May 19, 2023
Celebrating Poutine
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates a delicious Québécois dish you’ll surely want to pout-ine your mouth! On this day in 2014, the word “poutine” was added to the English Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Poutine originated in Québec, however, its origin story is debated! Several restaurant owners in the province claim to have invented it. One restaurant owner stumbled upon the surprising trio of white cheese curds, brown gravy, and double-fried russet potatoes because they observed customers adding a side of cheese curds on top of their gravy fries. Enticed by the combination, the owner added it to their menu in 1964. Another restauranter in Québec was asked by a customer to add cheese curds to a bag of fries, and the owner responded, “It will make a mess!” The “mess” began to intrigue him and he started to serve the fries and cheese curds together topped with gravy to keep them warm.
The etymology (or origin) of the word “poutine” is also debated. The two most common theories are that it’s related to the English word “pudding,” or that it’s derived from the slang word “poutine” meaning “mess.” A legend of the first poutine served corroborates both theories.
As more people tasted the delicious fusion, poutine grew in popularity across Canada and beyond. Specialty chains and bistros serve it, and some high-end restaurants might offer lobster or foie gras poutine. Within Canada, regional variations include Montréal-style poutine which contains smoked meat, and poutine galvaude prepared with chicken and green peas. Across the globe, even more types of poutine exist, such as Italian poutine with tomato sauce instead of gravy, and veggie poutine with mushroom sauce.
No matter where poutine came from, Canadians (and non-Canadians) agree that it’s a favorite comfort food!
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