Poutine on CityLine

Poutine was the star of a seven minute segment on Cityline, Canada's national lifestyle show, today.

Chef Massimo Capra demonstrates a homemade poutine that looks absolutely delectable.

I can't get the video to embed here, so click the link below to watch - and to access the recipe. This is a must-try for any poutine fan.

Canadian Cuisine: Poutine - CityLine

Disappointed by Duggan's

I visited Duggan’s during their “soft launch”. I can only hope it gets better from here.

Duggan’s has been getting great buzz – an exciting new microbrewery located in the heart of downtown Toronto. There’s certainly some real potential here, but this is not yet a must-visit poutine destination.

While there’s no doubt that the beer (courtesy of owner Michael Duggan, formerly head brewer at Mill Street) will satisfy most aficionados - especially Duggan’s already famed #9 IPA, the service and ambiance - not to mention the poutine - are still very much a work in progress.

During our visit, the waitstaff were generally inattentive (getting a beer involved flagging down a second server after our original server took our order and disappeared) and the space itself lacks character. While it was full of patrons, bare walls and fairly standard pub furnishings make the space feel unfinished.

And the poutine is disappointing. I sampled the duck confit version (there’s also a curry poutine on offer), which featured a disappointing amount of the promised confit. Instead, the main feature of the dish was the mushy French fries, which simply couldn’t hold their shape or flavour when doused in gravy.

The gravy itself, and accompanying cheese curds, are passable enough as pub food. But the finished combination of elements fails to satisfy.

I’m willing to give Duggan’s some time – and another go. Especially because I've heard that better Duggan's experiences do exist. Anyone care to share?

Fries: 2/5
Cheese: 3/5
Gravy: 3/5

Total: 8/15

The Night They Invented Poutine

Full credit to fellow poutine blogger Ronna at Poutine Chronicles for unearthing this gem. It's famed Montreal performers Bowser & Blue performing an ode to poutine. "The gravy must be hot and the cheese must be cold" - these guys know their stuff!

Poutine making culinary inroads in U.S.: Toronto Star

From today's Toronto Star:

Unless it's maple syrup, it's unlikely many Americans could identify an example of truly Canadian cuisine. But it seems one national dish, a belly-busting concoction born in La Belle province, is creating a buzz south of the border.

Poutine – a mixture of French fries, cheese curds and hot gravy – is making it onto menus alongside typical American fare like cheeseburgers and chili dogs.

Thierry Pepin, an actor and model who moved to New York from his native Quebec six years ago, opened a restaurant last summer dedicated to the hearty dish. T-Poutine (the T is for Thierry) is located in the Lower East Side, close to bars and the club scene, and offers 12 different variations of the item on its menu.

"It's great, but it's not easy," says Pepin of the reaction to the calorie-laden creation, often described as a "heart attack on a plate."

Read the full article here. Sounds like it's time for a tasting trip to New York!