a kid, one of the best drunken foods available in diners  at 3am was "disco" fries. french fries topped with gravy and melted cheese of your choice. not exactly a poutine without curds, but a close approximation.


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 10, 2012)

I'll take chili fries any day over that!


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## Andy M. (May 10, 2012)

I've never had poutine but it's decadent-sounding enough that I really would like to.  The only drawback is that the fries have to get soggy from the gravy and I don't like soggy fries (or other foods that are supposed to be crispy).


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## buckytom (May 10, 2012)

that's true, andy. the fries have to be extra crispy to begin with, and it has to be eaten quickly. best shared amongst drinking buddies.


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## CWS4322 (May 10, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> I've never had poutine but it's decadent-sounding enough that I really would like to.  The only drawback is that the fries have to get soggy from the gravy and I don't like soggy fries (or other foods that are supposed to be crispy).


I wasn't going to tell anyone I did this...but the last time I made poutine, I blanched the fries first, drained, and then dusted the fries in flour, dipped in beaten egg, and then coated them with Panko bread crumbs...(and used peanut oil) the fries stayed crispy, but that made this oh so calorie ladened addiction (yes, poutine is addictive--spring means chip wagons open and poutine is available roadside--the drooling starts when chip wagons put signs up re: opening dates) even more of a "so bad for you" food. Friends who have shared my poutine tell me I should open a chip stand...


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## 4meandthem (May 10, 2012)

I ate poutine for breakfast a couple times the last time I was in northern maine and liked it as a breakfast food just as much as any other time of day. The potatoes used in N Maine and probably the eastern side of Canada are very different than the russets we use for fries in the US.
More like red potato or a yukon gold. Maine-stays were what was farmed locally where I was staying.

I would say it is one of the most popular dishes we saw. Everybody had it available for breakfast lunch or dinner.

I don't remember seeing in on the west coast of Canada when we vacationed in Victoria but I wasn't looking for it either.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 10, 2012)

I want some poutine...


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## CWS4322 (May 10, 2012)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I want some poutine...


Gotcha! Once you try it, you can't go back...be very, very careful...I'm  thinking there is a possibility to make a poutine pie...in the pie maker...hello, mother ship, do you read me?


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 10, 2012)

Already crispy fries in the bottom, cheese curds, gravy, top with more crispy fries, bake until cheese gets a bit melty.  Yum!  Sell them to unsuspecting Canadians...


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 10, 2012)

How about serving those crispy fries with Beef Stroganoff over them? I know I'm being rash here, but I got the idea on the Internet and tried it, and it totally works! (I read on the Internet that this recipe may be served over French fries in Russia, although I have no way to check that for veracity).

But it works.


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## Andy M. (May 10, 2012)

So the idea of french fries drenched in gravy isn't yucky in some cases.


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 10, 2012)

It's the cheese curds that puke me. I love French fries! Gravy? Seems like it should go with something other than the side dish. That's why I like the idea of adding meat or fowl to this recipe. Get some protein in that. There's other food groups than starches and fats.


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## 4meandthem (May 10, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> It's the cheese curds that puke me. I love French fries! Gravy? Seems like it should go with something other than the side dish. That's why I like the idea of adding meat or fowl to this recipe. Get some protein in that. There's other food groups than starches and fats.


 
The cheese curds are like squeeky cheese. pea size and a little larger that don't completly mely when the scalding hot brown gravy is ladled on top. the ones i have had have been more like jack or mozzerela curds.
Try it with an 8% beer like blue dry and your good to go. Carb overload but a real treat!


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 10, 2012)

I'm a wine enthusiast. "We'll serve no wine before its time" and the right time is dinner! "A dinner without wine is like a day without sunshine."


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

Well, where they can't get curds, they use grated mozz...not the same...but the curds/cheese melt as you eat the poutine, so they don't really squeak...it is that melted cheese in the gravy that is so addictive...drool...I want poutine....darn, no potatoes in the house...have to put that turkey gravy back in the freezer....shouldn't have started this thread--I want poutine!!


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## taxlady (May 11, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> It's the cheese curds that puke me. I love French fries! Gravy? Seems like it should go with something other than the side dish. That's why I like the idea of adding meat or fowl to this recipe. Get some protein in that. There's other food groups than starches and fats.


Do you know what cheese curds are?


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## Andy M. (May 11, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> ...Get some protein in that. There's other food groups than starches and fats.



Protein.  That's where the cheese curds come in...


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> Protein.  That's where the cheese curds come in...


The beef stroganoff version would be similar to the one with hamburger and onions...and, some people add either vinegar or ketchup and black pepper to garnish poutine after getting their orders.


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Already crispy fries in the bottom, cheese curds, gravy, top with more crispy fries, bake until cheese gets a bit melty.  Yum!  Sell them to unsuspecting Canadians...


You gonna try it?


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## Steve Kroll (May 11, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> It's the cheese curds that puke me.


Actually, that's the part that sounds good to me. I don't eat fries, and gravy doesn't really float my boat. 

I do love salty, squeaky cheese curds, though they have to be VERY fresh. I'm talking a day or two old, tops. I've only seen the super fresh ones over in Wisconsin. Even here in Minnesota, they are often weeks old by the time they hit the store shelves - which means they don't have much squeak left in them and they're more like shriveled little misshapen cheese nuggets.


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## LPBeier (May 11, 2012)

I would agree to this ONLY if we start getting more real cheese curds here on the west coast.  I have started seeing them in the stores more and more but I used to have to go to the specialty markets.  And many restaurants don't use them (I am not just talking fast food, either).

I love a good poutine and I love that it is Canadian - the first time I had it was in Hull, Quebec on a business trip.  I loved it but have not found many here that measure up!


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

LPBeier said:


> I would agree to this ONLY if we start getting more real cheese curds here on the west coast.  I have started seeing them in the stores more and more but I used to have to go to the specialty markets.  And many restaurants don't use them (I am not just talking fast food, either).
> 
> I love a good poutine and I love that it is Canadian - the first time I had it was in Hull, Quebec on a business trip.  I loved it but have not found many here that measure up!


There's definitely s/thing special about fresh (same day) St. Albert cheese curds. Luckily, St. Albert's is only about 40 minutes from the farm and the next town over from the place that sells organic chicken feed. Most of the local places use St. Albert's cheese curds...even the gas stations sell these fresh curds!


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

Steve Kroll said:


> Actually, that's the part that sounds good to me. I don't eat fries, and gravy doesn't really float my boat.
> 
> I do love salty, squeaky cheese curds, though they have to be VERY fresh. I'm talking a day or two old, tops. I've only seen the super fresh ones over in Wisconsin. Even here in Minnesota, they are often weeks old by the time they hit the store shelves - which means they don't have much squeak left in them and they're more like shriveled little misshapen cheese nuggets.


Steve, you might want to try poutine with a Mexican twist--salsa, chorizo, jalapenos, topped with grated Mexican cheese (I can't get it here, I buy it when I go to the States--I know it when I see it, but can't remember what it is called) or, hope across the border to WI and get fresh curds.


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## Andy M. (May 11, 2012)

CWS4322 said:


> Steve, you might want to try poutine with a Mexican twist--salsa, chorizo, jalapenos, topped with grated Mexican cheese (I can't get it here, I buy it when I go to the States--I know it when I see it, but can't remember what it is called) or, hope across the border to WI and get fresh curds.




I'm admittedly not a poutine expert but when does it stop being poutine and start being something else like french fry nachos.


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## taxlady (May 11, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> I'm admittedly not a poutine expert but when does it stop being poutine and start being something else like french fry nachos.


I'm not sure, but if there are fries, and cheese curds, and some sort of sauce, it's poutine.

I had Poutine in a small town back in the early '80s. I had never heard of them before and they were already selling two kinds. The regular poutine with gravy and the "Poutine Italienne", made with pasta sauce. That was before most Montrealers had heard of poutine and it comes from Quebec.


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## Alix (May 11, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> Alix I'm sure I can find any number of things that others enjoy that you would consider yucky. Unless you're very unlike most forum members who post in those "who likes it? who hates it?" topics.


GG...good luck with that. I was gently teasing you sir. Please disregard my comments otherwise. 

OK, now as for the poutine thing...I've made mine with mozza, monterey jack and other white cheeses, but honestly, those cheese curds are the BEST to use. OM NOM NOM.


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 11, 2012)

No problem. I probably should not have made any comments about this dish not appealing to me. Sorry.


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## Addie (May 11, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> Alix I'm sure I can find any number of things that others enjoy that you would consider yucky. Unless you're very unlike most forum members who post in those "who likes it? who hates it?" topics.
> 
> Steve makes a good point that some Americans would think "poutine" is too weird a word to want to try it, and furthermore French! Many Americans probably never tried quiche for the same reasons. (BTW I'm having quiche for brunch in a few minutes as soon as it's finished baking.)


 
To these American ears, the word "poutine" sounds like an activity that best happen in the outhouse.


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## Addie (May 11, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> So the idea of french fries drenched in gravy isn't yucky in some cases.


 
In Texas we always got our FF with gravy e.i. highly seasoned white sauce. And I didn't even know I was eating poutine?


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## Addie (May 11, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> It's the cheese curds that puke me. I love French fries! Gravy? Seems like it should go with something other than the side dish. That's why I like the idea of adding meat or fowl to this recipe. Get some protein in that. *There's other food groups than starches and fats*.


 
Not in my world!


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 11, 2012)

And BTW when I said protein I had meat or chicken in mind. I didn't stop to think that protein comes from other places than animals. This is just a case of meaning one thing and typing something else.


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## Alix (May 11, 2012)

Addie said:


> In Texas we always got our FF with gravy e.i. highly seasoned white sauce. And I didn't even know I was eating poutine?



Unless you had cheese under the gravy you weren't. The cheese an integral part of the dish. I'm not sure, but I think the gravy used is usually a pretty dark gravy, not a white sauce per se. 

You'd like poutine Addie, all the really BAD things for you that taste oh so good! We'd get you munching again in a heartbeat.


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

Alix said:


> Unless you had cheese under the gravy you weren't. The cheese an integral part of the dish. I'm not sure, but I think the gravy used is usually a pretty dark gravy, not a white sauce per se.
> 
> You'd like poutine Addie, all the really BAD things for you that taste oh so good! We'd get you munching again in a heartbeat.


Poutine "sauce" is supposed to be 1/2 beef gravy + 1/2 chicken gravy. Personally, I prefer turkey gravy on poutine (and that's what I use when I make poutine at home--add the bits of turkey....yum!), but the gjetost poutine I made with lingonberry-beef gravy was really, really good...All this discussion about poutine has me craving poutine!


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## Greg Who Cooks (May 11, 2012)

Okay now that you're adding turkey I'm starting to perk up a bit.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 11, 2012)

Yes, I'm going to buy some french fry's this weekend, some cheese curds and make some beef gravy.  I'm going to try Poutine Pies and love the heck out of it.  Should top off the diet from heck that I have had this past week.


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Yes, I'm going to buy some french fry's this weekend, some cheese curds and make some beef gravy.  I'm going to try Poutine Pies and love the heck out of it.  Should top off the diet from heck that I have had this past week.


+1 
But PF, be forewarned, it may become something you crave on a regular basis...


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 11, 2012)

CWS4322 said:


> +1
> But PF, be forewarned, it may become something you crave on a regular basis...



I'll buy more...we already get cheese curds weekly.  Little place up the valley makes them fresh.  Their garlic and chive curds are Da Bomb.


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'll buy more...we already get cheese curds weekly.  Little place up the valley makes them fresh.  Their garlic and chive curds are Da Bomb.


There's nothing stopping you from using the garlic and chive curds...I can see posts for the poutine-variations for mini pies now!


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## Claire (Jul 2, 2012)

OK, sorry, but tourtiere, tourtiere, tourtiere.  I'm doing a DC revolution.  Tourtiere!


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## Andy M. (Jul 2, 2012)

Claire said:


> OK, sorry, but tourtiere, tourtiere, tourtiere.  I'm doing a DC revolution.  Tourtiere!



Poutine is a year-round dish while tourtiere is more around the holidays.


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## Claire (Jul 3, 2012)

Yeah, I know, but some one has to mix it up!  LOL!  I don't think we ever had tourtiere besides Christmas Eve, after midnight mass.  My father's family tradition.  Mom said her family always had it as a midnight meal on New Years Eve.  When we visited Quebec, it was on some Sunday brunch buffets, which it is ideally suited for.  I know many France-French friends (my family is, please forget the canned spaghetti connotation, Franco-American) who'd never heard of it.  Then one French friend just wowed at the concept, a childhood favorite.  Her daughter and I got into a sort of contest for who could make the best tourtiere.  Then my sibs started calling me every Christmas holiday to talk them through making my version of it, which is leaner and the family favorite.

Now I make it for .... well, whenever.  It really is a great dish for a buffet, especially a brunch buffet.


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## Andy M. (Jul 3, 2012)

Claire said:


> Yeah, I know, but some one has to mix it up!  LOL!  I don't think we ever had tourtiere besides Christmas Eve, after midnight mass.  My father's family tradition.  Mom said her family always had it as a midnight meal on New Years Eve.  When we visited Quebec, it was on some Sunday brunch buffets, which it is ideally suited for.  I know many France-French friends (my family is, please forget the canned spaghetti connotation, Franco-American) who'd never heard of it.  Then one French friend just wowed at the concept, a childhood favorite.  Her daughter and I got into a sort of contest for who could make the best tourtiere.  Then my sibs started calling me every Christmas holiday to talk them through making my version of it, which is leaner and the family favorite.
> 
> Now I make it for .... well, whenever.  It really is a great dish for a buffet, especially a brunch buffet.



I haven't made it in a long time.  I think it's time when the weather cools a bit.


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## Claire (Jul 3, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> I haven't made it in a long time.  I think it's time when the weather cools a bit.



Yeah, it definitely is a cooler weather dish.  Has anyone else ever heard of the tradition of eating it with beets?  For some reason that was a tradition in both my parents' families.


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## taxlady (Jul 3, 2012)

Claire said:


> Yeah, it definitely is a cooler weather dish.  Has anyone else ever heard of the tradition of eating it with beets?  For some reason that was a tradition in both my parents' families.


Yup, I think that's pretty standard here in Quebec.


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## Andy M. (Jul 3, 2012)

Claire said:


> Yeah, it definitely is a cooler weather dish.  Has anyone else ever heard of the tradition of eating it with beets?  For some reason that was a tradition in both my parents' families.




If I can get SO to eat a tourtiere for dinner, I can serve her beets.  That will have to satisfy the tradition as I won't eat the things.


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## Claire (Jul 3, 2012)

Husband LOVES tourtiere, I first made it for him when we first married.  However, he claims to hate beets, and in my family one goes with the other!  I excuse him from the beet thing, but he insists on sticking with tradition and having at least a bite?

How do you fix your beets?


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## Andy M. (Jul 3, 2012)

Claire said:


> Husband LOVES tourtiere, I first made it for him when we first married.  However, he claims to hate beets, and in my family one goes with the other!  I excuse him from the beet thing, but he insists on sticking with tradition and having at least a bite?
> 
> How do you fix your beets?



I don't cook them often as I don't like them.  Last time I roasted them.  SO sometimes opens a can of baby beets.


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## buckytom (Jul 3, 2012)

claire, your hubby might like a real macho, eastern european version of beets: beets grated with fresh horseradish. 

it's sinus clearing hot, and depending on the ratio, you might not taste the beets.


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## Claire (Jul 3, 2012)

Definitely worth a try, as he wouldn't even taste the beets.  I've seen "red" horseradish in stores, made with a bit of beet to color it.  For some reason I thought that product was a Jewish thing.  Maybe I had it at a Passover dinner I was invited to attend.


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