Tour de Montréal alimentaire

     I have done my best since being in Montreal to eat anything and everything delicious I can find. I have always loved cooking and eating, so anytime I travel somewhere new I enjoy trying foods that the area is known for. Even though Montreal is heavily influenced by French culture, their cuisine varies greatly due to their very different climate and resources. Foods native to the province of Quebec, where Montreal is located, are referred to as Quebecois. These foods, unlike French cuisine, are generally heavy comfort style dishes. The two mainstays of Montreal are smoked meat and poutine. Smoked meat is prepared by smoking large slabs of beef with dry rub over local wood chips, then slicing or chopping it depending on how you wish to serve it. The most traditional way to serve it is on rye bread with mustard, very similar to traditional jewish delicatessen sandwiches. This is a great way to have it, however I prefer it served over poutine, Montreal's other flagship food. Poutine is a godsend, simply consisting of french fries with cheese curds smothered in a savory brown gravy. This delicious combination can be topped with an infinite amount of options, ranging from chicken tenders to filet mignon. I've tried quite a few creations, but over time have learned the simple combinations that don't stray too far from the original are generally the best. My favorite poutine so far is luckily/unluckily located at the end of the street my apartment is on. The restaurant is named Ma Poule Mouillée, and is a Portuguese rotisserie that specializes in roasted chicken and sausage. In the poutine pictured below, they combine their two house specialties and piri piri hot sauce on top of a traditional poutine. The result is out of this world, and is a must try for anyone visiting. So, if you ever find yourself in Montreal make sure you take in all the hearty comfort food you can, because nothing battles the cold weather better than hot Quebecois specialties.