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POUTINE COUTURE
Written by Mary Karin Ng
Photography by Shawn Hughes
What is it about poutine that draws die-hard followers to seek out and then post, blog, and discuss establishments with the best product?
A dish of fries, usually medium-cut, topped with gravy and cheese curds, poutine has a large, discerning group of followers. Every part of the dish is dissected and openly critiqued and debated, pitting the traditionalists against the more avant-garde.
Quintessentially Canadian, poutine has its roots in Quebec, but the exact origin remains contested. The predominant origin story describes the birth in Warwick, Quebec, 1957, when Fernand Lachance responded to a customer who ordered fries and cheese curds with: “ça va faire une maudite poutine”. (That’s going to make a damn mess!) The gravy was supposedly added to keep the fries warm. (Another version names Jean-Paul Roy who allegedly created it in 1964 at his restaurant Le Roy Jucep).
Regardless of the exact origin, its popularity snowballed with large, mainstream chains, like McDonalds and Harveys, offering the dish, and it has enjoyed resurgence in recent years, rising from its roots in diners and roadside trucks, to bar-raising fine dining establishments. Richly flavoured stock reductions and the addition of more decadent items like duck confit, braised shank, or foie gras brings poutine to a different level (and price point).
Its unwavering appeal is further confirmed by the recent opening of poutine-exclusive restaurants in Toronto. With menus boasting a range of combinations, the possibilities widen significantly. We’ve landed somewhere between grassroots and haute cuisine. Perhaps this speaks to a growing movement in the Toronto food scene of simple, enduring comfort foods.
The exact appeal may remain elusive to some, but Torontonian poutine lovers rejoice! You may no longer have to travel 504 km to Montreal to get your fill of poutine, but as far as all the hype goes, you’ll have to try out what’s on offer and decide for yourself. No doubt the discussions and debates will continue.
Cheese Curd Primer
In cheese making, curds are produced when milk is combined with rennet or some other acid, causing the milk to coagulate or curdle. The remaining liquid portion is the whey. The curds are typically pressed to make blocks of cheese. The fresh cheese curds used for poutine are usually cheddar.
Cheese curds aficionados rank it on one of its unique characteristics: squeakiness, the unusual sound made against the teeth when chewed. The fresher the curd, the “squeakier” it is said to be, with the most squeak within 12 hours of production.
A listing of TO spots offering poutine, from home-style to high-end:
Smoke’s Poutinerie
218 Adelaide St. W. Main Floor
Poutini’s House of Poutine
1112 Queen St. W.
Gilead Café
4 Gilead Place
Café du Lac
2350 Lakeshore Blvd. W
With a profusion of poutine options in Toronto, we decided to speak to the latest contender - Poutini House of Poutine to get their take on the poutine scene. This is what Katherine Laliberté had to say:
What makes your poutine different?
We wanted to make a really good poutine from simple, natural ingredients. Everything (except the cheese curds) is homemade from all-natural ingredients (we get the curds from Maple Dale Cheese Farms) and we use biodegradable utensils and containers to make less of an impact on the environment.
Why did you decide to open a restaurant that only serves poutine?
We wanted to specialize in one product so we could make it really well and keep it affordable.
What's the biggest challenge in creating a Quebec-style poutine in Toronto?
It's been said that a person's favorite James Bond portrayal is the one they first saw. Similarly, a person's favorite poutine is usually the one they first tasted. Our biggest challenge is living up to, and hopefully exceeding, those first experiences.
Interview by Rick T.
