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| Photo credit: labuero via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-ND |
In case you haven't been following along with my travel in 2016 page, I have a lot of trips coming up in July interspersed with some long work days. To help me get through the next month in one piece, I have decided not only to blog early (This post is being written in May!), but also to write my blog posts based on all of the weird and wacky holidays that make up July. (I also blog about some of the normal ones too!) Since this is so unusual for me, I have decided to create an Index post, so that my lovely readers (you!) will know what to expect. Hopefully, through the experience of blogging weird and wacky holidays this month, you and I both will learn a little bit more about all of the fun holidays that the government does not acknowledge. And, perhaps, pieces of our soul will die a little bit inside upon this realization. ;) (Who doesn't want to celebrate National Ice Cream day! I mean – come on!)
1. Canada Day – …
4. July 4th – What It Means to Be An American
5. National Bikini Day – 48 Hours in Panama City Beach & Port St. Joe/Port San Blas
6. National Kissing Day – IWSG
7. Tell the Truth Day – Blog Design Tips & Tricks
8. National Be A Kid Again Day, International Ice Cream Sundae Day, Be Nice to NJ Week –
10 Day Trips from NYC to NJ
11. National Cheer Up the Lonely Day – 10 Emotional Beatles' Songs
12. Simplicity Day – Hot Air Balloon Festival
13. National Barbershop Music Day – Wordless Wednesday
14. Bastille Day – Joyeux Quatorze Juillet!
15. Ice Cream Day (which is actually July 17th!) – Best Places to Get Ice Cream in the South! (repost)
18. National Perfect Family Day – Seven Decades of 'Perfect' American Families on TV
19. National Daiquiri Day – (College) Drinking in Savannah, GA
20. National Nap Day – Wordless Wednesday
21. National Junk Food Day – The Best of Top Secret Recipes book review
22. National Hammock Day – How to Live the Lime Life (repost)
25. National Carousel Day – The Power of Media in Choosing Travel Destinations
26. Aunt & Uncle Day – A Walk Through Savannah, GA
27. Take Your Pants For A Walk Day – Wordless Wednesday
28. National Milk Chocolate Day – The French Broad in Asheville Throwback/Review
Obviously, today is Canada Day! And, of course, being #FoodFriday and all, we decided to get in the kitchen and make what else? poutine! I'd never tasted poutine before, so, of course I was excited to try it!
So what is 'Canadian' poutine exactly?
Originating in Quebec, the dish consists of french fries, cheese curds, and beef gravy. Before you run to the kitchen and throw the fries in the fryer, here are a few things you need to know:
1. The fries are supposed to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
2. The cheese curds are cooked and allowed to cure to develop tanginess. So rather than cheddar curds, the cheese is more like mozzarella.
3. The gravy is light and thin, typically chicken, veal, or turkey flavored: substantial but thin. It has a bit of a vinegar or sour flavor to balance out the cheese curd flavor and the fries.
And so, with that knowledge, and the knowledge that most poutine is sold in the north and I live in the south, I approached my husband about making a version of poutine at home. Honestly we had no idea where to get the cheese curds or even what to expect from their flavor. Even the sauce was just a guess.
As it turns out, our poutine was lacking.
Granted, I have no idea what. Was the cheese flavor wrong? Were the fries not crisp enough? Did the sauce not have enough of the correct meat flavor?
While I can't say I know what was wrong or even how to fix it, I did have a lot of fun trying this new recipe for Canada Day. Perhaps at some point I'll make it to Canada and try the real thing! :)
How will you be celebrating Canada Day? Have you tried poutine before? Are you looking forward to my month full of wacky July holidays? ;)
* I'm spending July writing my blog posts in response to all of the wacky (and not so wacky) national and international holidays that occur during this month. Today's blog post was written in response to the Canada Day holiday!
** This post was written in advance. I am out of town and working full time most of this month. I appreciate your understanding if I am slow to respond to comments and questions. :)
So what is 'Canadian' poutine exactly?
Originating in Quebec, the dish consists of french fries, cheese curds, and beef gravy. Before you run to the kitchen and throw the fries in the fryer, here are a few things you need to know:
1. The fries are supposed to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
2. The cheese curds are cooked and allowed to cure to develop tanginess. So rather than cheddar curds, the cheese is more like mozzarella.
3. The gravy is light and thin, typically chicken, veal, or turkey flavored: substantial but thin. It has a bit of a vinegar or sour flavor to balance out the cheese curd flavor and the fries.
And so, with that knowledge, and the knowledge that most poutine is sold in the north and I live in the south, I approached my husband about making a version of poutine at home. Honestly we had no idea where to get the cheese curds or even what to expect from their flavor. Even the sauce was just a guess.
As it turns out, our poutine was lacking.
Granted, I have no idea what. Was the cheese flavor wrong? Were the fries not crisp enough? Did the sauce not have enough of the correct meat flavor?
While I can't say I know what was wrong or even how to fix it, I did have a lot of fun trying this new recipe for Canada Day. Perhaps at some point I'll make it to Canada and try the real thing! :)
How will you be celebrating Canada Day? Have you tried poutine before? Are you looking forward to my month full of wacky July holidays? ;)
* I'm spending July writing my blog posts in response to all of the wacky (and not so wacky) national and international holidays that occur during this month. Today's blog post was written in response to the Canada Day holiday!
** This post was written in advance. I am out of town and working full time most of this month. I appreciate your understanding if I am slow to respond to comments and questions. :)
