Canada Food & Drinks
Food
Due to the country’s diverse cultural influences, including English, French, Indigenous, and waves of immigration from across the globe, Canadian cuisine is difficult to define. Canadians enjoy a variety of flavours with international origins, but there are still some food staples that can be considered distinctly Canadian.
The country’s vast landscapes allow for bountiful farming opportunities, bringing forth a high quality of fresh produce and flavourful wines from the Okanagan Valley to Niagara. Along the west coast, seafood such as Pacific salmon, both fresh and smoked, is the name of the game. On the east coast, lobster joins the mix, accumulating in buttery Nova Scotian lobster rolls. In Canada’s interior, beef has been a long-time favourite in Alberta, and the prairies bring forth bundles of wheat to be made into bread. Quebec has its signature French-Canadian style, which constitutes the majority of Canada’s most recognizable dishes.
Popular dishes (i.e. poutine, maple syrup, include 2-3 more)
Poutine: A favourite across Quebec, poutine is Canada’s signature dish. This French-Canadian creation consists of a plate of fries topped with gravy and cheese curds which “squeak” when eaten.
Maple syrup: This sweet syrup is harvested from the sap of maple trees, which can be found most notably across Ontario and Quebec. Experience it for yourself at a sugar shack, where you can learn how maple syrup goes from tree to table.
Bannock: This basic round fry bread was part of the staple diet for many Indigenous tribes, early settlers, and fur trappers.
Butter tarts: If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love biting into a gooey butter tart, a flaky pastry shell filled with butter, sugar, and egg that fuse together in a sweet creation.
Peameal bacon: Unlike its thin crisp American counterpart, Canadian bacon is thick, chewy, and dipped in cornmeal, giving it a notable yellow cover that will stay in your memory.
Drink
Due to favourable growing conditions, Canadians enjoy high-quality and variety of drinks. Ontario and British Columbia are home to Canada’s largest wine-producing regions, famous for Niagara icewines and the lush grapes of the Okanagan. Canadian whisky is perhaps the country’s best-known spirit, distilled with flavourful rye grain. The Bloody Caesar is Canada’s national cocktail, consisting of vodka, a caesar mix, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce served in a large salt-rimmed glass with lime and celery. Beer is widely available with a number of notable domestic labels and craft breweries found across the country. With the world’s largest reserves of freshwater, tap water is safe and encouraged to drink in Canada.
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