Cuisine and Culture: Savoring Canada's Legendary Staples
Canadian cuisine has been around for over 150 years and you’ll see how traditional dishes can vary depending on cultural influence from coast to coast! From French-Canadian influences in Quebec to more a Euro-Jewish heavy influence in Montreal, you’ll gain a sense of how culture and local staples intertwine across Canada.
Canadian cuisine has been around for over 150 years and you’ll see how traditional dishes can vary depending on cultural influence from coast to coast! From French-Canadian influences in Quebec to more a Euro-Jewish heavy influence in Montreal, you’ll gain a sense of how culture and local staples intertwine across Canada.
Let’s uncover a few of these dishes and their importance to Canadian history!
Sugar Rush
During past programs where EdOdyssey has visited Canada with students, the maple syrup experience has given students unforgettable insight into the production of one of Canada’s staple items! Students visited a local sugar shack to learn how maple syrup is first collected, and got to better understand why the maple leaf earned its place on the country’s flag. These sugar shacks are very popular attractions, especially during early spring in Quebec, when there is plenty of fresh maple to taste (Alston-O’Connor 30)!
According to Taste of Home, “Quebec produces an astounding amount of syrup each year: 7,989,000 gallons”. In order to produce one gallon of maple syrup, 40 gallons of maple sap needs to be boiled down in sugar shacks.
Interested in a sweet experience? The tire d’érable (or maple taffy) is a candy prepared “by pouring boiling maple syrup over snow...You’re then meant to roll it up with a popsicle stick and enjoy immediately” (Guan).
Nanaimo bar - Photo by Alan Levine, Flickr
One of Canada’s favorite desserts, nanaimo bars, were founded in the 1950s in British Columbia. This no-bake, irresistible dessert bars consist of rich “crumb mixture, vanilla-flavoured butter icing, and melted chocolate” (Lev). Additionally, the Giant Jos Louis Cake, features a giant red velvet cake sandwich “filled with a creamy marshmallow layer with a milk chocolate coating” (Furdyk).
Butter tarts, a sweet dish in Canada, are made of pastry shells filled with butter, sugar, egg, and syrup. This is an example of traditional Canadian cuisine, some believe it can be traced back to the 1600s, while others think it resembles sugar pies in Quebec or pecan pies in the U.S. (Lev).
Photo by Daveynin, Flickr
Beavertails, which is flat cinnamon deep-fried dough, has an interesting name for such a delicious treat. Though it might not be traditional cuisine, it’s popularity has risen over the years. Various toppings like Nutella, peanut butter, and candies are quite popular to include on top. BeaverTails were first introduced in 1978 in Ontario by a husband and wife, and got its name from the dough resembling the tail of a beaver.
Infinite Ingredients in Poutine
Poutine, the world-famous Quebecois dish made of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy is multifaceted for locals and tourists alike. This starchy and feel-good order can be consumed as a late-night meal, afternoon snack, or anywhere in between!
Curry Poutine - Photo by Danielle Scott, Flickr
Over time, the traditional poutine has transformed and morphed with an even wider variety of foods and purposes. Restaurants now are even featuring poutine in creative ways, such as breakfast poutines (with roasted potatoes and eggs), curry poutine (substitute the gravy for curry), and iced poutine (replacing the traditional dish for chocolate wafers, syrup, and ice cream) (Fabien-Ouellet 40).
Poutine - Photo by Joe Shlabotnik, Flickr
Poutine has even started being offered as a dish at higher-end restaurants, especially in Montreal’s fine dining scene since the early 2000s, and the dish is even celebrated in “annual poutine festivals held in places like Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago, New Hampshire, and Quebec” (Fabien-Ouellet 34).
Did you know that poutine is considered a social dish?
This is meant to be eaten with others, which is why it’s common to see large portion sizes supplied with a multitude of forks (Fabien-Ouellet 30)! Speaking of social settings, the White House Chef in 2016 served poutine during the first State Dinner between President Obama and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau (Fabien-Ouellet 28).
Each poutinerie (poutine store) offers its own distinctive flavors, which means that each poutine experience varies! This makes the tasting not only unpredictable, but also intriguing!
Regional Dishes
French Canadian traditional foods, such as poutine, maple syrup, ham and pea soup, and tourtiere (meat pie) are rich and common to find in Quebec (Cadesky). Additionally, natives of Canada on the East Coast feast on all sorts of seafood, and the additional donair, “a shaved hot dog, served with a sweet milk and garlic sauce (it also comes as a pizza)” is in the same family as a classic kebab (Cadesky). Within the seafood scene on the East Coast, lobsters are famously found on a plethora of menus, the Nova Scotian lobster rolls in particular are a Canadian favourite (Guan).
Montreal features a unique deli-style tradition, due to the large community of Jewish influence in the city, and kosher-style steakhouses have become a Canadian staple since (Cadesky). In Montreal, there is also an abundance of ethnic restaurants, including Chinese and Japanese cuisine, due to a large multicultural influence in the city (Alston-O’Connor 9).
Bannock - Photo by Karen Neoh, Flickr
The bannock has been a key dish for decades. This classic is a type of a quick biscuit fry bread, which was adopted by the Indigenous people of Canada (Furdyk). Modern takes include baked and fried versions, which can be found in bakeries nationwide. If you’re interested in a more hearty meal, try the French Canadian tourtière, which is a savoury meat pie popular year round, and “pork, veal, beef and game are popular choices of meat to fill the pie” (Guan).
Craving an afternoon snack?
Photo by fw_gadget, Flickr
You might try chips during your next visit! There are chip flavors that can only be found in Canada! For instance, the all-dressed chips have, “tomato and onion to salt, vinegar, sour cream and BBQ. Ketchup chips and dill pickle chips are also mega popular flavours native to the Canadian junk food scene” (Guan).
Did you know that Canada is a leading producer of insect foods? Food-grade insect farms have started to expand in Nova Scotia and Ottawa to develop unique agricultural solutions and sustainable eating (Cadesky).
We hope you enjoyed this quick look into Canada’s cuisine scene! Gastronomy is a component of our custom programs that our students and staff highly enjoy. There’s plenty of education and delicious experiences that come with trying new foods from all over the world.
If you’re interested in designing a custom program full of interactive activities, such as cooking classes and tours, contact us today for more information to start planning!
Sources
Alston-O‘Connor, Jessa Riel. Consuming Culture: Negotiating Asian Canadian Identities Through Food Culture and Art. Concordia University Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Nov. 2011.
Cadesky, Lee. “Oh, Canada - Over 150 Years of Food and Culture.” Medium, Medium, 30 June 2017.
Fabien-Ouellet, Nicolas. Poutine, Mezcal And Hard Cider: The Making Of Culinary Identities In North America. University of Vermont, 2017.
Food Network, Brent Furdyk. “30 Iconic Canadian Foods You Can Make at Home: Food Network Canada.” Foodnetwork.ca, 26 June 2019.
Guan, Christina. “17 Traditional Canadian Foods You NEED to Try.” Hostelworld Blog, 30 July 2019.
Hansen, Kristine. “10 Surprising Facts About Maple Syrup.” Taste of Home.
Lev, Elianna. “10 Must-Try Canadian Dishes (and the Best Places to Find Them).” Reader's Digest.
6 Major Program 2019 Highlights Across Our 5 Locations
As we close up shop on 2019, we’re excited to share with you some notable highlights, including amazing activities and famous sites, that groups of students and faculty were able to enjoy all around the globe! Here’s a closer look into our custom programs during 2019…
As we close up shop on 2019, we’re excited to share with you some notable highlights, including amazing activities and famous sites, that groups of students and faculty were able to enjoy all around the globe!
Here’s a closer look into our custom programs during 2019:
Madrid, Cordoba, and Seville, Spain
A group of students visited Spain in March, 2019 for a Spanish Immersion program, full of rich cultural heritage. Students participated in a many interactive activities during the stay, such as a scavenger hunt in Madrid, where they explored an area of the city center and searched for objects within the area. The group absorbed Spanish art, culture, and language while touring the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, and incorporated the use of the Spanish language with Spanish artwork. Students also had the opportunity to visit the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home to the soccer team, Real Madrid!
Following Madrid, students were immersed into a variety of classes and instruction in Cordoba, Spain, as they attended school with their host brothers and sisters. Students had time to become acquainted with their host families and explore the city together. The group also visited Fundación de Banco de Alimentos, a non-profit organization that provides support to lower income families and serves the community.
Students also learned about Spain’s ancient history during a visit to La Mezquita, the historic area of Cordoba. One of the best examples was the Mezquita-Catedral, which was originally constructed as a Mosque and now is a Catholic Cathedral. As the program came to a close, students put on their dancing shoes as they worked with a local musician to learn about the folkloric music of flamenco, its roots, and history in Southern Spain.
Rome, Italy
March was a busy month for travel as an additional group of students and faculty visited Italy. One of the faculty leaders for EdOdyssey’s Rome Program enjoyed a program inspired from the work Walking with a Palladio: A Passport to Rome that helped give students valuable insight into the history of Rome. After settling in, the group explored important basilicas, including Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano, and the Basilica of San Clemente. Following a long first day of travel, students enjoyed a group dinner with roman style pizza.
Rome’s historic center is incredibly generous with its architecture and rich history, including some of the biggest attractions, such as the Pantheon, a nearly 2,000 year old former Roman temple that is now a church, and the Colosseum, Rome’s greatest gladiatorial arena inaugurated in 80 A.D. Next, students toured surrounding ancient ruins, where they traced origins back to Palantine Hill and spent time in the Roman Forum, known as the downtown district of temples.
The group also ventured over to one of the most famous fountains in the world, the Trevi Fountain. Tradition requires that visitors toss a coin into the fountain to ensure a return to the Eternal City! St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica could not be missed! Students spent a full day in the Vatican City and visited the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum, home to some of the world’s greatest art collections.
Students were also able to spend time with local students, volunteer, and gain insight into a typical italian school atmosphere. Another interactive, hands-on activity included a special group dinner prepared by the group with a local chef, and delicious samplings of famous dishes!
“The best part of the trip was going to the school because we met so many new people and got to experience another culture with kids that were our ages. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone and I would personally go back again.” - Cole, Student
Shanghai, Guilin, Yangshuo and Daxu, China
EdOdyssey also travelled to China in 2019 with students studying Mandarin to understand the importance of Chinese culture and their way of life. Beginning in Shanghai, students spent time with their sister school, Shanghai High School. Afterward, the group traveled to Guilin and engaged in intensive small group Chinese classes to strengthen language skills used during the remainder of the program.
Additional interactive activities included Taiji Quan with a Taiji master. Taiji Quan, often spelled Tai Chi in the West, is a Chinese martial art practiced for defense training and health benefits. Students also met with local students to hike Chuan Shan, Guilin’s karst mountain scenery, and participated in a Chinese calligraphy lesson led by a local artist. To dive deeper into China’s religious roots, the group explored a Buddhist monastery, chatted with monks, and meandered through the underground prayer caves.
“The mountainous view was gorgeous and unreal. We learned a lot about the religious culture as it [Guilin] was a more rural part of China compared to Shanghai but I definitely enjoyed both totally different experiences a lot.” - Ikwo, Student
Students enjoyed learning about tea culture through a traditional Chinese tea ceremony and savored a hot pot dinner followed by karaoke with Chinese friends. The group also cruised down the famous Li River to Yangshuo and explored the famous shopping and cultural district.
Lima and Cusco, Peru
During April of 2019, a group of students traveled to Peru for a Solidarity & Service Trip. They improved on their Spanish language skills through authentic immersion and service with local communities. Corazón de Jesús, a K-12 school located in a low-income area of Lima, was the students’ first immersive experience where they played with children and had lunch in the school cafeteria with local students.
Upon arrival to Cusco, the group got acquainted with a city tour, then visited a local ceramic class and made their own Torito de Pucará, which is well known in Cusco due to its representation of the Peruvian South-Andean identity.
The group rode PeruRail Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, the base town of Machu Picchu, and explored the ancient ruins with a local guide. After a short bus ride to Amaru, the group lived like the local community, prepared their own food with the help of Amaru friends, and visited other local residents, such as the alpaca and vicuña.
Their return to the States included one last stop in Lima, and students spent the afternoon exploring the center of Lima, along with it’s beautiful architecture. However, their program wasn’t complete without taking part in a Peruvian cooking class!
The final service project in Lima was in Pamplona Alta, a special community EdOdyssey has maintained a close bond with. There, students worked together with leaders to build stairs up in the hills where access to water and electricity is limited.
“This trip was one that I will never forget, and one that I would never change. This trip changed the way I view the world. It also allowed me to connect further with who I truly am as a person. Throughout this trip I gained a deeper understanding of how other people around the world live everyday. The amazing people in Peru who accepted us from the moment we arrived to our departure showed me what it meant to embrace your culture and where you come from.” - Grace, Student
Quebec and Montreal, Canada
As the fall semester began for students, French language students visited Canada in October, 2019 to focus on the past and present of Quebec. At the beginning, the students were welcomed by their host families and spent time getting to know them. Students also attended French language classes at a local school to utilize the target language as much as possible and had lunch in the cafeteria with the locals.
Students participated in a scavenger hunt in Quebec City and visited a local Sugar Shack to learn how maple syrup is collected and sampled the delicious sweet. In addition to learning about Canada’s sweet traditions, the group also had the chance to taste a traditional speciality known as Poutine!
After a short journey to Montreal, students had time to discover the historic neighborhood and see sites such as the Notre-Dame Basilica with a local certified bilingual guide. Students also prepared traditional Quebec cuisine with a local chef for dinner! Their program concluded with an entertaining workshop about local graffiti art where students created their own masterpieces!
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Peru
Groups of our study abroad students arrived in Lima, Peru for spring, summer, and fall semesters, where they met up with the EdOdyssey team in preparation for their semester or academic year abroad at PUCP. During their first month, our students began to familiarize themselves with the area, visited other districts in Lima, volunteered with local organizations to serve their community, got to know their homestay families, and attended an 80-hour language booster course to become comfortable with Spanish as their primary language of communication.
Additionally, our groups of students went on in-depth journeys to explore Peru’s incredible diversity through excursions to Iquitos, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Huacachina, and Ica. All excursions displayed different landscapes and components of Peru, including the cuisine and history, in hopes of students continuing to seek out adventures during their travels.
As this fall semester comes to a close, we hope our current study abroad students can enjoy their last few weeks in Lima and reflect on all of the enriching experiences Peru has brought into their lives.
“Soon Peru became like a home to me, thanks to the program coordinator and the other staff who constantly went above and beyond what was expected of them to ensure that we all were well accommodated. The additional trips that were offered throughout the semester and the volunteer opportunities were definitely a huge part of my experience and I am grateful to have been a part of such a beautiful thing.” - Yarlenis, EdOdyssey Study Abroad 2019 Alum
Some of these EdOdyssey 2019 highlights have made for a fun-filled year! We look forward to all of our programs happening in 2020!
Interested in designing your own custom program with EdOdyssey? Visit our webpage for more information on how you can get involved with immersive international experiences with your students during 2020. Below is a video highlighting EdOdyssey and why we believe travel changes people!
Check out our new welcome video!