Page 29 - 2026-2027 Travel Guide to Canada

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Butter tarts were a staple of pioneer
cooking in both Upper and Lower Canada
(now Ontario and Québec). The Kawarthas
Northumberland Butter Tart Tour has grown
to over 50 locations throughout the area
(www.buttertarttour.ca). The townships of
Minto, Southgate, Wellington North and
West Grey’s have a self-guided Butter Tarts
Trail (www.wellington.ca/en/business/
tr-buttertart.aspx).
QUÉBEC
A GOLDMINE OF FRENCH-
CANADIAN SPECIALTIES
New France’s first inhabitants ate hearty
meals to cope with the rigours of everyday
life. The rugged lifestyle enhanced a distinct
home-cooking style over the centuries that
became Québec classics. Think tourtière, a
meat and pork pie; cipaille, a layered wild
meat pie; fèves au lard, baked beans; and
cretons, a fatty pork spread (www.bonjour
quebec.com/en-ca/to-see-and-do/delicious-
discoveries).
Maple syrup plays a big role in traditional
food with some 13,300 producers in the
province. In spring, Québécois gather at
cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks) to enjoy baked
beans and pancakes all drenched in maple
syrup (www.bonjourquebec.com/en-ca/
to-see-and-do/delicious-discoveries/
sugar-shacks).
From Petite-Rivière-Saint-François to La
Malbaie, epicureans treat themselves to a
gastronomic adventure on the Charlevoix
Flavour Trail which features specialty producers
and 16 restaurants (www.tourisme-
charlevoix.com/en/what-to-do/routes-
and-circuits/flavour-trail).
The Eastern Townships, renowned for
its gourmet cuisine, has dozens of local
ENJOYING A WINE AND CHEESE CRUISE IN HALIFAX • DAVEY & SKY/TOURISM NOVA SCOTIA
producers and agritourism locations
(www.easterntownships.org/tag/296/
createurs-de-saveurs-local-producers) as
well as a good number of restaurants with a
history and tea stops (www.easterntown
ships.org/taste-the-townships).
Montréal counts several hundred chefs
including many top names. But it is also
famous for bagels (St-Viateur and Fairmount)
and smoked meat (Schwartz’s and Main
Deli). The city is host to many annual food
festivals and events, from the most famous
Montréal Highlights Festival to La Poutine
Week (www.lapoutineweek.com).
ATLANTIC CANADA
THE GLORY OF SEAFOOD
The culinary scene has exploded in Nova
Scotia. The two seafood trails—the Nova
PLATE OF QUÉBEC CHEESES, CENTRE-DU-QUÉBEC • CENTRE-DU-QUÉBEC © GOUVQC GAËLLE LEROYER
Scotia Chowder Trail and the Nova Scotia
Lobster Trail—offer a collection of restaurant,
retail and fisheries experiences that highlight
the province’s incredible seafood products
(www.novascotiaculinarytrails.com).
In New Brunswick, travellers can build
their own trail to farmers’ markets, restau-
rants and sites via the website (www.tourism
newbrunswick.ca/food-and-drink).
Canada’s Food Island Culinary Trail and
Dining Guide in PEI directs people to the
Island’s distinct regions (www.canadas
foodisland.ca/culinary-trail). Newfound-
land is known for its seafood and traditional
dishes such as salt fish and brewis (made
with hard tack or dry bread) and Jiggs’ dinner
(boiled salted beef and vegetables)
(www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/things-
to-do/food-and-dining).
THE NORTH
WILD HARVESTS UNDER
THE MIDNIGHT SUN
In the Yukon, Michele Genest and Beverley
Gray are authors of the books The Boreal
Gourmet and The Boreal Herbal. They explain
what you can harvest in the “Land of the
Midnight Sun.” At Gray’s Aroma Borealis
Herb Shop in Whitehorse, visitors can
arrange to join her on a seasonal foraging
outing (www.aromaborealis.com). Also in
Whitehorse is Wayfarer Oyster House, where
local produce anchors each dish.
Whatever their fancy, wherever travellers
go in Canada, they are sure to find their taste
nirvana.