I just got back from a wonderful holiday in Québec City. I stayed at the Chateau Frontenac, did some sightseeing, a little shopping and ate. Boy, did I eat.
When I go on vacation I like to take a “when in Rome” approach to things. Go where the locals go, shop where they shop and eat what and where they eat. In Québec however, you do this at your own peril. Don’t get me wrong, the food was delicious and reasonably priced but the Québecois must have arteries made out of teflon.
Par example:
Frites* and gravy
Frites and cheese curds
POUTINE
(are you seeing a theme here?)
Moules et Frites
Steak et Frites
Québecois Meat Pie (I don’t know what kind of meat I just know that it was HELLA good)
French Onion soup with Three Québec Cheeses
“Traditional” breakfast (eggs, beans, fried potatoes, ham, bacon AND sausage, big assed slabs of cheese, fresh fruit, toast with homemade jam and coffee that the angels themselves must have brewed)
Homemade Liver Pate with Onion Jam and fresh bread (droool)
Lobster in heavy cream with shallots and mushrooms
“All Dressed” potato chips
Onion Rings with Honey
little packages of cheese curds next to the register in the petrol station
and a filthy habit I picked up…
Frites avec Mayonnaise (sob)
I was going through cholesterol withdrawal today and “had” to get some fries. As I’m dumping them on a plate and salting them up I ask my Hubby for the mayo.
Hub:“For the chips**?”
Me:“Yeah”
H: “Why?”
I couldn’t help myself…
M: “Blame Canada”
In case there was any confusion
*French for fries
**Irish for fries
It’s the blandness of the mayo contrasting with the saltiness of the chips that makes it sooo good. Having said that, I think I’ll try it with some salad cream next time.
My dear, you have not SEEN hardened arteries à la québécoise. You need to come back in early Spring for SugarDope, when we visit an authentic cabane à sucre. Translation: everything has maple syrup on it. EVERYTHING.
This no doubt comes under “two peoples divided by a common language”, or “dumb question”, but –
What is salad cream?
I’ve heard the term before from across the Atlantic and have wondered off and on – some sort of salad dressing? If so, how is it different from other salad dressings?
That must have been tourtière. Here is a recipe . If thise one is not to your taste, just google “tourtiere” and I am sure you will find one that suits you.
Let me say that I had the best piece of beef I have had in my 60 plus years not in Quebec City but in Montreal – something called a rib steak in the basement of a converted warehouse hard by the river. Wonderful onion soup, too. It’s been at least 10 years ago but the very thought of that meal makes me salivate. It was during the Great Iroquois uprising and our hotel was ful of Quebec Security Policemen – how long ago was that?
matt_mcl: Is that an invitation? If so, I’ll probably have to clear it with a licensed physician.
Broomstick: Yea verily, TeaElle speaketh the truth. Salad cream is a condiment of the gods and very fricking hard to get.
Eats_Crayons: Where is that damn pukey smilie?
detop: Thank you so much for the recipe! Now I know what’s for next Sunday’s dinner.
rjk: I have been to Vancouver/Victoria and the food is astounding. But the Québecois seem to be a people after my own rapidly deteriorating heart. Extra cheese, cream and butter on anything that will sit still long enough? Meat and seafood coming out of your ears? Ahh, my culinary motherland. Now if they could just fix the hell that is the 440 leading to Dorval/Trudeau/whateverthehecktheyarecallingit, I’d move there tomorrow.
Das Glasperlenspiel: Welcome to the Dope! Race ya to the Bypass Ward!
Spavined Gelding: Excellent beef in Montreal but I have to admit that I’m rather partial to the steaks at Gibson’s in Chicago.