Short Stuff: Poutine: Canada's Pride

Summary

Stuff You Should Know: Short Stuff - "Poutine: Canada's Pride"

Release Date: March 26, 2025
Hosts: Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction

In this episode of "Short Stuff," hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant dive into the delicious world of poutine, Canada's beloved national dish. They explore its origins, evolution, regional variations, and the cultural significance that has elevated poutine from a rural snack to a global culinary phenomenon.

The Origins of Poutine

Josh and Chuck begin by tracing the humble beginnings of poutine back to the 1950s in rural Quebec. Chuck credits sources like housestuffworks.com and the Canadian Encyclopedia for detailed information on poutine’s nutritional makeup and its early days.

Chuck Bryant (00:48): "Big thanks to housestuffworks.com, the Canadian Encyclopedia in Food and Wine magazine, for the information that I culled about Canada's national dish..."

The dish originally consisted of French fries topped with cheese curds and brown gravy. The combination was reportedly born out of necessity and ingenuity, providing a hearty meal suited to Quebec's cold winters.

Claimants to Poutine’s Creation

Several individuals and establishments claim to have invented poutine, all hailing from the Centre du Quebec region. The hosts highlight two notable contenders:

1. Fernand Lachance of Café Ideal (1957):

   • Origin Story: Fernand added cheese curds to fries at the request of a customer, Eddie Lyness, despite initial skepticism.
   • Evolution: To manage the messiness, Fernand introduced brown gravy to keep the dish warm when serving it on plates.

   Chuck Bryant (03:28): "He started serving it on a plate because it was such a mess... dumped some brown gravy on that stuff and said, how you like that for warm."

2. Jean Paul Roy of Leroy Jousup (1964):

   • Origin Story: Jean Paul began serving fries with a special sauce called "patot sauce" since 1958. Customers started adding cheese curds, leading him to officially incorporate them into the menu.
   • Challenges: Jean Paul had difficulty finding suitable containers for poutine in his province, necessitating a trip to Toronto for proper packaging.

Etymology and Naming

The term "poutine" has several proposed origins:

• Slang for "Messy": In Quebecois slang, "poutine" can imply messiness, aptly describing the dish's appearance.
• Derived from "Pudding": Another theory suggests the name stems from the English word "pudding," referencing a mix of various ingredients.

Josh Clark (05:19): "Poutine, actually the name of it is it essentially means messy or mess, at least in slang in Quebec..."

Spread and Popularity

Josh outlines the geographical expansion of poutine:

• 1969: Introduction to Quebec City at Ashton Snack Bar.
• 1983: Arrival in Montreal.
• 1980s-1990s: Adoption by major fast-food chains like McDonald's, Burger King, and Harvey's in Canada.

Josh Clark (06:34): "So what we do know is that it showed up from the more rural area of Centre du Quebec to Quebec City in 1969 at a place called Ashton Snack Bar..."

Regional and Modern Variations

As poutine gained popularity, numerous variations emerged:

• Italian Poutine: Features spaghetti sauce and sausage.
• Montreal Style: Incorporates smoked meat.
• Korean Poutine: Includes elements like smoked meat, adding an international twist.

Josh shares his personal experience with Montreal-style poutine, praising its taste while acknowledging purists' preference for the traditional version.

Josh Clark (10:12): "I had, but, you know. It was great. I mean, it's hard to mess up poutine in my opinion."

Criticism of Modern Twists

Chuck and Josh discuss the purist perspective, emphasizing that traditionalists prefer poutine without elaborate additions. They reference Chef Hugh Atchison's criticism of "disco fries" in the United States, which use shredded cheese instead of fresh curds, diluting the authenticity of the dish.

Chuck Bryant (10:39): "This disco fries thing is an abomination."

Elevated Poutine and Culinary Innovation

The early 2000s saw poutine embraced by upscale restaurants, leading to gourmet versions featuring foie gras, lobster, and braised beef. Josh mentions Martin Picard of Au Pied de Cochon as a pioneer in elevating poutine to haute cuisine.

Chuck Bryant (12:33): "They said, yeah, let's do that with poutine... he invented his foie gras poutine."

However, some chefs like Hugh Atchison argue that these innovations stray too far from poutine's roots, viewing the dish as simple comfort food.

Josh Clark (15:00): "And Hugh Atchison closes out his quote by saying, it's just really comforting garbage food."

Cultural Significance and Conclusion

The hosts conclude by affirming poutine's status as a cherished Canadian staple, encouraging listeners to experience authentic poutine in Quebec or attempt to recreate it at home. They highlight poutine's journey from a rural snack to a symbol of Canadian pride and culinary diversity.

Josh Clark (15:17): "But even so, that's my advice. Just maybe... enjoy it that way."

Final Thoughts

Josh and Chuck wrap up the episode by celebrating poutine's enduring legacy and its role in Canadian culture. They emphasize the importance of preserving the dish's traditional simplicity while appreciating the creative variations that continue to emerge.

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Notable Quotes:

• Chuck Bryant (00:48): "Big thanks to housestuffworks.com, the Canadian Encyclopedia in Food and Wine magazine..."
• Josh Clark (05:19): "Poutine, actually the name of it is it essentially means messy or mess..."
• Chuck Bryant (10:39): "This disco fries thing is an abomination."
• Josh Clark (15:17): "But even so, that's my advice. Just maybe... enjoy it that way."

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Recommendation:
For those eager to try poutine, the hosts recommend visiting Quebec to experience the authentic dish or seeking out reputable local restaurants that serve traditional versions. Additionally, experimenting with homemade poutine allows for customization while honoring its origins.

Explore More:
To delve deeper into the fascinating history and variations of poutine, tune into this engaging episode of "Short Stuff" on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

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[Josh Clark]

Hey, and welcome to the Short Stuff. I'm Josh. And there's Chuck. And Jerry's here. Wait, no, she isn't. Jerry's not here. Dave's not here. We're left on our own like a pair of losers. And this is Short Stuff.

[Chuck Bryant]

That's right. Big thanks to housestuffworks.com, the Canadian Encyclopedia in Food and Wine magazine, for the information that I culled about Canada's national dish at 740 calories and 41 grams of fat per serving, the French Fried Brown Gravy Cheese Curd, Squeaky Delight. That is poutine.

[Josh Clark]

Yes. I love poutine. How about you?

[Chuck Bryant]

What's not to like?

[Josh Clark]

I don't.

[Chuck Bryant]

Of course I love poutine. I can't eat a lot of that kind of thing.

[Josh Clark]

Well, no, who can?

[Chuck Bryant]

Because, you know, I'm trying to look. Be healthier and look better, and poutine does not lend itself to that.

[Josh Clark]

You look both, by the way.

[Chuck Bryant]

I appreciate that. But in Canada, you gotta eat some of that poutine.

[Josh Clark]

You definitely do. Whenever we visit Toronto, I'm always on that stuff. You have to. But one reason why we can't eat it as much is because we live in the southeastern United States, whereas poutine was originally invented in Quebec, which can get awfully cold in the middle of winter. So it actually makes a lot of sense to eat higher calorie diet during that time. Like a bear.

[Chuck Bryant]

That's right. Popped up in the 1950s in the snack bars of rural Quebec and started gaining in popularity, kind of spread out from there. As we'll learn, it eventually started popping up in fast food menus in the 1980s like McDonald's and Burger King and stuff like that in Quebec, and then eventually over the border into Ontario. And nowadays you can find it all over the world. Even though if you want, you know, if you want that og, you got to get it somewhere in Quebec.

[Josh Clark]

Right? And if you're a purist, you definitely have to get it from Quebec. That's just the way it goes.

[Chuck Bryant]

That's right.

[Josh Clark]

So there's a bunch of different families or people who lay claim to inventing poutine, but they all hail from the same area called the Centre du Quebec, which means center of Quebec, which is, ironically, in the south. And that is a really important place because that's where the fromageries, the cheese makers who made these squeaky cheese curds that are essential to poutine, if you're a poutine purist, where they're made. And there's the first guy who we'll meet is from Warwick in Quebec, and his name was Fernand Lachance of Cafe Ideal. And he said that he first added curds to fries because one of his customers, Eddie Lyness, said, hey, add some curds to these fries.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah, that was in 1957. And he replied in French, I'm not even going to try it. But he replied in French, that will make a damn mess. But he did it anyway, served it in a paper bag. It became pretty popular, and people started kind of customizing it, adding vinegar and ketchup and stuff. And then six years into that, he started to serve that on a plate because it was such a mess. And customers were like, hey, they're on the plate now. They're not in this bag staying warm. They're getting cold. So he said, oh, dumped some brown gravy on that stuff and said, how you like that for warm? But in French.

[Josh Clark]

But in French. Do you want me to try the French quote?

[Chuck Bryant]

Oh, sure.

[Josh Clark]

Sava, te faire une modit poutine. Nice. So, okay, we've got our first entrant, Fernand Lachance, courtesy of Eddie lanesse. This is 1957, I guess. No, 1963 is when he added the gravy. 57 is when he added the gravy.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah, that's when poutine complete poutine was 1963. But our next guy comes from in Drummondville, Jean Paul Roy. And he said, no, I had a place, a drive in restaurant called Leroy jusup. And in 1964, which was clearly a year later, he said, I've been serving fries with this sauce, though, since 1958. I called it patot sauce. And he said, customers started adding cheese curds. I was selling those at the snack counter, and they started dumping those in there. So he started doing that and added it to the regular menu and named it fromage patat sauce. And kind of a fun Little side note there. Apparently he couldn't find a container in his province like that could even hold this stuff, it was so heavy. So he had to go to Toronto to source a vendor who could provide these sturdy containers. Yeah, pretty fun.

[Josh Clark]

So poutine, actually the name of it is it essentially means messy or mess, at least in slang in Quebec, for sure. But people say that it's probably. Or possibly one of the etymological theories is that it hails from the English word pudding and not pudding like you. And I think that has the jiggly skin off top that you have to peel off when you take it out of the refrigerator. This is pudding, as in like figgy pudding, which is essentially like a mixture of various foods, sometimes fig. And that it can be kind of messy. It's not like. It's just like a hodgepodge, just kind of mixed together that kind of messy. And so poutine, possibly from puding, is where this whole thing came from.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah. Or maybe one of the other, like, 10 to 15 explanations of root words, like French words like pate or how would you say that one? Poutit, which is a potato ragu. So no one agrees on that. Kind of like a lot of the stuff that we talk about with these origin stories of foods, a lot of people will lay claim and no one agrees on who the person is. Although I'm sure there will be people write in and say, no, it's definitely for sure one of these people or maybe even someone else.

[Josh Clark]

Yeah. So what we do know is that it showed up from the more rural area of Centre du Quebec to Quebec City in 1969 at a place called Ashton Snack Bar. It made it to Montreal in 1983, and then it started to spread far and wide from there. I say we take a break and we come back and we trace poutine's spread. Like so much gravy flowing over a pile of fries.

[Chuck Bryant]

Great stuff. You show up.

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[Chuck Bryant]

All right, so where we left off, poutine was spreading like brown gravy through the streets all over Canada. Different variations started to pop up. Like Italian poutine with spaghetti sauce or sausage instead of, like, the gravy veggie poutine. There are regional variations. Apparently Montreal style has smoked meat. I've had, but, you know.

[Josh Clark]

Have you?

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah. How do you like it?

[Josh Clark]

It was great. I mean, it's hard to mess up poutine in my opinion.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah, but, you know, as far as traditionalists go, it's just the straight up curds and gravy.

[Josh Clark]

There's also one more thing. I'm sorry. There's also a restaurant in Toronto. I can't remember. Also I totally. Name check. But they made, like, Korean poutine. Oh, I can't remember what made it Korean, but it was the bomb. I think it had some sort of smoked meat on it as well.

[Chuck Bryant]

All right, I'd try that. By the 70s, poutine had spread to the United States in New York and New Jersey. They called it disco Fries and used shredded Motz instead of those cheese curds. Because one thing we mentioned, it was made where it was made, because you get those cheese curds fresh. And they say, like, hey, man, if you're keeping these curds for a couple of days, they don't squeak anymore. And it's not the same. So this disco fries thing is an abomination.

[Josh Clark]

Yeah, but it's a great name.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah, pretty good.

[Josh Clark]

So it first started to spread to national restaurant chains back in 1985. There was a Quebec fast food franchise called Frites F R I T S, and they did not last very long, but they seem to be on record as the first national chain or at least large regional chain to feature poutine. But the one that really kind of kicked it off was Burger King. One of their franchisees, Jean Louis Roy back in 1987, was like, I really want to offer poutine. Burger King. Please let me offer poutine. And the Burger King thought on it and said, wish granted. And so this first Burger King franchise started selling poutine. And I guess it sold well enough that Burger King was like, we're going to sell this in all of our Quebec restaurants.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah. McDonald's followed suit afterward. They added it to the menu in 1990, and then in Quebec only, and then expanded to the rest of Canada and got to shout out Harvey's. Canadian fast food joint. Harvey's started doing so in 1992. And then something happened in the 2000s when sort of elevated comfort food became a thing, and people were like, let's try and charge, you know, 35 bucks for chicken pot pie.

[Josh Clark]

And Edison bulbs everywhere.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah, Edison bulbs, you know, lighting up rooms all over the place, like, barely. So they said, yeah, let's do that with poutine. And I think Martin Picard of what's that restaurant, Josh.

[Josh Clark]

Au Pied de Cochon.

[Chuck Bryant]

That's right. He was the first supposedly, or at least first to become known for serving elevated poutine when he invented his foie gras poutine. Yeah, yeah.

[Josh Clark]

And so other people are like, oh, foie gras. How about lobster? How about braised beef? And yeah. As you as more and more like professional Chefs kind of did their own spin on it. It got further and further away from what it was originally. And I don't know who spoke to a chef. Hugh Atchison from Montreal, I believe. Right.

[Chuck Bryant]

He grew up in Ottawa.

[Josh Clark]

Okay. So. But he grew up on poutine. He said there was a poutine truck parked down the street from his high school, which I would have been in big trouble every day if I had grown up like that. But he's basically saying, like, the people who were coming up with these spins on it probably had never even been to Quebec, had never had actual poutine. And it's not supposed to be gussied up. It's like a very simple, basic street food. And he was really angry. I think in the interview, they said that he kept pounding his fist and eventually took off his shoe and was pounding his shoe on the table while he was shouting about this.

[Chuck Bryant]

Oh, I don't believe that one. Hugh Atchison, great person. He has restaurants here in Atlanta and Athens, Georgia. So he's a. He's a Top Chef guy too. So I love Bolt.

[Josh Clark]

What's he. What's he what in Atlanta?

[Chuck Bryant]

Well, I mean, he. You remember the coffee shop at Pond City Market? That was his.

[Josh Clark]

Oh, okay. Yeah, Great.

[Chuck Bryant]

Downstairs. And his Empire State south in Atlanta.

[Josh Clark]

Is Hugh Atchison's Edison bulbs.

[Chuck Bryant]

And. Yeah, Edison bulbs. And then 5 and 10 in Athens is his restaurant, because Athens has got some, like, legit good restaurants now.

[Josh Clark]

Yeah, 5 and 10 was great. That went in where. What was the, like, super threadbare restaurant that had been there for a million years before 5 and 10? It was like an Athens institution.

[Chuck Bryant]

Oh, I don't know. I was just there. I tried to go to 5 and 10, but they were booked up because I went to those REM shows again this year. And then Athens is just still one of my favorite places to go.

[Josh Clark]

It's a great town.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah. But this is about Quebec and Canada, and Hugh Atchison closes out his quote by saying, it's just really comforting garbage food.

[Josh Clark]

That's awesome.

[Chuck Bryant]

Which I love.

[Josh Clark]

So I guess that's it, right? Yeah.

[Chuck Bryant]

I got nothing else. You know, go visit Canada, Go to Quebec and order some poutine.

[Josh Clark]

Yeah. But even so, that's my advice. Just maybe. Also, if you can't make it to Quebec, look up how to make as close an approximation as you can and enjoy it that way.

[Chuck Bryant]

Yeah, I think General Muir here in Atlanta serves poutine, so, you know, I might give that a shot.

[Josh Clark]

Sure, sure. Since Chuck said he's gonna give it a shot, everybody. That means short stuff is out.

[Production Team]

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