Poutine is a well established Fun Food (one of my faves) and is celebrated during La Poutine Week each year!! For 2024, the week starts today, February 1.
This Vancouver is Awesome article outlines where to experience the 2024 special poutines for the next 7 days. One location is at the Vancouver Aquarium so you can visit your favourite fish and eat your favourite Fun Food!
Poutine Week has expanded to 2 weeks – February 1 – 14th. This is the 11th year for La Poutine Week which is celebrated at 983 restaurants across Canada – outlined in this detailed Dished article! La Poutine Week has it’s own website and instagram account! I’m not sure where the idea originally came from but I am in full support of Poutine, a Canadian Fun Food AND the celebration of Poutine for 1 OR 2 weeks!
Now there seems to be some debate about Poutine’s origin but I believe it was compiled in Quebec – and I believe the correct verb is compiled as there is a base of french fries, then a layer of curds/cheese and finally a drizzle/douse of gravy.
And there also seems to be a debate around the correct second layer – chewy squeaky curds NOT grated cheese… While I prefer cheese curds, I once did have killer poutine at the Templeton in Vancouver where they used a layer of grated old aged cheddar that was VERY memorable. Their current menu indicates that they are now using curds for their poutine!
AND there are some that find the various additional toppings that have been added to traditional Poutine an outrage BUT I say they have just never tried Breakfast Poutine or Butter Chicken Poutine. The RecRoom (now gone) was where I first tried Breakfast Poutine and now I try it whenever I find it on a menu! And when I am craving Butter Chicken Poutine I go to The Spud Shack Fry Co. – they have great traditional Poutine as well as 10 variations.
I think I may add Poutine to my Horizontal Fun Food Tasting Chart!
I LOVE potatoes. All forms of potatoes are Fun Food – baked, roasted, boiled, hash browned, mashed, scalloped, german fried, especially french fried!! But potato milk or mylk…
Yes, potatoes are the newest plant based milk alternative and I want to try it! This informative Thrillist article gives you the lowdown on potato milk and the new brand DUG which has originated in Sweden. We can’t get it in North America yet, but it is only a matter of time as one of my fave grocery stores in England, Waitrose, is forecasting it to be a 2022 Food Trend.
I want to be loyal to oat milk but potato milk seems to be more nutritious & twice as land efficient to my beloved oats… I’m not seeing chocolate potato milk but DUG’s Potato Power may win out!
New Year’s Eve is a special occasion for appis – at a party OR at home – and this comprehensive Purewow article outlines 75 ideas & recipes, yes 75 Appis (appetizers) that are good for New Year’s Eve but also EVERYDAY! Perhaps make one or two of these recipes per week to prepare for HNY 2023…
There are 2 recipe ideas that have a similar & excellent concept and feature one of my fave Fun Foods, potato chips. Cheesy Bacon Holiday Crack & Loaded Baked Potato Chips!
And if you thought waffle makers only come out in the morning, think again. Waffle-Iron quesadillas! Or how about Bacon Apple Cheddar Waffles!!
Happy 2022 Everyone!!
PS – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip anyone?!?
Any time of the day or night, potato salad is appropriate – it improves everything and anything on your plate, or all by itself.
“There is only one good salad – potato salad!”
Said no one but we all think it…
And it is a Fun Food which is something I can’t say for other salads… Except for Caesar perhaps, with lots of croutons & lemon & no one being skimpy with the dressing…
Potato Salad can be cold, warm or hot; it can be mayonnaise based OR sour creme & mayo based OR oil based OR oil & vinegar based. Perhaps I am missing something…
And some people add celery & carrot (mehhh), mustard (many types & yeah), pesto (!), relish and/or pickles (hmmm), onion (fine if mild), radish (colourful) and hard boiled or devilled eggs (extra work but good). I know I am missing something…
AND it can be veggie or vegan based on what you want. The ultimate in flexibility!
Potato chips are high on the list of favourite Fun Foods, VERY high. No debate.
AND also a delivery mechanism for other Fun Foods – a range of dips from the straight forward chip dip to hummus to tapenade to guacamole to …!
AND an international Fun Food in many flavours. Many many many many flavours.
Maybe I am getting jaded but the more flavours I try, the more I love simple plain potato chips. My past horizontal taste testing was focused on new & exciting flavours from all over the world – recent fave is mayo flavoured chips from Panama! However my new focus is PLAIN, kettle cooked vs. ripple vs. “regular”. Miss Vickie’s is my go to brand that I will now have to break away from…
Interestingly enough, Miss Vickie’s has side stepped the word “plain” by calling my current favourite Original Recipe. And Miss Vickie’s also offers wine pairings for 13 of their 14 flavours which is also very clever marketing! And do keep your eyes open for their Party size bags.
Whitney's Fun Food Suggestions! 