Ottawa: Bastion of Freedom

Katherine Mangu-Ward | May 25, 2007

Ottawa's city council resists the temptation to ban trans fats. The Ottawa Sun reports/opines:

Some councillors argued it just isn’t the city’s place to do that and the motion was defeated 12-8.

In related news, The New York Times devotes an entire article to a regional delicacy of Quebec, poutine, which it describes as "a gloppy, caloric layering of French fries, fresh cheese curds (a byproduct of Cheddar making) and gravy, poutine goes deep into the Quebequois psyche."

If things get dire in the U.S., we can always barter our incandescent light bulbs for their fries.

Comments

|5.25.07 @ 1:46PM|#

I can attest to the greatness of Canadian poutine. One of the things I look forward to the most when I go up to the Great White North.

highnumber|5.25.07 @ 1:50PM|#

Poutine must be glorious. Curds, gravy, french fries. [cue Homeresque drooling]
The name sounds like a French cuss.

|5.25.07 @ 2:05PM|#

There's a French word putain, which means "whore", and is a cuss.

|5.25.07 @ 2:11PM|#

I am confused, or maybe the NYT is. I am pretty sure that fresh curds are the precursor to cheddar cheese, not a "byproduct". Whey, now there is a byproduct.

Ellie|5.25.07 @ 2:12PM|#

Poutine sounds (and looks) amazing. Holy crap.

There are few things in life that make me weepy faster than remembering the fried cheese curds at Deb's Cafe in Estelline, South Dakota. THAT was heaven. Deep-fried, non-vegan heaven. *wipes away tears*

Anyway, go Ottawa.

|5.25.07 @ 2:16PM|#

So, how long before Bloomberg decides to sue any Canadian restaurant that serves food with trans-fats to New Yorkers???

|5.25.07 @ 2:18PM|#

Ottawa: Bastion of Freedom

I hope you realize that every Canadian reader (and probably most Americans) who saw that headline wondered if you had completely lost your marbles (or trans fats).

ed|5.25.07 @ 2:24PM|#

Perhaps they originally wanted to say "bastion of freedom fries" but thought better of it.

Highway|5.25.07 @ 2:40PM|#

Mmmmm, poutine....

Although with McDonald's fries... not so good.

highnumber|5.25.07 @ 2:53PM|#

Culver's (Wisconsin-based short-order burger chain with several Midwest locations) serves deep fried cheese curds. They also serve fries. Maybe gravy on something, too. Perhaps they could be persuaded to serve poutine.

Akon|5.25.07 @ 2:55PM|#

Haha I know one of the guys who started that LW12 pub in the article. Thought they were nuts with the $20 poutine idea but I guess you can make anything happen in New York.

Metaphysical Gravy Hole|5.25.07 @ 2:56PM|#

poutine goes deep into the Quebequois psyche

Not enough food writers get kicked in the face.

SxCx|5.25.07 @ 2:57PM|#

Anyone adventurous eaters heading to Montreal should stop by the public health nightmare known as Au Pied De Cochon. Foie gras poutine, blood sausage, pig trotters, and then some. The religion here is saturated fat.

http://www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca/index_eng.html

Very fucking recommended.

SxCx|5.25.07 @ 2:58PM|#

"Anyone" = "Any"

Now no one will take me seriously...

Grotius|5.25.07 @ 3:18PM|#

highnumber,

Foie gras on panckaes with maple syrup; that is even better.

Josh K.|5.25.07 @ 3:29PM|#

I'd read about poutines before a recent trip to Montreal, and they did not disappoint. So, so good. Experientially, the closest American analog is a big heaping pile o' Nachos so cheesy that you could cut slices and serve like a pie.

A drooling Homer noise is very fucking appropriate... Gahhhhhh, poutines...

Urkobold®|5.25.07 @ 3:33PM|#

URKOBOLD GOT A SIDE OF POON TANG WITH A NICE HAGGIS IN THE 'NAM BACK IN '68. GOOD TIMES. DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A CANADIAN PRODUCT!

highnumber|5.25.07 @ 3:36PM|#

Grotius,

Tru served me foie gras on french toast in chocolate sauce.
Dear lord, it was amazing. The best I've had.

|5.25.07 @ 3:54PM|#

Try mashed potatoes with black truffles. Oh, yeah.

Grotius|5.25.07 @ 3:57PM|#

highnumber,

I thought Chicago banned foie gras? Was this a pre-ban meal?

Anyway, foie gras goes amazingly well with all sorts of food.

Thomas Paine\'s Goiter|5.25.07 @ 4:12PM|#

I can attest to the greatness of Canadian poutine. One of the things I look forward to the most when I go up to the Great White North.

Testify brother!

As for the New York Times? Embarrassing? Screw that - it's glorious.

I want to kick the New York Times in the balls.

SxCx|5.25.07 @ 4:57PM|#

Alright, so they name drop Au Pied in the godamned article.

I'm unimportant again...

|5.25.07 @ 5:13PM|#

It's a really, really bad sign when major US cities pursue nanny-state programs that French-Canadians balk at.

highnumber|5.25.07 @ 5:39PM|#

Grotius,

It was pre-ban. A number of restaurants have bypassed the ban by not selling foie gras, but adding "complimentary" to $20 salads. Daley is going to repeal the ban any day, anyway.

highnumber|5.25.07 @ 6:05PM|#

ProGLib,

The first time we went to Tru, my wife had the vegetable collection. The feature was truffles. Black & white. [Cue some serious hardcore Homeresque drooling.]

Grotius|5.25.07 @ 9:57PM|#

highnumber,

I gotta say, until it is repealed, I ain't visiting Chicago.

I had some good mead tonight at a local pub. Love that stuff. Now I'm drinking Pyramid's seasonal ale named "Curve Ball." It is light and crisp and just right after a big plate of pad thai.

Xanthippas|5.25.07 @ 10:35PM|#

Congrats to the Canadians for striking a blow for freedom and the right to turn themselves into a bunch of lard-asses like we Americans.

|5.25.07 @ 11:01PM|#

Isn't part of the rhetoric surounding trans-fat bans that allowing fatty foods forces scrawny healthnut types to subsidize the risky behavior of fat sacks of crap? This kind of argument works only when there is a range of insurance options which can be undertaken at will.

Under a nationalized, single-payer healthcare boondoggle, everyone already subsidizes everyone else, with no choice in the matter. And since it's a government program, it has no worries about insolvency or shortage of funds, so go nuts!

But still, in this one circumstance, in this one part of Canada, taken out of the larger context of general economic oppression:
vive Quebec!

|5.26.07 @ 5:23AM|#

Since I learned everything I know about Canadian politics from Red Green, Don Cherry and Angloman comics, I thought I'd introduce everyone to that pulchritudinous defender of Quebecois cuisine, Poutinette!

Kevin

Doc|5.26.07 @ 3:03PM|#

Montreal is also good for a nice smoked meat sandwich (corned beef) with cheese, eggs, gravy, etc.

It's like Paris though, you walk so much, drink and smoke everybody stays thin!

Harley|5.27.07 @ 7:19AM|#

This is a good sign. The nannies have been getting their way too often and it is good to stick to them.