Cooking like a local in Canada

Nice thought Priscilla! But aside from Quebec, which has a distinct cuisine with a culinary history stretching back many centuries, with a few famous immigrant additions since the late 1800s, Canada does not have a noted cuisine of its own. Some would say that this is caused by the British heritage, but I think it reflects attitudes that Canada is very proud of. These are important for you to understand.

The point is that Canada does not believe, as our southern neighbors and so many other countries, that we are a "melting pot" for immigrants to jump into and become like everyone else. No. We have opted for something we call multi-culturalism. We want a society made up of culturally varied people. We encourage you to retain your culture and display it along with all the others we have.

One can eat extremely well in Canada. You will find the available ingredients are awe-inspiring. But the amazing thing is the variety and the spreading skills people like yourself bring with them. The restaurant choices in major cities is staggering. Not only other national cuisines but even their regional specialties as well.

So your existing talents will simply make everything better for all of us.  And you will benefit from discovering many new cultures, not merely one.

Alec Inglis wrote:

But aside from Quebec, which has a distinct cuisine with a culinary history stretching back many centuries...

An amusing story. We spent a few days visiting downtown Quebec City last month. Was surprised by the large number of local restaurants that served ITALIAN FOOD versus the few handful that served FRENCH (or FRENCH-CANADIAN) food. Indeed, within walking distance of the landmark Fairmont Le Château Frontenac hotel, we found only ONE genuine French restaurant (Brasserie Française chez Jules).

AH! Though it is beautiful and the only living city in North America declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Quebec is a tourist destination. For the most part, tourist preferences dictate the menus in the tourist spots. You were in the epicenter of that crowd. Without research, you will have the same disappointing experience in the Old City as you would in Venice. In Venice, one is wiser to take the ferry if you wish to easily find local food prepared properly.

Only the finest Quebecois chefs can survive serving food that is daily fare in a Quebec house. After all, why would anyone spend on food that is regular home cooking?

It is apparently too late, but it would have been an easy matter for you to get advice here for more sophisticated dining either in Montreal or Quebec City.  (Montreal is the more cosmopolitan of the two.) Club Chas et Peche, Joe Beef, Daniel & Raphaël Vézina, Toqué!, Pied de Cochon, Verses, Julien Ouillette, Chez Claudette...the list is endless. And if you are prudent enough to call ahead you can dine at Restaurant de l'Institut located in the prestigious Institut de Tourisme et d'hotellerie de Quebec's Hotel de l'Institut where young talent from everywhere work and study for years to obtain their treasured Bachelor's degree in cuisine.

But as I noted., a passion for food should not be restricted to one cuisine. Immigrants have gloriously stamped Canada with their imprimatur for centuries. There is a 3 block stretch on the Main where one can buy any of 286 different sausages from score of cultures!

There are many regional differences in cuisine, as our country is so large. There are specifically French -Canadian recipes, Maritime recipes, Prairie recipes and West Coast recipes they will also vary from area to area in each region. Many of these feature adaptations of classics from the settlers that came for all over the world and settled in different areas. We also have a rediscovered passion for aboriginal cuisine, which was nearly lost due to the near decimation of the original inhabitants. Thankfully, some of the traditions and flavours have been (miraculously) passed down and we can all appreciate their beauty and deliciousness.

As others have already noted, our best "food" is the diverse selection of foods from other cultures/countries and people. We are masters at "fusion" cooking, taking the things we love about another country's food and fusing it with local ingredients, to create mouth watering hybrids that become legendary.

Canada is the number 1 source of maple syrup in the world (REAL maple syrup, not pancake syrup...they're completely different...if you're Canadian)  and our syrup is featured in many "Canadian" dishes. (Cedar plank salmon with maple syrup glaze, for example.) Another specialty (fairly) unique to Canada is ice-wine, or, as I like to call it, nectar of the Gods.

Every city and town has something that they specialize in and every stop is a new experience for your mouth. We have something for everyone. (Did I mention that Canada is the largest consumer of Kraft Dinner, in the world? It's not all gourmet! We formally apologize to Italy for this blatant destruction of something beautiful from their country. But, I still eat it and love it.) From lobster/oysters/mussels (potatoes, too) in the Maritimes, to beef/wheat/corn from the prairies, wild salmon on the west coast (it's almost spot prawn season there!)  and all the incredible products available, you have to be adventurous to truly appreciate and take on the idea of "Canadian" cuisine.