By Rafe Calder
The definition is not in dispute. Poutine is fresh-cut fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. The Canadian Encyclopedia says so in one line, and every other source we read says the same.
The history is another matter. Two Quebec towns have a claim, a third has a footnote, and one reference book suggests that neither restaurant invented anything.
Where all the accounts start
The Canadian Encyclopedia says poutine first appeared in rural Quebec snack bars in the late 1950s, was likely developed in stages, and benefited from nearby cheese makers in Centre-du-Québec. Wikipedia places its emergence in the same region, in 1959, “though its exact origins are uncertain”, and says several restaurants claim to be the originators while no consensus exists. Wikipedia also says that for decades it stayed a country snack in Quebec’s dairy region because freshly made cheddar curds hold their soft, squeaky texture only briefly.
The Warwick claim
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, the owner of Café Idéal in Warwick, later called Le Lutin qui rit, said he first added curds to fries in 1957 at the request of a regular customer, serving them in a paper bag. The encyclopedia says he began serving the dish on a plate in 1963, then added gravy to keep the fries warm. Wikipedia puts the plate in 1962, with gravy added from then on.
The Drummondville claim
The Canadian Encyclopedia says the owner of the Le Roy Jucep drive-in in Drummondville claims he invented poutine in 1964, having served fries with a special sauce called patate-sauce since 1958 and added curds under the menu name fromage-patate-sauce. Wikipedia gives the same dates: serving began in 1958 and the item was on the menu in 1964. It says the name was later changed to “poutine” for a cook nicknamed “Ti-Pout” and a slang word for “pudding”.
What the name means
The Canadian Encyclopedia says the word is commonly believed to come from the English “pudding”, via pouding, for a messy mixture, and that in Quebec poutine is slang for “mess”. It says more than a dozen other explanations exist. The Canadian Encyclopedia says purists insist on squeaky curds.
How it travelled
- 1969 (Canadian Encyclopedia): poutine reaches Quebec City through the Ashton Snack Bar food truck on boulevard Hamel. Wikipedia gives 1969 as well.
- Montréal: the Canadian Encyclopedia says 1983. Wikipedia says a restaurant in Montréal began serving it in the early 1970s, and a burger chain in 1983.
- 1990 and 1992 (Canadian Encyclopedia): McDonald’s adds it in Quebec; Harvey’s adds it nationwide.
- Fine dining: the Canadian Encyclopedia says a Montréal bistro introduced foie gras poutine in 2002. Wikipedia says November 2001.
On two of those lines the sources differ. Treat all dates here as reported, not established.
Dates in order
- 1957: Warwick’s first curds on fries (Canadian Encyclopedia, Wikipedia).
- 1958: Drummondville’s fries with sauce (Canadian Encyclopedia, Wikipedia).
- 1962 or 1963: Warwick’s plate and gravy.
- 1964: Drummondville’s menu item.
- 1969: Quebec City.
What kind of sources these are
A national reference work. Wikipedia. One newspaper food column, written as a first-person investigation. No restaurant’s own history was read.
What we left out
Prices and restaurant rankings. Named chefs and commentators who are alive. Political jokes and a recent business rebrand. Recipes, curd varieties and brand names.
Quick answers
Where was poutine invented? The Canadian Encyclopedia says it emerged in rural Quebec snack bars in the late 1950s; Warwick and Drummondville both claim it, and no single answer is agreed.
What is poutine made of? According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, poutine is fresh-cut french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. Wikipedia says the curds should be fresh because they stay squeaky only briefly.
What does “poutine” mean? The Canadian Encyclopedia says it is commonly believed to come from the English “pudding”, and that in Quebec the word is slang for “mess”. It notes more than a dozen other explanations.
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Roam first. Shop later.