1. Bannock
A satisfying quick bread steeped in Canadian history, basic bannock is flour,
water and butter (or lard) that is shaped into a disc and baked, fried or cooked
over a fire until golden. It may have come with Scottish fur traders in the 18thcentury, or a First Nations version made of corn, nuts and starchy roots could
have influenced European settlers, who changed the recipe to include wheat
flour. Either way, this easy-to-make bread sustained families and travellers alike
through the harsh winter months and is still enjoyed across our great land today.
2. Nanaimo Bars
There are as many origin stories for these three-layer bars as there are recipe
variations. One thing is for sure, though: Nanaimo bars are named after the city
in British Columbia. The creamy, custardy centre is what sets Nanaimo bars
apart from the buttercream-filled New York slice—both have a smooth chocolate
topping and a rich graham cracker crust. You can personalize any of the layers
or turn the bars into a completely different dessert, but their B.C. heritage still
shines through.
3. Maple Syrup
Canada produces 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup, so we reign supreme
when it comes to this sweet treat. We love it so much that we even made the
sugar maple our national tree! Luckily for us, it is a versatile ingredient—you can
add a touch of maple goodness to just about any dish you can imagine, from
salads to cakes to roasts. Learn how Canada’s liquid gold goes from tree to table.
4. Saskatoon Berries
The city of Saskatoon was named after these abundant summer berries—not the
other way around! Saskatoons were a main ingredient in pemmican, a
dried-meat dish that historically nourished First Nations peoples, voyageurs and
explorers through the freezing winter months. Sweet and juicy with an
almond-like flavour, they are related to apples and continue to ripen once
picked. Swap fresh or frozen saskatoons for blueberries in any recipe.
5. Caesars
A proud Calgary invention, the Caesar was the brainchild of Italian-born
bartender Walter Chell. Legend has it that in 1969, Chell adapted his beloved
pasta with clam sauce into this zesty tomato-clam juice cocktail spiked with
vodka. The Caesar immediately became hot, hot, hot nationwide—and now it’s
often called Canada’s national cocktail. Today’s Caesars are sometimes crowned
with over-the-top garnishes, such as spring rolls or lobster tails.
6. Ketchup Chips
Since the 1970s, Canadians have eaten tons of these crunchy chips. While both
Canadian and American companies have laid claim to the original recipe, this
addictive, finger-staining snack has been wholeheartedly embraced in the Great
White North. These days it’s tough to find a chip with the same zippy flavour
outside our borders. Crumbled ketchup chips are amazing sprinkled over baked
squash, fried eggs and popcorn.
7. Montreal Smoked Meat
This salty, smoky deli beef is a Canadian sandwich superstar, best slathered with
mustard and sandwiched in rye bread. Montreal smoked meat is dry-rubbed
with more garlic and savoury spices than its sweeter deli cousin, pastrami,
before being smoked, steamed and sliced. Think beyond the sandwich and bring
Montreal smoked meat’s intense flavours to salads, tacos and appetizers.
8. Poutine
Warm, gooey and indulgent, the famous Canadian snack of fries, cheese curds
and gravy is now adored the world over. It debuted in rural Quebec snack bars in
the 1950s and found its way onto Canada-wide fast-food menus by the late
1980s. While poutine purists insist on cheese curds made in eastern Quebec,today’s poutine variations are endless, featuring everything from extravagant
foie gras toppers to homemade oven-fry bases.
