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Canada's 8 National Dishes

1. Montréal Smoked Meat Sandwich

A popular dish served at Montréal delis, the Montréal smoked meat sandwich consists of slices of spiced beef served on thick rye bread, along with plenty of yellow mustard. Although smoked meat is not unique to Montréal, its preparation is distinct from other types and typically involves a generous sprinkling of cracked peppercorns. The resulting meat is usually sweeter and less spicy compared to other kinds of smoked meat, though each deli has their own unique take on this national dish.

2. BeaverTails

BeaverTails are a deep-fried dough pastry that is stretched to resemble the tail of Canada’s national animal. The pastry is served warm, topped with butter and a choice of sweet toppings, such as candy, fruit, chocolate, or sugar and cinnamon. A staple at Canadian theme parks, sport venues, ski hills and festivals, BeaverTails evolved from a recipe passed down by the founders’ family. The famous pastry was evenenjoyed by U.S. President Barack Obama during a 2009 trip to Ottawa.

3.  Nova Scotia Donair

Sometimes called a Maritime donair or Halifax donair, the Nova Scotia donair is popular late-night street-snack consisting of spicy ground beef inside a moist pita, topped with tomatoes, raw onions, and a sweet sauce made with evaporated milk, garlic powder, sugar, and vinegar. The sweet sauce and use of beef, rather than lamb, distinguishes the Nova Scotia donair from similar dishes like shawarma, doner kebabs, and gyros. The dish is still mainly available on the East Coast, but it’s gradually gaining popularity across the whole country.

4. Saskatoon Berry Pie

Named for the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, these berries are sweet and bluish, and look similar to blueberries. Despite the resemblance, Saskatoon berries actually belong to the same family of fruit as apples and pears but have a drier, earthier flavour. They’re excellent right off the bush or in preserves, but are especially popular in golden pies topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

5. Tourtière

Tourtière is a meat pie that originates from the Lac-St-Jean region of Québec. It can be eaten any time of year, but it’s traditional for French-Canadian families across the country to enjoy it on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. There are numerous regional variations on the tourtière, with fillings ranging from minced pork to wild game, but the meat is always sandwiched between a top and bottom layer of flaky pastry. Tourtière’s signature clove, cinnamon, and allspice seasonings distinguish it from other meat pie dishes. It’s often served with green relish sauce, tomato ketchup, or pickled beets for added flavour.

6. Butter Tarts

Butter tarts are a sweet dessert filled with butter, syrup, sugar, and egg in a small pastry crust. The tart can contain raisins or nuts as well and is baked until the filling is slightly firm. Dating back to the early 20th century, the origins of the butter tart are unclear, with some believing it was inspired by Québec’s sugar pieor American pecan pie. Butter tarts are popular across the country, particularly in Eastern Canadian provinces like Ontario. The small size makes butter tarts the perfect dessert after a meal or even a snack to accompany coffee or tea.

7. Poutine

If you ask any Canadian to name a few Canadian dishes poutine will almost certainly be the first one they describe. No other Canadian dish has gained such widespread fame across the country quite like this combination of hand-cut French fries, fresh cheese curds and well-seasoned gravy. It’s best compared to American Gravy Cheese Fries, but any fan will tell you that poutine is so much more than that.

8. Nanaimo Bar

A Nanaimo Bar is a layered chocolate dessert that originated in Nanaimo, British Columbia. There are many variations on the dessert, but it generally consists of a bottom layer of graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, coconut, and nuts then a middle layer of butter icing, and then a top layer of melted chocolate. The layers are gently cooked together and then the dish is chilled and cut into snack-sized squares.

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7 THINGS TO EAT IN PITTSBURGH and where to find them

1. Primanti Bros. sandwich

Primanti Bros. (address and info) Locations: 3803 Forbes Ave ; PPG Paints Arena, 1001 Fifth Ave ;  It’s the iconic Pittsburgh sandwich: two pieces of thick Italian bread that can barely contain the meat, cheese, tomatoes, coleslaw, and French fries stuffed inside, all served on a sheet of wax paper. 

2. Red curry

Pusadee’s Garden (address and info) Location: 5321 Butler St, Pittsburgh, Lawrenceville The red curry combines bamboo, carrots, peas, and basil into a creamy mixture paired with steaming jasmine rice. The bamboo and fresh basil balance out the spicy sauce.

3. Nancy-B hot chocolate chip cookie sundae

Page Dairy Mart (address and info) Location: South Side Soft-serve ice cream at Page Dairy Mart is always divine, but it becomes downright heavenly with the addition of a warm chocolate chip cookie (peanut butter in the cookie batter takes the treat above and beyond) from Nancy B’s Bakery, plus hot fudge.

4. Burnt almond torte

Prantl’s Bakery (address and info) Location: Shadyside This cake didn’t earn the title of “the greatest cake America has ever made” for nothing. Sugared almonds in an ultra-saccharine icing top layers of light, fluffy cake that you can buy in-store or ship anywhere in the nation.

5. Pittsburgh-style pizza

Aiello’s Pizza (address and info) and Mineo’s Pizza House (address and info) Location: Squirrel Hill Given their location just steps away from one another, Pittsburghers have developed allegiances to either Aiello’s Pizza or Mineo’s Pizza House. All rivalries aside, they’re both must-visit spots that have been serving Pittsburgh-style pizza (a thin pizza with a crispy crust and plenty of cheese) for decades after their founders immigrated to Pittsburgh from Sicily.

6. Isaly’s chipped chopped ham

Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. (address and info) Location: Strip District Go to the deli counter and order some Isaly’s chipped chopped ham. “Chipped” ham is Pittsburgh’s favorite deli meat characterized by its thinly sliced cut. For Yinzer bonus points, take that deli meat home and make a ham barbecue sandwich cooked with Heinz ketchup and Coca-Cola.

7. Enmoladas

Casa Reyna (address and info) Location: Strip District Head downstairs below Reyna Foods Mexican Grocery to Casa Reyna restaurant for the enmoladas -- tortillas covered in mole sauce, stuffed with chicken, and topped with plenty of queso.

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7 Traditional Japanese Foods to Taste in Tokyo

Cuisine is an integral part of any local culture, and no trip to Tokyo is complete without tasting the authentic, Tokyo-made Japanese food. This directory offers information about the traditional dishes and drinks available in Tokyo to help visitors better understand the local food culture and make an informed decision when trying some of the local culinary delights!

1. Sushi

Sushi is, perhaps, the most famous worldwide Japanese food. Although, these days, eating sushi is commonplace in many foreign destinations, a trip to Tokyo would not complete without trying this gastronomical delight in its homeland. Amid the variety of sushi available, there's a staple ingredient present in all - vinegared rice. Topped with various seafood, e.g. raw fish – Nigirizushi, it forms one the best-known types of sushi.  The origins of this dish date back to the 4th century BC; the original sushi of that time was called nare-zushi. The term "sushi" itself derives from a grammatical form that is no longer used in modern Japanese, and literally means "sour-tasting". Serving the dish is done in a simple Japanese manner, on wooden or lacquer plates, and usually involves dipping sushi in a soy sauce. Other key - side- ingredients include wasabi and pickled ginger. 

2. Ramen

Ramen is originally Chinese food that the Japanese have adapted to their taste. Nowadays, this is one of the staple dishes in Japanese cuisine. Ramen tastes different throughout the country; in Tokyo you can find ramen consisting of thin, curly noodles served in a chicken broth and flavoured with soy. The toppings are usually sliced pork, egg, spinach and nori. Ramen is a popular fast food that makes for an affordable meal in the city. There are types of ramen restaurants where you choose ramen you want at a vending machine by pressing the button to get a ticket, then give it the chef and wait for the ramen to be delivered to your table. Don't forget to make a slurping sound while eating ramen with your chopsticks, as this is something rather common (a sign of appreciation) and not at all impolite! 

3. Tempura

Another traditional Japanese food, called Tempura, was introduced to Japan by the Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century. The dish comprises vegetables, seafood and other ingredients, all battered in eggs and flour, and then fried in vegetable oil to form a crispy texture. To absolutely enjoy the dish, it is best to try it at a specialized tempura restaurant – tempura-ya, although it is also served with common dishes, like soba or udon.

4. Sashimi

Sashimi is considered a Japanese delicacy, regarded by Japanese chefs as the finest dish in formal Japanese dining. In essence, it represents fresh, raw seafood or meat, thinly sliced and served with a soy sauce and other ingredients, such as wasabi or ginger - most commonly offered. Traditionally, sashimi is recommended as a first course, ahead of something strongly flavoured.

5. Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki is a real treat for those passionate beef-lovers! It is usually cooked right at the table in a Japanese hot pot style (nabemono). Like most Japanese foods, Sukiyaki has some cooking variations. The most common ingredients used in Tokyo include vegetables, tofu and negi, all of which are added to the beef and cooked, mixed with soy sauce, sugar and mirin. To soak up the broth, boiled udon or soba is sometimes added at the end. Sukiyaki is considered to be a winter dish, most perfect for warming up eaters on the inside!

6. Udon

Udon is quite similar to soba, in terms of being noodles, but these are made from wheat flour. As with soba, it can be served either cold or hot. The simplest hot dish is made in a broth, called kakejiru. A variety of toppings can be added, like scallions or prawns. This particular udon soup is known as Kake Udon, although there are many other types just as tasty!

7. Miso Soup

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese food, said to be the cornerstone of a nutritious local breakfast. It consists of dashi – a stock with added miso paste. Tofu is also usually added to the equation and, depending on the recipe, vegetables, meat and seafood can be used as well. This soup represents a high-protein mixture that balances floating ingredients with those sinking ones. Miso paste is a signature ingredient that defines miso soup as such; the texture and flavour of the soup is very much dependent on the type of miso paste used. In essence, Miso soup is a staple Japanese dish and an absolute must-try, when in Tokyo.