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If there's one really good reason to make friends with a Canadian, it would be to capture their recipe for genuine French-style Poutine. Pronounced "Pou-tin" this dish is a delightful combination of flavors that will capture your taste buds and hold them hostage for a lifetime. Any time a relative or friend comes calling, we always get together and head for the nearest restaurant that features large servings of steamy hot Poutine. But the very best Poutine can only be found in one place in all of Canada.

And where can you find the best Poutine in all of Canada? While others may protest, the best Poutine in the world is only made at a Chip Stand in Martintown, Ontario. Of course you can get other great foods there as well, but when it's Poutine time, it's time to make a trip across the border to Martintown.

If you can't make the trip to Martintown, which is just across the St. Lawrence River from Massena, New York, you can make your very own batch of Poutine at home. Here's a good recipe, but don't expect it to be as good as the Poutine at the MTown Chip Stand:

Deep fry enough French Fry Potatoes to make a jumbo heap for each person. Freshly cut French fries are the best to use. Make sure the grease, or cooking oil is hot enough to make the fries crisp, but not crunchy.

Make a pot of brown gravy from the drippings of a freshly roasted beef cut like prime rib. Use the best and the freshest drippings you can find. Packaged and canned gravies will do in a pinch, but aren't as flavorful as your own home-made brown gravy. The gravy should be nicely colored, meaning browned in a skillet. Pale and lumpy gravy isn't going to have the right flavor or smoothness to make your taste buds take off.

The secret ingredient is the cheese. The best cheese in the world is found only in the Martintown area, and it's called St. Alberts. If you can get it, St. Albert's cheese curds are the absolute best topping for Poutine. Chances are that you can't get it anywhere nearby, so just use some fresh mozzarella cheese. It will melt nicely when added to the hot French fries and gravy.

Now combine these ingredients as follows:

Drain and pat down the hot French Fries, pile them onto a serving-size plate or bowl.

Sprinkle a little bit of salt on the Fries.

Drown the French Fries with the Gravy.

Smother the French Fries and the Gravy with the cheese.

Now, grab a fork and dig in. A cold glass of root beer goes great with this wonderful dish of French-style Poutine. Yum!

Learn more about this author, Francis Jock.
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