poutine

Poutine is a dish of French fries and cheese curds topped with a hot brown beef and chicken stock gravy. It emerged in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec in the late 1950s, though its exact origins are uncertain, and there are several competing claims regarding its origin. For many years, it was used by some to mock Quebec society. Poutine later became celebrated as a symbol of Québécois culture and the province of Quebec. It has long been associated with Quebec cuisine, and its rise in prominence has led to its growing popularity throughout the rest of Canada.

Annual poutine celebrations occur in Montreal, Quebec City, and Drummondville, as well as Toronto, Ottawa, New Hampshire, and Chicago. It has been called Canada's national dish, though some critics believe this labeling represents cultural appropriation of the Québécois or Quebec's provincial identity. Many variations on the original recipe are popular, leading some to suggest that poutine has emerged as a new dish classification in its own right, as with sandwiches or dumplings.