life and the cold winter climate—evolving a
distinct home-cooking style over the
centuries that became Québec classics, such
as: tourtière, meat and pork pie; cipaille, a
layered wild meat pie; fèves au lard, baked
beans; cretons, a fatty pork spread; tarte au
sucre, sugar pie; and soupe aux gourganes,
broad bean soup (www.bonjourquebec.com/
en-ca/to-see-and-do/delicious-discoveries).
Maple syrup plays a big role in traditional
food with more than 11,300 producers in the
province. In spring, Québécois gather at
some 112 cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks) to
enjoy baked beans, oreilles des crisse (crispy
pork rinds), and pancakes all drenched in
maple syrup (www.bonjourquebec.com/
en-ca/to-see-and-do/delicious-discoveries/
sugar-shacks).
A dish that has gained North American
recognition is poutine—french fries topped
with cheese curds, then slathered in gravy.
On the Route to Gourmet Delights in central
Québec, Fromagerie Lemaire offers poutine
in its country-style restaurant and still warm
curd cheese to eat while watching the cheese-
makers at work through a panoramic window
(www.tourismecentreduquebec.com/en/
gourmet.aspx).
From Petite-Rivière-Saint-François to La
Malbaie, epicureans treat themselves to a
gastronomic adventure on the Charlevoix
Flavour Trail which features some 40
specialty producers and 20 restaurants
(www.tourisme-charlevoix.com/en/what-
to-do/routes-and-circuits/flavour-trail).
The Eastern Townships, renowned for
its gourmet cuisine, has dozens of local
producers and agritourism locations
(www.easterntownships.org/tag/296/
createurs-de-saveurs-local-producers) as
well as a good number of restaurants with a
history and tea stops (www.easterntown
ships.org/taste-the-townships).
Montréal counts several hundred chefs
including many top names. But it is also
famous for bagels (St-Viateur and Fairmount)
and smoked meat (Schwartz's and Main
Deli). The city is host to many annual food
festivals and events, from the most famous
Montréal Highlights Festival to La Poutine
Week (www.lapoutineweek.com).
In the Laurentians, the Chemin du Terroir
is a signposted trail that takes travellers
through more than 226 km (140 mi.) of
country backroads and byways, with delicious
food and drink discoveries at every turn
(www.laurentides.com/en/chemin-du-
terroir-0).
THE MARITIMES
THE GLORY OF SEAFOOD
The culinary scene has exploded in Nova
Scotia. The two seafood trails—the Nova
Scotia Chowder Trail and the Nova Scotia
Lobster Trail—offer a collection of restau-
rant, retail and fisheries experiences that
highlight the province's incredible seafood
products (www.novascotiaculinary
trails.com).
In New Brunswick, travellers can build
their own trail to farmers' markets, restau-
rants and sites via the website (www.tourism
newbrunswick.ca/food-and-drink). There
are tasty snacks hard to find anywhere else,
like dulse—a salty sea treat—and hearty
Acadian dishes. Visitors to Acadian Sturgeon
and Caviar will meet owner Dr. Cornel Ceapa
(a PhD in sturgeon biology) who raises
sturgeon to sell around the world.
Canada's Food Island Culinary Trail and
Dining Guide in PEI directs people to the
Island's distinct regions, each with its own
culinary traditions, as well as to restaurants,
farmers, fishers and local markets
(www.canadasfoodisland.ca/culinary-
trail). In Fortune Bay, visit long-time
Islander and Food Network Chef Michael
Smith's FireWorks at The Inn at Bay Fortune,
where a 25-foot brick-lined, wood-burning
fireplace in the centre of the restaurant is
the anchor for the "Fire Kitchen"—every
dish is cooked over fire (www.innatbay
fortune.com). The four-day International
Shellfish Festival includes shucking competi-
tions using local Malpeque, one of the world's
finest oysters; about ten million are harvested
every year (www.peishellfish.com).
Newfoundland is known for its seafood
and traditional dishes such as salt fish and
brewis (made with hard tack or dry bread) and
Jiggs' dinner (boiled salted beef and vegeta-
bles). At remote and gorgeous Fogo Island Inn,
ingredients that most often find their way
onto guests' plates are those that are fished,
farmed, and foraged right on the Island
(www.fogoislandinn.ca).
THE NORTH
WILD HARVESTS UNDER THE
MIDNIGHT SUN
In the Yukon, Michele Genest and Beverley
Gray are authors of the books The Boreal
Gourmet and The Boreal Herbal, respectively.
They explain what you can harvest in the
"Land of the Midnight Sun." At Gray's Aroma
Borealis Herb Shop in Whitehorse, visitors
can arrange to join her on a seasonal foraging
outing (www.aromaborealis.com). Michele
Genest offers workshops and events, along
with her latest cookbook, The Boreal Feast
(www.borealgourmet.com). Also in
Whitehorse is Wayfarer Oyster House, where
local produce anchors each dish.
Whatever their fancy, wherever travellers
go in Canada, they are sure to find their taste
nirvana.
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PLATE OF SCALLOPS, ÎLES DE LA MADELEINE • LE QUÉBEC MARITIME/SÉBASTIEN LAROSE
