Canadian Cuisine

The cuisine of Canada varies from one region to the next.  Most people probably don't consider any food as "Canadian", at least not in the same way we think of foods that are specifically "Mexican" or "Chinese" or "Italian"; but there are foods and cuisine that is specific to Canada as well.

Traditional cuisine in English speaking areas of Canada is much the same as American or British cuisine; while French speaking areas of Canada and the cuisine of Quebec is mostly related to and inspired from the French cuisine.

Seasonal Availability

Food selections for both groups within Canada is mostly based on seasonal availability of ingredients, as much of the cuisine relies greatly on baked foods, gathered foods and wild game, it makes sense that the recipes are made on a seasonal basis.  Canadians consider home-made and wholesome foods as their traditional cuisine, although many families rely on prepared or fast foods during busy times for ease and speed of preparation just like people in many other countries.

Canadian Chinese Cuisine Origins

Canadian chinese cuisine is similar to that of the US chinese cuisine.  The origins of Chinese food in Canada came in 1870 in Vancouver.  At the time, there were a large number of Scandinavian people working in the mills and forests.  They had the Chinese cooks put out a long steam table of various chinese foods, so that the workers could load up their plates and still leave room on the dining tables for drinks and conversations, without the clutter of the serving platters.

Traditional Canadian Cuisine

Much of the cuisine in the Canadian Territories and in The Arctic are based on wild game, using First Nations cooking methods.  British Columbia, Newfoundland and the Maritime provinces maintain traditional British cuisines, using a lot of beef, pork and salt-cured fish for their meals.

Modern Canadian Foods

Modern Canadians would likely classify foods as being "Canadian Cuisine" based on the availability of such items in the United States.  If the food is not widely available in the US, then it'd be considered Canadian cuisine.  Fast food and popular cuisine in restaurants is mostly considered to be "North American" dining, rather than US or Canadian cuisine, as both countries rely heavily on such convenience dining.

Black Diamond Cheddar :  made by Robert F. Hart beginning in 1933, today, Black Diamond Cheddar is Canada's favorite and most well-known brand of cheddar cheese.  It's made using raw, unpasturized milk, and the white cheddar is encased within a black wax that's aged at least two years to create it's sharp and tangy flavor.

Canadian Brie:  since the French colonization in Canada, Brie has been made within the country.  It's a cheese your tastebuds will thank you for, and is almost always the first cheese to disappear from the cheese plate. 

Canadian Wine: for over 200 years, wine has been made in Canada.  The early settlers did not have as much success cultivating grapes from Europe and had to focus on the native grapes of Canada.  The flavor of these grapes was a bit peculiar however, and it made the market for the first Canadian wine very limited.  When the wine makers learned to use the juice to make Port an Sherry type wines, Canadian wine became very popular and Ontario, Canada was even the largest exporters of wine to England in the 1800's.