 Canadian food is greatly influenced by family heritage, and varies faintly from one region to another. Their food is also closely related to traditions and Canadian holiday celebrations. Maple syrup and other maple products are very common, representing the importance of the maple tree, wherein the flag of Canada is adorned by a maple leaf. In the Quebec area, the food is inherited from the French, while the other areas in the Atlantic coast, seafood and other English cuisines are popular. When spring starts, many locals and tourists go to a maple sugar shack. It’s a special countryside structure where maple syrup is made by boiling the sap from the maple tree in a large open pan.
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 Harvesting fiddleheads is another popular activity in Eastern Canada, during late spring. Fiddleheads are harvested in the woodlands, and are named as such because it resembles the coiled end of a violin. This delicate specialty is actually a woodland fern sprout, and are popular because of its taste. Fiddleheads are also available in grocery stores, at the frozen vegetables section.
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 For holiday traditions and religious celebrations, Canada also has some popular dishes, namely beet soup, roast turkey, cranapple relish, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, burnished squash wedges, and pumpkin pie. These are only a few food items that is served during Canadian thanksgiving every second Monday of October.
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 Cockaleekie soup is another famous Canadian dish usually served on Burns Day (January 25), to commemorate the birth of Robert Burns, a poet. Aside from Canadians, this holiday is also very important to people who share a Scottish heritage. Cockaleekie soup is actually a leek soup with a chicken base. Another favorite for this holiday is Dundee cake, which is a special kind of fruitcake.
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 In addition to the family picnics and fireworks display, Canada Day is celebrated on July 1 with casual dining. Hotdogs, hamburgers, and the popular Nanaimo bar. It is a cookie bar made in layers which originated in Vancouver.
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10 Responses to this article
I wonder why everyone in my family likes Cockaleekie soup. I find it not that interesting. I used to eat this soup when I was young (I used to love it as well), but I think I suddenly evolved and I just stopped liking this. I hate it more when prunes are added.
Just thinking out loud.
I may be an American but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy Canadian foods! It is introduced to us by our Grandmother who is French Canadian and she just loves it! Since then maple syrup is never out of our kitchen stock especially that almost every week we had a once-a-week pancake breakfast or just anything we can think of to put maple syrup on!
I’ve always wondered why Canada’s flag is so much dedicated to maple leaf…I mean, I’ve read some history but I’ve not really read nor heard any, uhm, “heavy” reason as to why they would make the maple leaf symbolize their country…
I grew up in northern Vermont. The woods in back of our house was a maple grove, and I could see the sugar shack, where maple sap was boiled down to syrup, from my bedroom window. As kids, every spring we would head into the woods to help the neighbors with the “sugaring off”. Needless to say, I’m what you might call a little picky about what I put on my pancakes. So, one of the biggest bummers about finding out that sugar is so bad for me was in the realm of maple syrup. I think these come closest to helping me out.
Did you know that fiddleheads is one of the richest antioxidant vegetable out there and they can play a significant role in hindering the growth of cells that leads to several types of cancer, it is important to cook them properly because it can also be toxic when raw.
I’ve never heard about Nanaimo bar before. It looks tasty in the picture. I hope I can have a piece of that cookie. I really want to know what it will taste!
What nice food the Canadians they have! I love the Maple products. The dishes turn out fantastic when putting some maple syrup, especially in dessert recipes. I’d like to try a Nanaimo bar, it sounds interesting and it looks delicious.
Fiddleheads? Are those the ones I see in the mountains? The ones with smooth fur (if that’s what you call it)? I think I have eaten those when my Japanese friend came to visit me. It’s kinda hard to prepare. She made it for like four hours. It tastes good, though.
Every place in the world has their unique ways of serving food and also unique cuisines that you can only see in their places. That’s why I admire Canada for having so much wonderful things they can offer to tourists not only for places to visit but for foods like those in the blog. I hope I can visit the place and try all of those foods. LOL!!
Oh! Canadian soup sounds amusing…”Cockaleekie”, but definitely it tastes so good. Where did the name came from? It really attracts readers because of its name, and now I understand why Canadians love to eat Maple. Thanks for sharing this. I’ve learned new things today through browsing this page.