French Canadian Food

Where can you find great French Canadian food? The truth is that although Canada is one of the most beautiful, vast, and exciting countries in the world, it has never been associated with a single type of cuisine or traditional food. On the contrary, Canada is celebrated for its diversity in terms of culture, language, people, and food varieties. In fact, Canadian food is influenced by its historical associations with France, England, and the United States, as well as by its large Chinese, Inuit, and Native American populations. Italian food is enormously popular in Canada, as are Indian, Greek, and Mexican food. In fact, one can say that Canada is a melting pot of cuisine, with no one distinguishing feature or character.

However there are certain regions of Canada strongly associated with French Canadian food where you are likely to find some French restaurants par excellence. If you're in the mood for French Canadian food, head to Quebec City or Montreal, home to the majority of Canada's French-speaking population. Statistically, about 3,720,000 Quebecois live in Montreal's metro area, making it world's second largest French-speaking city. According to the experts, Montreal has the most restaurants per capita with over 5,000 restaurants in the metro area. Among these restaurants, about 744 are said to feature French cuisine and traditional French dishes.

Tourtièrre

Here is a short list of some popular French Canadian food menu selections:

• French Onion Soup
• Split Pea Soup
• Tourtièrre (Traditional Quebec meat pie using beef or veal which is especially popular at Christmastime)
• Tourtière du Lac-Saint-Jean (Variation of tourtièrre pie, containing diced meat and potatoes)
• Pâté chinois (A French Canadian dish similar to Shepherd's pie, comprised of a layer of ground beef (often mixed with peppers and onions), covered with a layer of corn (optional mix of whole kernel and creamed corn), covered with a layer of mashed potatoes. The dish is sprinkled with paprika and baked in the oven)
• Poutine (French fries topped with cheese curds and covered with gravy)
• Butter tarts (Butter, sugar, and eggs in a pastry shell)
• Mousse au chocolat (Chocolate mousse)

If you visit the Old City of Montreal, you will enjoy walking along cobblestone streets, a view of the St. Lawrence River, and browsing through antique shops and trendy boutiques. Montreal has long been considered a romantic destination and weekend getaway for couples on their honeymoon or anniversary. Adding to the ambience are sidewalk cafés reminiscent of Paris, France, Victorian streetlamps and flowers, a lively nightlife, and plenty of art galleries and museums to explore. Finally, bringing the charm of 17th century French culture into the modern-day present, you will find many French bistros and restaurants specializing in French Canadian food.