The Ultimate Canadian Food

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be asked to be a part of a short summer- entertaining video for the Food Network website.  The theme was Canada Day and I was to come up to with two appetizers fit for the occasion.  The question, “What is Canadian food?” had been presented to me many times before when I travelled abroad and as the case before, I have no definite answer. 

The challenge in identifying Canadian food is that it is regional and evolutionary.  Although everyone knows about maple syrup and peameal bacon (or Canadian bacon as they say in the U.S.), some may have never seen fiddleheads or heard of dulse .  When was the last time you cooked venison or had poutine other than from a fast-food joint?  Ask a new Canadian if he likes tourtière and they might think why anyone would want to undergo pain and suffering. Ask an old Canadian if she wants a shawarma and you might get a slap in the face.

To me, the ultimate Canadian food would be one that any Canadian – new, old, white, black, French, English – knows and has tasted, with a name that no other nation is familiar with.  That amidst a crowd in a foreign land, yelling out this food will attract the attention of fellow Canadians. The Japanese have sushi.  And folks, we have this too.  It’s called the Timbit.  Oooh yeah, dutchie, honey-dip, chocolate.  No matter what the flavour, no other food can put a smile on any Canadian’s face in an instant than this 2-inch ball of sweet, warm pastry (never mind the 70 calories each one packs).  I propose the Timbit as Canada’s national food!

Of course, I didn’t use timbits (which, by the way, turns 35 this year) for the video.  I opted for a bit more gourmet using the colours of Canada and a few Canadian ingredients: Tomato-Bocconcini Canape (with Maple-Citrus Drizzle) and Watermelon Cubes (with Niagara Ice Wine, Benedictine Blue Cheese and Walnuts).    

Visit the link below to watch me make these appetizers.  Happy Canada Day!

    

http://community.foodnetwork.ca/blogs/askanexpert/archive/2011/06/28/video-easy-canada-day-appetizers-and-tablescape.aspx