It was one of those nights where the kids were eating everything in sight and I couldn’t make heads or tails out of what to make for dinner. Even though the kids were probably going to be full by the time this was accomplished.
Left overs are often inspiration to my dinners. Tonight was no exception. Gravy was lingering in the fridge from a Sunday chicken. Use it or toss it? Being the frugal pack-rat I am, I opted to use the gravy to make myself a plate of poutine. This was also an opportunity to use my mandolin š I believeĀ poutine originatedĀ in eastern Canada, in the French dominant province of Quebec, hence the French term for it. If you visit Montreal, you need to find authentic poutine. It looks like a heart attack on a plate: fries, gravy (the brown kind), and cheese curds. I’ve seen variations that include bacon and well, nearly a whole meal piled up on the heap of freshly fried potatoes. If you are a poutine virgin, I suggest to start out easy!
Poutine traces back to my high school days. We had a cafeteria which was run by the home economics department, which was the teacher and only cook at the school. Everyday students would help in the kitchen to serve their comradesĀ a ration of food for those with allowances or summer jobs around the farms of the community. I saved every penny earned to treat myself to a hot gooey cheesy plate of poutine. Often this teenage delicacy was shared with a close friend. Those were the days before I ever cared about calories, you spent most of any excess by shivering in the cold waiting for a bus to take you from the outskirts of town to school and back. (It wasn’t cool to wear appropriate winter gear in -25C)
I loved poutine so much that I nearly had a heart attack when I found out Texas had no idea what this sinful dish was. None. Whatsoever. Until, I found a pack of my own kind in amongst the urban Texas landscape. The C.I.A. or Canadians in Austin. I’m saved! I towed hubby along to a C.I.A. celebration where they promised Beer and Poutine. It was either Canada Day or Grey Cup, can’t quite recall (probably due to the copious amount of poutine consumed – fat overload). But boy was it GOOD!
Now I sit alone in a corner of my house with a Pepsi and my poutine. While it lacks the authentic cheese curds, it’s still a welcome treat.
midnitechef 
That looks heavenly…. And overloaded in calories!! Xx
VIVA La Poutine!!!! Costco makes awesome Poutine! It’s been years since I have allowed it to clog the arteries. Ahhhh the good old days š
[…] and Labatt’s Blue at these shindigs.Ā One time they had imported cheese curd and prepared poutine as part of a special CIA menu, I had two orders and reveled in their cheesy gravy […]
Poutine is an acquired taste. I think it is going to be difficult to spread the word. Virginia
It depends on what your definition of “gravy” is š I grew up eating poutine with brown gravy, even tho it was probably a powder boiled with water. I can’t get cheese curds here but any other cheese you love will work. I guess it is a bit of an odd combination š