Every country has its signature dish and culinary specialties. As a relatively young country, Canada borrows many dishes from other cultures and has incorporated culinary diversity into its menus. But there are some foods that originated here in the snowy north. You may have heard of some of them and, with their strange names, may have been left wondering: “What is this?”. We will walk you through the top 5 Canadian Comfort Food and (hopefully) make you want to try some.

BeaverTails

OK, let’s address this right away: BeaverTails are not made out of beavers’ tails.

What are they?

BeaverTails are deep-fried dough pastries stretched to look like a beaver’s tail. They’re topped with sweet or savoury ingredients, but the traditional BeaverTail is covered in cinnamon and sugar. BeaverTails have many sources of inspiration including bannock, a traditional bread that originated from the Indigenous peoples of North America and Küchle, a Bavarian pastry.

What makes them taste so good?

BeaverTails are served piping hot and are crispy and chewy all at the same time. Again, for some reason, they taste even better when served outdoors in the winter.

Tell me more about BeaverTails!

BeaverTails founders Pam and Grant Hooker started serving BeaverTails in 1978 at the Killaloe Fair, west of Ottawa, Ontario. They became a fixture in Ottawa, opening up locations in the Byward Market and on the Rideau Canal. Skating on the canal just doesn’t feel complete without having a BeaverTail after.

Image of BeaverTails restaurant lit up at night. — Credit: Peter Reichert

The Nanaimo Bar

If you have a sweet tooth, you will LOVE the Nanaimo Bar.

What is it?

The Nanaimo Bar is a dessert that doesn’t require baking and is named after the Canadian city in B.C. It has three layers of perfection: a base consisting of wafer, nuts and coconut crumbs; a middle layer of instantly tooth-decaying and heavenly custard; and a top layer of chocolate ganache.

What makes it taste so good?

The neutral base, contrasted with the obnoxious sweetness of the custard and the rich chocolate of the ganache, is what makes the Nanaimo Bar so delicious. If any of these elements are off, it just doesn’t work.

Tell me more about the Nanaimo Bar!

There’s some controversy and confusion about the bar’s origins: Did Mabel Knowles Scott from New Brunswick come up with the recipe? Is its rightful name Mabel’s Squares, London Fog Bar, Chocolate Square or Chocolate Slice? Did an American actually create the bar? Nobody will ever really know, but Nanaimo claimed this dessert and the name seems to have stuck.

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Swiss Chalet Sauce

This is one of those things that you either love or hate. Like Marmite in England, Swiss Chalet Sauce has passionate fans and rabid detractors. There is no middle ground.

What is it?

In our completely unbiased opinion – Chalet Sauce is the liquid gold of gravies. The saviour of sauces. The diva of dips. It is perfection. Whether you dip your chicken into it or pour it all over your fries, it will make everything better.

OK, but what is it really? (And what makes it taste so good?)

It is a sauce that honestly defies description – you have to try it for yourself. And again, you will either love it or hate it. Found in dipping bowls at Swiss Chalets across Canada, this secret recipe sauce is a bit sweet, sour, smoky, tomato-y, garlicky, oniony and slightly seasoned (the Swiss Chalet website added ‘spicy’ to their description – but if you’re used to any level of heat, this sauce is definitely not spicy).

Tell me more about Swiss Chalet Sauce!

Some Chalet Sauce fanatics have been known to drink it straight out of the bowl.

The Montréal-Style Bagel

Similar to New York-style bagels, but with a twist.

What is it?

The Montréal-style bagel is a handmade, wood-fired baked bagel. It is smaller, thinner, denser, and has a larger hole than its New York counterpart. But what really sets it apart? It’s boiled in honey-sweetened water prior to baking.

What makes it taste so good?

The honey-water imparts the tiniest hint of sweetness that is irresistible but not overpowering and not a significant part of the taste profile. You can use Montréal-style bagels to make savoury sandwiches or put cream cheese on them (but try to get them straight out of the oven and eat them plain). For excellent Montreal-style bagels, visit St. Urbain Bagel in Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market, Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli, St-Viateur Bagel in Montréal, Bagel Montreal Style in Halifax or Montreal Bagels in Calgary.

Image of bagels from above. — Credit: Vicky Ng

Poutine

This list isn’t supposed to be in order of preference, but trust us: Poutine (done correctly) is amazing. Heads up if you are vegetarian or vegan: this dish traditionally contains beef gravy and dairy, so skip it unless you find a veggie alternative.

What is it?

Fresh cut fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy. (NEVER grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese. If it doesn’t have cheese curds, it’s not poutine).

What makes it taste so good?

It is warm and comforting and tastes even better when served outdoors on a chilly winter’s night – with your fingers curled around the toasty paper cup. The gravy is soaked up by the fries and softens the cheese, so that by the time you get to the bottom of the cup, it gets delightfully messy. That’s when the little wooden fork they give you comes in handy. Cheese curds, sometimes called “squeaky cheese”, are also super fun to eat.

Tell me more about Poutine!

Poutine was created in Quebec by restauranteur Fernand Lachance at the request of one of his regular customers. Lachance was skeptical at first and proclaimed that this concoction of cheese, fries and gravy would make “a damn mess”. A star was born.

We hope you’ll give these and other classic Canadian comfort foods a try! Let us know what you think and tell us about any other Canadian foods you’ve discovered.

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