Poutine, The Dream
POUTINE, pronounced "POO-TEEN", is a majestic Canadian masterpiece of food mixing. It's french fries topped with everything you desire in life: Gravy and Cheese. It may not be the most appetizing looking dish, but on the inside, it's a dish with feelings and a great personality. NY Times, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. It's so beautiful that I decided to write a poem about it.
Roses are Red
Poutine is not Poo
When I have it
I won't share any with you
As you can see, I have the propensity to be a poet but I chose to be a consultant instead. Anyways, poutine originated in Quebec, Canada, sometime in the 1950s. The word "poutine" means "mess". And, the dish really does look like a mess. So, I guess it makes sense to name it "poutine". In the most basic original recipe, poutine is made with french fries (of average thickness) drenched in fresh cheese curds (as opposed to regular cheese) and light gravy.
Cheese curds are different than regular cheese. In the cheesemaking process, milk is pasteurized to create whey and curds. Curds are taken out from the whey and pressed into a mold then cured/aged. Leftover whey is sold to body builders for those massive gains #noglutesnoglory. Besides that, cheese curds are full with milky flavor. It's great!
The gravy used is often light and chicken-based, rather than beef- or pork-based. The hot gravy is poured over the cold cheese and the fries. This helps in warming the cheese without completely melting it. If the cheese melts, the texture of your poutine gets all weird and confusing. Other variations of poutine can include the addition of bacon, sausage, truffle (YES), spices, or even foie gras.
FUN FACTS: In 2007, Poutine beat the BlackBerry as the 10th greatest Canadian inventions of all time according to CBC. Although poutine is considered a junk food, Chuck Hughes won Iron Chef and beat Bobby Flay with a lobster poutine in 2011. Don't underestimate this dish!
If you want to try poutine in New York City, use this link: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/the-best-poutine-dishes-in-nyc