Points And Prizes - Sheknows

[firefly]

the contest is over now. someone should have put poutine as a recipe for the contest-LOL! Mmmm...i'm sure craving putine after all the talk of it here!! maybe i will get some for lunch tomorrow!!

[PetiteFemme]

Thanks again for all the words everyone...very kind of you all!

Gave rep where I could! Thanks again for all the rep!

[zoodle]

thanks for the new words

[Trebleclef]

for the words and the rep!

[seekthetruth]

anyone get any newsletters yet?

[armh11699]

No newsletters yet. My luck, I will get them a week after everyone else.

[kekes]

nothing here, I keep checking ... probably after midnite

[kekes]

Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhh gold!!!!!!

[kekes]

Thank you thank you!!! got so excited I forgot to say thanks!

[haunish]

no newsletters either, guess they decided i was posting too fast...lol...took them away..

[roseofblack25]

i havent gotten newsletters on time in forever they always come a week later then everyone elses

[rebate queen]

OK...so I have been investigating this poutine thing..so let me know if this sounds right...
BTW-now I'm craving it.......it sounds pretty good!!

#1 poutine

[poo-TEN] The ultimate in French-Canadian junk food, poutine is a mélange of warm french fries, topped with fresh cheese curds, then smothered with gravy. The subject of the gravy is widely debated-some say it should be beef, others declare chicken gravy is the only way to go, and still others proclaim a spicy barbecue sauce is the answer. This Québécois favorite is consumed while hot with a fork.




Poutine (Quebec French pronunciation putsɪn (help·info)) is a dish consisting of French fries topped with fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy and sometimes additional ingredients. [1] The freshness of the curds is important as it makes them soft in the warm fries, without completely melting. It is a quintessential Canadian comfort food, especially but not exclusively among Québécois.




You may well ask: What is poutine? It is a delicious mixture of fries, sauce and cheese. The classic Quebec poutine uses a very specific pepper sauce and fromage beaucronne (like a cheddar cheese curds).


The poutine legend goes that one day a young patron placed an order for French fries topped with some cheese. Lachance was dumbfounded.
"But it will be a maudite poutine," Lachance replied, which politely translated into "a damn mishmash." But Lachance complied. He served the young man a cupful of hot French fries and soft curd cheese. The addition of brown gravy was still a few years away. So there it was, the messy, melting, maudite humble beginnings of poutine.
Eventually, Lachance renovated his restaurant and renamed it Le Lutin Qui Rit, which translates into "the laughing elf." With the grand reopening of the restaurant in 1957, Lachance wanted to offer a dish unique to the establishment. Since the odd concoction of French fries and cheese curds proved to be not so odd after all, his wife suggested a way to improve the dish by adding some gravy. But not just any gravy. She created a mélange of brown gravy, tangy barbecue sauce (quite new at the time), and a hint of ketchup to pour over the French fries and cheese.
The rest, as they say, is histoire. Poutine was born.
Today, poutine remains popular not only throughout the province, but has spilled over the border as well. Many North Country restaurants serve the dish and Quebecois snowbirds have even introduced poutine to the tropics of Florida. Lachance says his culinary concoction has made it as far as Korea. But while the French fry, curd cheese, and brown sauce recipe has reached the four corners of the globe, there is still no place like Quebec when it comes to poutine authenticity. As inventor of poutine, Lachine has forever taken his place in Quebec culture.


A PRIMER ON THE PREPARATION OF POUTINE
(sorry this is so long, but necessary to give the whole recipe and story)
Poutine is a French-Canadian food that (very) slightly resembles American Gravy Cheese Fries (Uuukkkk), but is actually very, very different in many respects. Poutine is readily-available across Canada, but it only really tastes good in French Quebec or Maillardville, BC.
Warwick Quebec is the place where poutine was invented, and named, back in 1957 by restaurateur Fernand Lachance, who died recently at the ripe old age of 86, leaving not only his calorific imprint but also some serious questions about the low-carb fuss. Warwick still produces the very best cheese curds which is shipped all over Canada.
The best gravy also comes from Warwick, in a powder form that is mixed with water. Theirs is totally vegan and must be dark brown and just the right consistency when served.
Poutine is Acadian slang for mushy mess and is best described as a heart attack in a bowl.
By the way, there is a proper way to pronounce poutine, and it's not 'poo-teen'. The phonetic pronunciation is 'peu-tin', which always elicits a vacant stare when one orders it using that word.
The French Fries - The potatos must be hand-cut and very fresh. Fast-food-type fries will not taste quite as good. Also, you must fry the potatoes in pure lard. Vegetable oil and other politically-correct oils spoil the unique taste.
The Gravy - French-Canadian gravy (also known as BBQ Chicken Gravy) is very different than American gravy. First of all, it is very dark and thick, like molasses. Secondly, it has a very flavourful taste which cannot be described...very much like pepper and vinegar and other 'magical' ingredients. If you can stand a spoon straight up in it, it's good! Make sure it's very, very hot!
The Cheese - The cheese is the most important part of good poutine. You must use FRESH white, cheddar cheese CURDS. These curds have a taste and texture very different than actual cheddar cheese. The cheese curds will actually squeak in your teeth as you bite them. While curds are available in most Canadian supermarkets, they are not found in many American markets (the closest thing in taste is Mozzarella String Cheese - but don't use this stuff!).
When the curds are placed on the fries and the hot gravy is poured on top, the three flavors combine to produce what can only be described as the BEST junk food taste sensation on earth. The Bowl - While different types of bowls are used, no one knows why, but poutine seems to taste better when served in a Styrofoam bowl. Perhaps the bowl keeps the heat inside to melt the cheese. Who knows? It tastes good no matter what bowl is used.

[rebate queen]

Hey....
Where is everyone??

Attachment 3767

Geez, got to get your attention somehow!! LOL!
My poutine investigation got me all excited and all my Canadian friends must have left me and went to bed...

[haunish]

I was visiting with a friend havent seen in probably 3 years.....but thanks for the lovely description of poutine...now I'm gonna make some for late night snack...not a good snack but will be yummy

[rebate queen]

I was visiting with a friend havent seen in probably 3 years.....but thanks for the lovely description of poutine...now I'm gonna make some for late night snack...not a good snack but will be yummy

Alrighty then, someone finally got here!! Now that I know all about poutine, I also now know that I cannot properly make it here in the states. NO CHEESE CURDS!!

So haunish...which definition sounds right to you??